interzum in Cologne, Germany wrapped up a successful, four-day show on May 12, that saw 62,000 trade visitors from 150 countries attend the leading international trade fair for suppliers to the furniture and interior design industry.
interzum 2023 exceeded all expectations and inspired visitors at the stands and numerous special event areas over its four-day run.
The roughly 1,600 exhibitors had waited four years to finally be able to convene at the industry’s leading global event again. Accordingly, exhibitors and trade visitors alike were thrilled to once again have the opportunity to make full use of this global platform for communication and commerce. The exhibiting companies unveiled their innovative solutions and newest products at interzum and made their mark.
“The trade fair could not have showcased its importance for the industry any better,” said a delighted Oliver Frese, chief operating officer of Koelnmesse. For him, the event’s success is a clear sign “that first-rate flagship events such as interzum are more vital than ever.”
The importance of interzum for the industry was also underlined by the high number of international trade visitors. The countries with the largest number of visitors were Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland. The number of Turkish visitors was very encouraging, having increased by 16 pe rcent compared to the previous edition of the trade fair. Likewise, the number of trade visitors from India increased. Considering the current situation with regard to the issuance of visas, the number of Chinese visitors was satisfactory, too. Exhibitors also praised the high level of expertise among visitors from all countries.
Interzum’s central theme was sustainability and with its focus on the overarching concept of neo-ecology, the show brought sustainability, climate protection, resource efficiency and forward-looking planning to the fore before the trade fair even began. It became clear just how much interzum struck a chord with the industry at the trade fair‘s stands, where nearly all the exhibiting companies recognized the increasing importance of environmental issues. Aspects such as resource efficiency, smart materials, renewable energies or recycling and upcycling were key to many of the innovations exhibited.
Different programs also explored these themes with great success. The three interzum Trend Forums, the interzum Product Stage and the interzum Trend Stage, where renowned industry experts discussed the most important developments, trends and emerging topics in the worlds of furniture, materials and furnishings, generated a lot of interest among the international trade audience.
And the products, services and special events were not the only things that honed in on environmental issues. Many of the exhibition stands were also designed with sustainability and resource efficiency in mind. What’s more, the trade fair itself is making efforts to protect the climate. In the run-up to the event, interzum launched an initiative to make the world’s biggest industry event for furniture production and interior construction more sustainable in the future. Drawing on the experiences gathered this year, the trade fair will explore how it can further integrate sustainability into future events.
The next interzum will be held May 20–23, 2025.
