Hannover, Germany—From September, 26 to 28, 2012 the trade show company Deutsche Messe AG will be holding its first trade fair for carpets and floor coverings in Moscow.
“Domotex Russia will create a showcase providing manufacturers of high-quality floor coverings with the opportunity to benefit from growing domestic demand on the Russian marketplace and the chance to consolidate their market presence,” said Andreas Gruchow, chairman of the board of Deutsche Messe AG in Hannover. “As the only specialist trade fair for carpets and floor coverings in Russia and the surrounding region, Domotex Russia offers exhibitors and visitors great opportunities to make new contacts and generate business.” Domotex Russia is being organized by the Russian subsidiary of Deutsche Messe AG.
The exhibition categories accommodated by Domotex Russia include carpets, parquet, laminates, natural stone, as well as textile and resilient floor coverings. The key visitor groups targeted by the trade fair include distributors and buyers from the retail and wholesale trades – vital contacts, as cooperation with an excellent network of distribution partners is essential in order to gain access to the Russian marketplace. Other key target groups include architects, planners and decision-makers from the property development and building construction sector. “To this extent, participation in the trade fair forms part of a marketing strategy. It is geared to companies interested in establishing new business relations in Russia, as well as those aiming to expand their existing distribution networks in the region,” said Gruchow.
Current conditions for entering this market are good. According to a study into business trends for the period 2011/2012 carried out by Germany Trade & Invest, the foreign trade and inward investment agency of the Federal Republic of Germany, growth is expected in virtually every area of the Russian economy in the next few years. This is also true of the construction industry. In the coming year the housing construction sector alone is expected to grow by 4%.
One positive outcome of this trend has been the growth in demand for floor coverings. This is also confirmed by a study conducted by the Business Analytic Center (BAC), which determined annual double digit growth rates in the Russian floor coverings sector since 2002, with the exception of 2008 due to the financial crisis. Major international events such as the 2014 Olympic Games and the 2018 Football World Cup will also have a positive effect on consumer behavior in Russia. In Sotchi, one of Russia’s most popular spa and coastal resorts, 40 new hotels with a capacity of 15,500 beds are planned.
Deutsche Messe AG also sees potential knock-on benefits derived from the interplay of Domotex Russia and Domotex in Hannover – the leading trade fair for floor coverings. “Domotex Hannover is an important business platform for the countless market players in Russia who work in cooperation with us,” explained Gruchow. “The launch of Domotex Russia will further strengthen the brand name Domotex in Russia and the CIS region as a whole. At the same time it will have the positive effect of attracting exhibitors and visitors from the region to the event in Hannover.”
The new fair will coincide with heimtextil Russia, the leading trade fair for home and contract textiles in the CIS states at the IEC Crocus Expo site in Moscow. This constellation of events will help draw potentially large attendances when the new trade fair makes its Russian debut.
Deutsche Messe AG has been represented in Russia through its own subsidiary since 2010. The aim was to organize the company’s own trade fair in Russia. “In view of Russia’s dynamic economy the country could develop into one of the most promising trade fair locations in the world,” Gruchow said. “By setting up our own company we are better positioned to promote our activities in Russia and will be able to develop our business here.”