Leading green fair

It was not without a certain amount of pride in his voice that Metin Ergül, Koelnmesse vice president home, garden and leisure, announced a substantial increase in exhibitors three and a half months before the start of Spoga+Gafa 2011. The total number of exhibitors is up by around 30 per cent to 1 700 – compared with 2009, the year when a Spoga fair was last held without an accompanying Gafa. After a certain amount of toing and froing, especially in the powered garden tools segment, the fair organisers had had enough. This 2011 event, due to be held from 4 to 6 September, will mark the end of the two-yearly staging of Gafa: this half of the dual fair is now to be held annually once more as well. In plain English this means that an unofficial two-year cycle for the Gafa segment is becoming established. So the number of exhibitors coming to Cologne this year will not by any means amount to the 2 155 in the latest “Gafa” year, but it will be more than in the last “Spoga” year. “We believe this confirms our decision to return to the annual cycle,” is Metin Ergül’s comment on the development. At any rate, this coming edition of Spoga+Gafa in Cologne will occupy 40 000 m² and two more halls. Many of the component parts of the supporting programme have proved their worth in the eyes of the organisers. For instance, there will again be a “Boulevard of Ideas”, this time under the “Green shopping” theme and designed to display marketing trends for different retail formats on seven special exhibition areas. The Plant Park located in Hall 9 will also be considerably expanded. The intention here is to present plant trends in combination with other products from categories such as lighting and water features, biochemicals, garden technology and décor. As Ergül’s speech reveals, the fair is reacting to the wish of exhibitors to have more green products at the event. The fair is divided into five segments. The greatest number of exhibitors are registered in the “garden living” section, with 700 companies alone in the furniture and home/lifestyle categories (Halls 1, 2, 3 and 11). Other strongly represented sections are grilling (5) and garden décor and accessories (9 and 10). Exclusive outdoor furniture has its special place in the newly created “garden unique” segment (2.2). The spectrum of products involved in garden care, ranging from fertilizers to motorised garden tools, is presented in the “garden care” segment in Hall 6. The “garden creation” segment (9) covers…