“Glass and Energy” was the main topic at glasstec 2008, International Trade Fair with Special Show glass technology live, where over 1,300 exhibitors from 48 countries presented their innovations for the glass industry. For the first time, the glasstec exhibitors occupied more than 785,700 square feet of net exhibit space. About 55,000 visitors – a slight increase compared to the 2006 staging – attended the event in Düsseldorf, Germany.

“Despite the tough economic situation, glasstec 2008 was extremely successful for all parties involved. Glass has an incredibly innovative potential – which producers, finishers and machinery manufacturers take advantage of. The solar theme, in particular, provided this year’s glasstec with fresh momentum,” commented Joachim Schäfer, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf.

Of the glasstec visitors, about 58% came from countries other than Germany. Among the most important countries of origin, France, Italy and the U.S. again recorded increased attendance figures. Over half the visitors held top management positions. As a result, exhibitors were extremely pleased with the trade fair. “For us glasstec this year was more successful than ever. It has fully lived up to its reputation of being the glass sector’s foremost trade fair in the world and proved to be a meeting point for visitors from around the globe. Many first-time customers signed important contracts on site where we installed a fully networked, automatic manufacturing unit at the stand,” stated Manfred Lesiak, Manager Marketing & Event at Lisec.

On the exhibitor side, 64% of the companies were from countries outside of Germany. The leading foreign exhibitor nations were Italy (206), China (152), the U.S. (64), the Netherlands (62) and Great Britain (50). The U.S. exhibitor figure includes 20 companies displaying the products within the successful North American Pavilion, organized by Messe Düsseldorf North America and co-sponsored by the National Glass Association (NGA).

In addition to solar technologies, topics covered by glasstec 2008 included the latest finishing and treatment technologies, innovations for technical glass as well as energy-efficient glass products and applications. Many solutions were presented to the public for the first time at glasstec 2008, including anti-microbial glass that kills up to 99.9% of all bacteria. Other innovations included glass which can be switched from transparent to frosted with the touch of a button and new thin-film modules for the solar sector.

The Special Show “glass technology live” during glasstec 2008 was a major attraction for visitors. The special exhibit with symposium provided interesting insights into the future of glass technology. The highlight was a bent bridge of cold-formed glass with a thickness of just 3.7 centimeters and a carrying capacity of seven tons. Of special interest to visitors was also the International Architects’ Congress where internationally renowned architects, engineers and façade planners such as Lise Anne Couture of Asymptote Architecture in New York presented their latest projects.

Siegfried Glaser, Chairman of the glasstec Exhibitors’ Advisory Board, summarized the results of the trade show: “Both exhibitors and visitors are pleased. The industry reports to a large extend good orders, which means we can be optimistic despite the financial crisis.”

The next staging of glasstec will take place in Düsseldorf from September 28 - October 2, 2010. For further information on visiting or exhibiting at glasstec 2010, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America, 150 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2920, Chicago, IL 60601. Telephone: (312) 781-5180; Fax: (312) 781-5188; E-mail: info@mdna.com. Or visit the web site http://www.mdna.com.

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