New Koelnmesse project attracts 300 exhibitors and 5,300 visitors

The first edition of the International Hardware Fair Italy has met the expectations of visitors and exhibitors. This is the positive assessment of the organiser Koelnmesse. At the premiere on 5 and 6 May 2023, the two exhibition halls in Bergamo were sold out with 302 exhibitors from 20 countries. There were strong participations from Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland, Greece, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Great Britain, Norway, Serbia and Turkey. Australia, India, Taiwan, China and the USA were also represented. The more than 5 300 visitors came from 30 countries.

The International Hardware Fair Italy relies on synergies with the hardware fair in Cologne and is to be held in the future in the odd-numbered years and thus in alternation with Cologne. The next event in Bergamo will be in May 2025. The product range includes hardware, building materials, DIY, outdoor and garden, safety, paint and painting accessories, electrical and industrial equipment.

"For some time now, we have been gathering clear signals from the Italian and European market to organise an event dedicated to the hardware, building and DIY world, which was not yet present in Italy. And the market proved us right," comments Markus Oster, Vice President Trade Fair Management at Koelnmesse, on the premiere in Bergamo.

Thomas Rosolia, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Italy, draws this conclusion: ""The success of this first edition comes from all our experience as trade fair organisers, which has enabled us to structure a trade show exhibition that meets the real needs of the industry.""

Rosolia explicitly mentions the support of numerous European and Italian associations. For example, John Herbert, Managing Director of the international building market association Edra/Ghin, speaks of "one of the most successful first editions of a trade fair" that he has visited so far and attests to the fair's very good prospects for the future.

From Germany, the Zentralverband Hartwarenhandel (ZHH) and the Fachverband Werkzeugindustrie (FWI) supported the fair. In Italy, it was the hardware trade association Assofermet Ferramenta and the DIY and garden manufacturers' association Made4DIY, among others.

According to the organisers, a key role was played by the matchmaking programme. It brought about more than 200 meetings of retailers and manufacturers.

The fair was accompanied by two conferences. On the first day of the fair, the focus was on the Italian and international hardware, building and DIY sector. In addition to speakers such as John Herbert, the Italian journalist Giulia Arrigoni or the GfK expert Ivano Garavaglia, Rainer Strnad, Editor-in-Chief of the diy trade magazine and of DIY International, among others, gave a lecture on the development and trade formats in the international home improvement trade. On the second day, the focus was on the specialist trade.