In brief

Rise in proportion of international participants The Asia-Pacific Sourcing trade fair in Cologne recorded the attendance of 5 100 visitors from 70 countries. The proportion of international visitors rose to more than 60 per cent. The 578 exhibitors came from 13 countries, the great majority of them (493) from China. There were also 35 countries present from Taiwan, and 10 from India. Popularity of own brands The PLMA (Private Label Manufacturers Association) is expecting around 3 600 exhibitor booths at its World of Private Label event in Amsterdam on 24 and 25 May 2011, which is a clear increase on last year’s figure. Around 2 000 companies have registered from more than 70 countries. The organisers believe they will occupy more space than ever before: “During the recession, and in the phase when recovery was just starting again, it became evident that the popularity of own brands is growing, not only in the developed markets but also in the emerging ones,” is how Brian Sharoff, president of the PLMA, describes the association’s assessment of the situation. Independent fair in Japan The Tool Japan – International Hardware & Tools Expo held in Tokyo is being developed into an independent trade fair in 2011. Until now it has been an integral part of Gardex, Japan’s biggest garden fair. Organisers Reed Exhibitions have announced that Tool Japan is to take place from 13 to 15 October 2011, at the same time as the fifth Gardex event. Bau 2011: record number of visitors A total of 238 000 trade visitors came to this year’s Bau exhibition in Munich. That amounts to an increase of twelve per cent on the previous event two years ago. The trade fair came to the end of its six-day run on Saturday, Jan. 22. The proportion of international visitors saw an increase from 18 to 25 per cent. Satisfactory figures More than 16 000 visitors attended the Ferroforma-Bricoforma trade fair in Bilbao, Spain, from 23 to 26 March. That was 1 000 more than two years previously. The organisers rated this figure as “satisfactory”, a result that they say corresponds to the assessment made by the participants as well. The most numerous groups of visitors came from France, Portugal, Italy, Germany and the UK. There were also trade specialists from Poland, Russia, Turkey, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia, among other countries, many of whom came as part of a programme for purchasers. The proportion of visitors from abroad…