Cologne announces new fair for suppliers from Asia

Koelnmesse intends to establish a new trade fair specially for Asian suppliers in the years without either Practical World or Gafa. “Asia-Pacific Sourcing – Products for Home, Garden and Ambience” is the name of the new event in Cologne. The premiere is planned for 27 February to 1 March 2005. The fair is designed to be a platform for ordering and communication. Invitations to exhibit there will be sent exclusively to manufacturers and distributors from the Asian region, in particular from China and Hong Kong, India, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam. According to information from Koelnmesse, 500 exhibitors have already indicated that they might participate in the event.
The range of products will be oriented towards the categories that are exhibited at Spoga, Gafa and the International Hardware Fair/Practical World. Consequently, the main emphasis will be on the garden and outdoor furniture, barbecues, camping, sporting goods, toys and leisure items, tools, DIY materials, hardware, gift items, lighting and craftsmen’s equipment. Added to these will be glass, porcelain, ceramics and table decoration. This range is designed to appeal primarily to trade visitors from Europe and North America. It is hoped to attract representatives from DIY stores and garden centres, from the glass, porcelain and ceramics trade, from hypermarkets, discounters, buying cooperatives, the wholesale and export trades, and mail order organisations as well. The fair organisers are expressly pursuing the target of extending the scope of home, garden and leisure products. Their subsidiaries in Asia were also involved in planning the new fair concept.