December 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact:

Anne Meerboth-Maltz
Tel. (312)781-5185
Fax (312) 781-5188
email: ameerboth@mdna.com

Messe Düsseldorf North America
150 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 2920
Chicago, IL 60601

glasstec 2010 Specialist Article No. 1

An efficient way to reach customers

When faced with a generally difficult economic environment, the maintaining of existing contacts and the acquisition of new customers is more important than ever. This also applies to the companies in the glass industry and their suppliers. Being present as an exhibitor at a leading international trade fair provides the best conditions for achieving this objective.

The global financial and economic crisis has also left its mark on the glass industry worldwide. In particular, the flat glass industry which is heavily dependent on the construction and automotive markets has had to deal with considerable sales declines in 2009. An example of the trend on an international level is the situation facing the German glass industry. Following increases in the first nine months of 2008, sales slumps in the fourth quarter resulted in a marked decline in production. The flat glass sector was particularly affected by this. According to the annual report published by the Federal Association of the German Glass Industry (BIV), a considerable decline in total turnover is expected for 2009, even though the glass industry was still able to close 2009 with a turnover Euro 8.57 billion and slight growth of 0.2 percent (flat glass production: plus 5.3%, flat glass finishing: minus 1.4%).

The suppliers are also automatically affected by this trend and this is clearly confirmed by the situation for the world’s leading German manufacturers of glass machinery and plant. They too had to face declines from the fourth quarter of 2008 onwards. According to information from the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), mechanical engineering companies also expect a much lower sales level for the outgoing year, although the sector, with Euro 834 million in sales for the year, was still able to register increased growth of 13% compared to 2007.

Active market servicing

Worldwide, the companies of the glass industry and their suppliers are responding to the sales crisis with economy programs and parallel to these measures are intensifying their sales and marketing activities. The intensive servicing of regular customers and new customer acquisition currently has the highest priority. An ideal framework for this is provided by participations at international trade fairs, because they offer much more than a pure product and services exhibition. Marketing experts agree: no other marketing or sales measure enables so many valuable customer contacts to be cultivated and developed in just a few days.

One example is glasstec – International Trade Fair for Glass Production - Processing – Products, the world’s leading trade fair for the international glass industry and its suppliers. The trade fair focuses on the glass industry, glass machinery as well as glazier’s trade and will be held from September 28 – October 1, 2010 in Düsseldorf, Germany. It offers a unique platform for product innovations, forward-looking processing technologies and new glass applications. “The unique thematic spectrum at glasstec attracts trade visitors from all over the world to the Düsseldorf exhibition halls. For the internationally operating manufacturers of glass machinery and plant the setting is perfect for presenting their products and cultivating and developing customer contacts”, stated Dr. Bernd-Holger Zippe, Chairman Glass Technology Forum within the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). Anyone who exhibits in Düsseldorf can be sure that their clientele is also present there. Also of great interest to exhibitors at glasstec are for example the numerous architects who visit the event, the "glass technology live" Special Show and the international architect’s conference to obtain information about the latest developments and trends in architectural glass applications.

Over half of the around 55,000 visitors at glasstec 2008 held top management positions. The significance of this high percentage of decision-makers for the exhibitors is demonstrated by a representative survey commissioned by the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) and conducted in October 2006. Participants were 500 companies who exhibit at trade visitor-orientated fairs. When questioned about the objectives of their trade fair participation, 92% of the responses stated new customer acquisition, 88% regular customer cultivation, 85% the presentation of new products/services and 70% the development of new markets. The fact that these targets are achievable at international trade fairs is confirmed by trade fair success trainer A. Peter Kunzweiler from the Düsseldorf-based company ProConception GmbH & CO KG: “When applied correctly, trade fair participation is still the most effective marketing instrument of all”. He commented that in addition to an impressive stand, the essential condition for a successful trade fair participation is also a well-trained, active stand personnel.

Opportunity also for small and medium-sized companies

When it comes to trade fair participation, companies often state the costs associated with a trade fair stand and the uncertain return of investment as the reason for not participating. In addition to the expected direct business deals and transactions at the trade show, the long-term effects of trade fair participation should however also be taken into consideration, said Mario Wille, Executive Director of the medium-sized glass fitting manufacturer MWE Edelstahlmanufaktur GmbH, speaking from personal experience. “Particularly at times when we have difficult general factors, it is important to be present at a trade fair of such significance for the sector as glasstec and to show your products and services to an international audience. The many new contacts made on our stand in recent years have later developed into long-standing business relations.”

The diverse visitor structure at a trade fair enables contacts to be made with potential customers who are difficult to reach or who cannot be reached at all via classic sales and marketing. Regarding glasstec, this applies to small and medium-sized companies from the glass industry, glass engineering and glazier trades. No other trade fair in the world offers a better setting allowing you to present yourself to a gathering of (inter-) national trade visitors - as the supplier of individual special products or as a professionally competent implementation partner.

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; Visit our web site http://www.mdna.com; Subscribe to our blog http://blog.mdna.com; Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/mdnachicago