Linking, networking, creating circles
Since 1949, the imm cologne has been taking place and over the years, in addition to reflecting the respective furnishing styles in demand, it has also always been a measuring instrument for consumer demand in the home furnishing segment. Jan Kurth, Managing Director of the Federation of the German Timber Industry (HDH) and the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM), called the industry situation since 2020 a "rollercoaster ride" in view of the effects of the Corona pandemic, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, inflation, the high interest rate level and the geopolitical challenges on trade. Uncertainty among the population due to the crises is leading to high levels of savings, he said, and the increasingly scarce housing in cities would also have a long-term impact on the furniture sector. In view of the challenging times, Oliver Frese, Managing Director of Koelnmesse GmbH, emphasised the importance of face-to-face meetings for further development in the sector. The Spring Edition of the trade fair in June 2023 was a step on the way to the new imm cologne, said Matthias Pollmann, Vice President Trade Fair Management of the imm cologne. The focus would now be on organising an "interior business event" from 14 to 18 January 2024 to connect the numerous trade fair participants in the industry.
"The Circles" is thus the fitting name of the new exhibition and event concept for the planned occupation of nine halls at Koelnmesse, which is intended to offer knowledge transfer, inspiration, experience and gastronomy. This also includes a communal presentation area for the exhibitors' highlights: Infrastructure areas are to be shared, a presentation like in retail is to be possible. The planned shows are bundled in the trade fair focal points "Pure" (platform for premium brands), "Home" (lifestyle-oriented living worlds) and "Sleep (concepts for sleeping comfort). Among the exhibitors already registered are some big names like Rolf Benz, COR, Freifrau, Topstar or müller möbelwerkstätten as well as many small companies. Emerging talents may also be discovered in the "Installation Circles" and during the design competition "Pure Talents Contest 2024", which is being held for the 20th time and, according to Matthias Pollmann, has already attracted over 1000 entries. The prospects for the furnishing sector as well as current approaches to solutions for the furniture industry and the furniture trade will also be discussed at the imm cologne's Summit, which is organised jointly with VDM and BVDM. "It's a great achievement by the team, we only had six months to get the event off the ground and we can already see that it's going to be a very successful imm cologne, but also an event that continues to evolve because these changes are necessary," says Oliver Frese, Managing Director of Koelnmesse GmbH.
Therefore, it will be interesting to see how experience and trade can be productively combined on the exhibition grounds and what significance the imm cologne will call up in the 2024 trade fair calendar. One key to this certainly lies in clear, honest communication that openly discusses challenges as well as approaches to solutions, which creates trust and promotes interdisciplinary cooperation.
