Press Release

INTERZUM 2023: THE INDUSTRY COMES TOGETHER FOR ITS LEADING INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR

Approximately 62,000 trade visitors attended the leading international trade fair for suppliers to the furniture and interior design industry.

interzum in Cologne, Germany, ended very successfully on Friday, 12 May 2023. With approximately 62,000 trade visitors from some 150 countries, the leading international trade fair for suppliers to the furniture and interior design industry exceeded all expectations and inspired all present at the stands and numerous special event areas over the course of four days. 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 have the chance to make full use of this global platform for communication and commerce once more. The exhibiting companies unveiled their innovative solutions and newest products at interzum and made their mark. “The trade fair could barely 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. In total, approximately 62,000 visitors were in attendance. 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 percent 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 is giving the industry fresh impetus with its guiding principle of neo-ecology

The trade fair’s central theme was sustainability. With its focus on the overarching concept of neo-ecology, interzum 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 recognised 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.

The varied programme of events also explored these themes – and 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.

interzum goes green: moving into a more sustainable future

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 accepts its responsibility and is making active 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 events:
interzum: 20–23 May 2025
interzum guangzhou: 28–31 March 2024
interzum bogotá: 14–17 May 2024

interzum 2023 in numbers

Some 1,600 companies from 59 countries (2019: 1,806 companies from 61 countries) appeared at interzum 2023 on a gross exhibition space covering 186,000 m² (2019: 190,000 m²). This included 255 exhibitors from Germany (2019: 356 exhibitors) and 1,345 foreign exhibitors (2019: 1,450 exhibitors). Foreign exhibitors accounted for 84 per cent (2019: 80 per cent). Including estimates for the last day of the trade fair, 62,000 trade visitors from 150 countries (2019: 74,000 trade visitors from 152 countries) attended interzum, with foreign trade visitors accounting for approximately 76 per cent (2019: 75 per cent). *

Press Release

IMPULSES FOR THE LIVING SPACES OF TOMORROW

New ecology: interzum addresses a themes that will be of societal relevance in the future + Good registration status for the start of layout planning + Digital formats are reconceived

In 2023, interzum is once again starting as the world’s leading trade fair of the furniture supplier and interior design industries! With modern materials, outstanding designs and exclusive innovations in its luggage, the global industry is once again meeting for a face-to-face exchange in Cologne to develop trends, find inspiration, explore boundaries and design the living spaces of tomorrow. With its new claim of “shaping the change“, interzum emphasises its function as the provider of impulses for the industry, with the goal of redesigning the future together.

In the new way of thought of interzum, leading trade fairs must develop enormous power, extending well beyond the presentation of product innovations. They can and must even more intensively accentuate and discuss themes that move society, like sustainability and climate protection, and thus advance the dialogue. In future, it will become imperative for companies to balance economic success with social responsibility. Climate protection and sustainable action in the manufacture of innovative products are of central importance to consumers. With this way of thinking, interzum is embarking on a new path by transforming from a content mover into a thought leader.

In this sense, the defining and guiding principle of interzum 2023 will be “new ecology“, because climate change is not going to disappear from the global consciousness, and we are reminded of this almost daily by, for example, droughts, periods of extreme heat or storms. Global societal movements like Fridays for Future are making sustainable action the foundation of a new identity. Sustainability is a growing economic factor. Themes like conserving resources, smart materials, renewable energies, re- and upcycling, etc. are already tracing a development leading toward many brand companies seeing their future home less in a particular assortment than in an attitude. The trade fair in the coming year will offer exhibitors and visitors of interzum precisely the platform and community that discusses these themes and develops solutions together.

Even though interzum is redefining its lead claim, the focus will also still remain on global business under changed basic conditions. This is evidenced by an exhibitor diversity that is so unique worldwide. In this way, interzum 2023 creates a good foundation for carrying on from the good 2019 event. With around 190,000 m² of exhibition area, the trade fair at that time proved to be the world’s largest display window for surfaces, fittings, light and wood materials, as well as components for the production of upholstered furniture. The event was also able to considerably expand its international reach in terms of both exhibitors and visitors.

However, interzum is not only developing its presence format further, but is also re-conceptualising the trade fair digitally! In this context, interzum @home 2021 should also serve as a successful case for the further development of the digital formats. interzum 2023 will thus adopt a hybrid event format. Here, the familiar, strong physical presence in Cologne will be complemented by a highly attractive digital event – thus creating a trade fair experience that is unique in every respect. In future, however, the goal will also be to orchestrate the phases between the events and make the trade fair an always-on experience – with the event platform interzum.com. On the whole, interzum will then in future develop even further as the “place to be” for the industry with the two digital twins interzum @home (for the trade fair) and the 365 day platform interzum.com.

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