Bigger, more international, greener

While Germany was still shrouded in winter gray, the IPM showed itself from its greenest side. From January 28 to 31, the global gardening and horticulture industry gathered in the halls of Messe Essen and once again saw an increase in visitors: More than 40,000 visitors – last year there were 36,000 trade fair guests – took the opportunity to find out about the latest developments, concepts and products in the fields of plants, technology, floristry and equipment from 1,434 exhibitors from 45 countries – 31 exhibitors and two countries were added compared to last year's edition.

The audience was also more international: according to Messe Essen, 44 percent of visitors came from abroad – an increase of five percentage points compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the IPM recorded a further increase in procurement and purchasing expertise: around a quarter of trade visitors placed orders with exhibitors directly at the trade fair; two-thirds stated that they intended to place orders as a result of their visit to the trade fair. “The green industry is clearly in a spirit of optimism,” said Oliver P. Kuhrt, CEO of Messe Essen.

In discussions with the diY editorial team, exhibitors expressed overall satisfaction: there was plenty to do on the stands from day one, albeit with clear gaps in demand over time. On the first day of the fair, there was some criticism of the lack of international contacts – buyers from DIY store groups and garden centers, including many garden center owners, were represented, but according to some exhibitors, almost exclusively from Germany and neighboring EU countries. At the same time, however, major non-European DIY store groups, for example from Australia and Japan, also sent their buyers to Essen.

After the fair, opinions were more positive. “The fair proved to be an excellent platform for intensifying and maintaining existing customer contacts, particularly in the export business. The personal exchange with international business partners strengthened relationships and provided valuable impetus for further cooperation,” said Laurens Lampe, Head of Sales International for Neudorff, summarizing the fair for the company.

“Our records show that, in addition to the numerous…