Trade fair displays the future of the industry
Over 47,000 roofers, carpenters, plumbers, and architects attended the ROOF+TIMBER International. The product spectrum displayed by the 575 exhibitors was rated "very good to excellent" by 96.2 percent of the visitors. The trade fair was held with a promising economic atmosphere and a positive economic outlook: When asked to assess the development of the industry, 69.7 percent of the polled professionals are convinced that the building trade will profit in the near future with a "strong upward trend". Twenty-seven percent believe that business will stay constant.
Munich/Cologne, February 21, 2014 – Perfect weather for working on the building shell outside, and bright prospects for new deals inside. "In terms of visitor quality, the fair received a clear thumbs-up from the exhibitors. All the decision-makers were there, showed great interest in new products, and prepared future purchase decisions," explains Dieter Dohr, CEO and President of GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH. According to the evaluation of the visitor survey, the exhibitors should expect profitable post-fair business: for 78 percent of the roofers, carpenters, and plumbers, ROOF+TIMBER International plays an important role for the purchase of
products and technologies shortly after the fair.
From the point of view of Ullrich Huth, President of Holzbau Deutschland – the German Confederation Master Carpenter in the Central Association of the German Construction Industry, one thing is very clear: "The ROOF+TIMBER International 2014 has confirmed its role as the leading European trade fair for timber construction and roofing crafts. It has shown its worth with a high level of quality and a wide range of products." Word of this product spectrum, tailored for roofers, carpenters, and plumbers, is spreading rapidly through Europe: from year to year, the fair experiences an increasingly strong international response. The fair is not only popular with foreign exhibitioners (this year, 99 businesses from 27 countries were represented) but also attracts visiting professionals. Ultimately, 12 percent of the visitors were from
countries other than Germany. "The many European exhibitors and fair visitors show that the international network we have built over the years is bearing fruit," says Karl-Heinz Schneider, President of the Central German Roofer Trade Association (ZVDH). The deciding factor for a visit to ROOF+TIMBER International is the completeness of the range of offerings, according to surveys of the trade fair audience. For 84 percent of the polled attendees, this is the trademark of the fair. Here, another step forward has been taken: "This year, we expanded the range of wood and metal offerings. This way, we could offer the various trades the complete product family in Cologne, just as we had two years ago in Stuttgart," says Dohr. From ZVDH-President Schneider’s point of view, the fair provides another benefit that is not to be underestimated: "It can be seen that the interaction between both trades is solidified and further developed through the fair." The experts in both fields use the four days for an intensive exchange of information: "It doesn’t matter if you’re an apprentice or a master, ROOF+TIMBER International is perfect for further educating yourself! ", continues Schneider. "Here, one experiences the future of the industry. The fair invigorates both of our trades, because it offers innovative solutions around the energetic renovation of the building shell."
The presentation of the products was accompanied by an extensive supporting program. "Especially exciting to me were two things: first, that our large Stop-CO2 event, which over 300 carpenters and roofers participated in, worked so well and resonated so positively with the local media," reports the President of Holzbau Deutschland Huth. "Also, that the architecture forum evoked so much interest, with over 700 participants. It shows that timber construction has reached the architects!"