Events - News

Great interest both inside and outside Russia
The organisers of the ninth Russia Building Week, held in Moscow from 8 to 12 April 2003, recorded 99 937 trade visitors, which they say is a record attendance figure. Other events held in parallel were Interiors Moscow, Decotex Moscow and, for the first time, Flooring Moscow. Altogether 1 057 companies from more than 30 countries presented their products and services. According to information from the organisers, the net exhibition space of 30 000 m² was fully booked up. Next year’s fair is due to be held from 6 to 9 April 2004.
Poor selection of DIY products
The range of products offered in the DIY section of the PLMA private label fair in Amsterdam was still not representative. Even though private labels are achieving ever greater prominence in European DIY stores, this was scarcely noticeable at the PLMA’s “World of Private Labels” fair in Amsterdam, the biggest event of its kind worldwide. Only very few exhibitors there presented products for DIYers or lines for the automotive and garden categories. The organisers put a figure of 5 000 on the number of visitors who came to the RAI exhibition centre on 27 and 28 May. Attending the fair alongside retailers and wholesalers from Europe were importers from Asia, the Middle East, North and South America and Africa as well.
Début for Lawn & Garden World
The National Hardware Show, which is being brought forward in 2004 to the earlier date of 10 to 12 May and located in Las Vegas, will for the first time be offering a self-contained section for garden products in the shape of Lawn & Garden World. According to information from the organisers, both the new date and the location have been well received. It appears that particular interest is being directed towards the new products that will be displayed in the New Product World and Lawn & Garden World.
New product sourcing routes
The French company Agora, which is based in Avignon, is currently targeting retail operations throughout Europe with a new line of action in the field of procurement. At its “Sourcing Days” the company brings together 50 buyers with 50 manufacturers that it has sought out all over the world in accordance with the buyers’ terms of reference. The next event of this kind, to be held in Provence in the south of France from 5 to 9 November 2003, is to be devoted to the categories of seasonal articles, Halloween, Christmas, Easter, carnival, gift articles and decoration. There are also plans…