drinktec 2009 has gathered together the top decision-makers in the international beverage and liquid food industry in Munich and in doing so has given the sector renewed impetus. Virtually all the CEOs and Presidents from companies around the world turned out here, was the unanimous opinion of the exhibitors, all of them praising the extremely high quality of the visitors. Intensive talks were held at many stands, laying the foundations for upcoming investment decisions; many of the exhibitors reported they had signed up business agreements at the fair. Even though the climate as regards investment is still cautious, drinktec 2009 has marked a turnaround in decision-making.
drinktec confirmed its reputation as the world´s most important business and information platform for the sector in impressive style. It is the world 'summit' for the beverage and liquid food industry – in this, too, exhibitors and visitors alike were agreed. Volker Kronseder, Chairman of Krones AG and President of the Advisory Board of drinktec 2009, described how he saw the mood in the halls: People are no longer paralysed with shock, life is coming back into the sector. It is a view he shares with many of his colleagues in the sector. Menno Holterman from Norit also sees light on the horizon after drinktec 2009. There´s more appetite for investment again, so long as the ROI is right. We have signed up a number of contracts.
Quality not quantity
Wherever you looked in the twelve exhibition halls at the fair, the general picture was one of interested professionals from all parts of the globe, seeking out innovations, finding out about machinery and plant, and conducting intensive business talks and negotiations in the exhibitors´ offices and in the VIP lounges. In all areas of the exhibition the emphasis was on cost-saving and sustainable solutions. At the stands it was clear that visitors from outside Germany were in the majority. There was a noticeably high number of visitors from China, India, Japan and Latin America, was how Marcus Ley from Ecolab put it, for example. He summed up: Quality not quantity – this assessment was one often expressed by the exhibitors, when commenting on the quality of the visitors.
Proportion of international visitors rises to 55 percent
A glance at the visitor numbers confirms the picture seen in the halls. In terms of international representation, drinktec was able to expand still further, from an already high level. 33,000 trade visitors journeyed to Munich from abroad; they came from a total of 170 countries. This again significantly raised the proportion of international visitors to 55 percent. There were particularly strong rises in visitor numbers from China, India, the US, South Africa, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates, and from South America and Africa. In terms of visitors from Germany, however, the figures reflected the expected fall. Around 27,000 visitors in total came from Germany. Overall, over the six days of the fair, the trade fair attracted around 60,000 visitors.
Melting pot of the beverage industry worldwide
In terms of the exhibitors´ assessment, the drop in the number of German exhibitors played only an insignificant role. The critical factor for them, as regards the success of their participation in the fair, was visitor quality and the fact that the visitors came from all parts of the world – this was the overriding view of the exhibitors. Jürgen Henke, Marketing Manager at the GEA Group, summed up the event as follows: You can´t measure the success of a fair on visitor numbers alone. drinktec is the key communication platform for our sector, it is the melting pot of the beverage industry worldwide. This is where we all meet up.
Exhibition Management: Overall very satisfied
For Messe München GmbH, the organiser of drinktec 2009, Managing Director Norbert Bargmann, drew the following conclusion: Overall we are very satisfied. In the run-up to drinktec we, too, had to contend with the global economic crisis. Nevertheless we have succeeded in bringing the top ranks of the beverage and liquid food industry to Munich – and that is the critical thing for the exhibitors. The high number of visitors from outside Germany, and the very broad spread of countries they represent, shows just how highly regarded drinktec is around the world. This is the place to meet up, this is the place to agree contracts and it is the place to prepare for new business. The drop we have seen in German participation is due primarily to budget cuts and the resulting limitations on business travel. Yet, from Germany, too, all the key players in the beverage and liquid food industry were represented, but no longer with the same size of team.
Top marks from the visitors
In terms of visitor satisfaction, too, drinktec was able to make further gains from an already high level. The representative survey of visitors, conducted by TNS Infratest, turned in top results across the board. Almost all the visitors (96 percent) to drinktec 2009 described the event as excellent to good. 95 percent of the visitors gave this same top ranking to the breadth and depth of the range of exhibits. And 91 percent of the exhibitors regard drinktec as the leading trade fair for the sector.
High expectations of future economic development
The successful course of drinktec 2009 has awakened high expectations on the part of exhibitors and visitors as regards future economic development. Their optimistic statements are reflected in the results of the survey. Accordingly, 64 percent of the exhibitors and 56 percent of the visitors expect the economic situation to improve. This is considerably more positive than expectations after drinktec 2005. Trade forums – a magnet for the trade audience The supporting programme to drinktec was extremely well received by the trade audience. The two trade-fair forums in Halls B1 and A2 turned out to be a real magnet. Independent experts from all over the world gave lectures here on subjects covering the whole process chain, from manufacture, to filling and packaging of beverages and liquid food, as well as on issues concerned with marketing.
Further highlights in the supporting programme were:
- The presentation of the 'Beverage Innovation Awards', in Oscar-style, at a gala event.
- The two-day fruit-juice congress 'International Fruit World' (IFW) on the subject of liquid fruit and fruit processing.
- The PET World Congress, held for the third time, which tackled all the relevant issues in technology and marketing.
- The presentation of the first-ever Dairy Technology Awards, for the successful implementation of innovative technology.
| Johannes Manger and Christina Maier Tel. (+49 89) 949-20630 Fax (+49 89) 949-20689 Johannes.Manger@messe-muenchen.de Christina.Maier@messe-muenchen.de |
