In less than three weeks from now the 24th International Trade Fair for Retail Promotions and Imports opens in Cologne. Over a period of three days, the show staged by over 310 international exhibitors will be attended by more than 9,000 trade visitors from every corner of the globe who value the opportunity to catch up on market trends and place their orders for the coming season. While exhibitors and visitors are busily preparing for trade fair business, the heat is off for Project Manager Kerstin Manke: “With the trade show opening just three weeks away, most of the plans have been completed. All the stand space is fully booked. It is good to know that the pressure is off and we can now look forward to the upcoming Autumn Fair. At the same time, however, we are already making preparations for the Spring Fair in March 2017.”
The 300 plus companies taking part in September include 40 first-time exhibitors who will be showcasing some interesting new products. The wide range of innovative and top-selling products includes textiles and clothing, body care and beauty products, tools and DIY products, food, furniture and household goods. The IAW Autumn Fair will also focus on seasonal products such as toy and gifts, Christmas merchandise and decorative items.
In the light of the vast array of merchandise, picking the right products might seem difficult, but the IAW TRENDSELLER PRODUCT AWARD is a great guide to identifying promising product developments and innovations. The award presentation takes place within the Trendforum featured at every IAW. The forum includes a popular program of informative talks and presentations. The keynote theme of the Autumn IAW is “Private Labels”, to which a new exhibit category has also been dedicated. Once again the trade fair addresses a highly topical issue. Many manufacturing companies are now offering their customers the option of own brands or private labels. Kerstin Manke points out that the IAW is the ideal platform: “We are proud that so many top experts have agreed to speak at the Trendforum and cater for the demand for information and advice on this issue and the challenges of e-commerce. I am also enthusiastic about the launch of our new ‘Private Labels’ display category.”
The 24th International Trade Fair for Retail Promotions and Imports takes place from 27 to 29 September 2016 in Hall 10.2 at the Cologne exhibition centre. Trade visitors can order their complimentary admission tickets for all three days of the trade fair at www.iaw-messe.de
