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imm cologne 2012: Lifestyle labels from Italy head the list of international exhibitor groups

The renewed focus of leading Italian lifestyle brands such as Kartell on Europe's large furnishing trade show sends a clear signal and is resulting in more and more Italian brand names returning to Cologne. (Photo: Kartell)

Italian design is at home in Cologne. From 16 to 22 January 2012 the designer nation’s furniture and interior design culture will once again be out in full strength at imm cologne under the flag of Italy’s leading lifestyle brands. With still half a year to go before the trade show, appearances by 60 Italian exhibitors, including top brands B&B Italia, Cierre, Desalto, Driade, Living Divani and Kartell, are already certain. They will present their ranges and innovation in the “pure” design segment.

Kartell’s repeat showing at imm cologne after last year, says Managing Director Dr. Claudio Luti, is mainly due to the location’s economic importance: “From an historical viewpoint, Germany has always been a key overseas market for Kartell. The presence at the trade show and the opening of six flagship stores in recent years are a sign of our commitment in striking deep roots in German soil and on the German market. In fact, Germany is not just a primary market for Kartell, but also its principal gateway to the nations of Eastern Europe. We believe that it’s crucial to appear in Germany at reputable trade shows such as imm cologne.”

Business trends 2011: Excellent prospects for the furniture industry

photo: Rolf Benz.

Homing and furnishing have become more diverse, colourful, cosmopolitan and above all, more important on a global scale. That‘s why good furniture design today is successful at every point on the map. Furniture design will always transcend boundaries, and no longer be held captive behind a national border. As the motto “design goes global“ implies, supply and demand are evolving worldwide. The international volume of trade in furniture has therefore doubled over the past nine years. That‘s good news not only for international clientele, but also for the international furniture industry.

Prime: international platform for living room, bedroom and solid wood furniture

Strong and inspiring ideas for relaxing living rooms, bedrooms and living space in general are expected for the 2011 international furniture fair in Cologne. From 18 to 23 January, exhibitors from all over the world will be showing their interior visions for 2011 in the Prime segment of the imm cologne (Halls 5.1 and 10.1). The Prime segment has been totally reorganised. An upscale centre for living room and bedroom furniture has been created in Hall 10.1, enhanced for the first time by the Solid segment for solid wood furniture.

Dr. Lucas Heumann, chairman of the Herford-based “Pro Massivholz” initiative: “We want to implement the move from Hall 4.2 to Hall 10.1 in such a way that the economic success of previous trade fair appearances is not only repeated but increased. We’ve got every chance of doing just that, because apart from the producers of solid wood furniture, Hall 10.1 will also contain a great many other very attractive manufacturers who produce furniture for living areas.” In the first half of 2010, says Dr. Heumann, the German market for solid wood furniture “developed better than the rest of the German furniture industry” as compared to the same period of the previous year.

Comfort at the imm cologne: Upholstered Furniture between Vintage and Fjord Feeling

Sunrise, Design Kati Meyer-Brühl International experts agree: when it comes to relaxing furniture with majority appeal, Germany’s upholstered furniture manufacturers are important innovators. In terms of ever more sophisticated comfort functions, new upholstery creations like the dinner sofa or environmentally compatible seating ensembles of the kind created by talented designer and EU award-winner Kati Meyer-Brühl, Germany is the benchmark for upholstery producers the world over.

Upholstery hub imm cologne
From 19-24 January 2010, trade visitors from all continents will be able to see this innovativeness for themselves at the imm cologne. Sofa manufacturers from Wervik to Singapore will be vying with German manufacturers to make their mark in the Cologne furniture fair’s biggest sub-section, the “Comfort” segment in Halls 5, 6 and 10.

Dirk-Uwe Klaas, Association of the German Furniture Industry, on consumers’ changing mentality

The average German only replaces his sofa with a new one every 8-12 years. Don’t you sometimes wish there was a scrapping incentive for furniture too?
We in the furniture industry aren’t calling for subsidies – we just want equal treatment for all sectors. Instead of getting people to scrap their cars, the politicians ought to be scrapping taxes for normal citizens and SMEs so they’ve got more money left in their pockets and budgets at the end of the month – money they can use however they see fit.

The imm cologne’s Trendboard is anticipating a return to more quality consciousness as a response to the economic crisis. Is “real” quality actually still affordable these days?
We’re living in a time when people are refraining from quick consumption again so yes, you could say people have started to change their mentality. They’re becoming more sensitive to how we use the world’s resources and looking for things that promise value and durability again. That’s why there’s an increasing demand for sustainability and value in our industry too. For earlier generations it was normal not to follow every furniture or clothing fashion or go along with every new style that came out. Then there was a period of rapid and changing consumption. The pleasure was often short-lived and the products interchangeable.

Statement by Hans Strothoff (BVDM) about the planned international kitchen trade fair in 2011

Hans Strothoff, President of the Federal Association of Kitchen, Furniture & Furnishing Retailers (BVDM)

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me begin with a few remarks about the concept presented by Mr. Böse. I am delighted that we now have a blueprint that will ensure the continuing presence of a major international furniture trade fair in Germany. The establishment of one’s own kitchen trade fair, which is held every two years, in parallel to the imm cologne – that is really the only way to go. Here, it is important that fitted units, sinks and fittings are also represented, because these items are inextricably linked to the kitchen and constitute an essential part of the added value of a kitchen. From the perspective of both the dealer and the customer, it is absolutely essential that they should be presented alongside kitchen furniture.

It is my firm belief that the kitchen sector will be strongly represented in Cologne in 2011, more strongly than has been the case for many years. Following my discussions with manufacturers, I am confident that around 90 per cent of German production volume will be represented in Cologne. All of these discussions were very rewarding, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the companies involved for the open and constructive atmosphere in which these talks took place. They were also marked by a pronounced sense of responsibility for the sector as a whole.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is especially the dealers – and, by that, I mean German trade dealers of kitchen and interior fittings – who need a strong trade fair. And they need one here in Germany. A trade fair at home provides important signals and new stimulus for domestic consumption. A good example of this is Frankfurt’s International Motor Show, the IAA. Despite its very poor sales figures, the automobile industry is enjoying a huge media presence right now. By increasing access to our trade fair for the end consumer – through three open days for the public – we will guarantee a much greater media interest. And this interest will also be boosted by the various supporting programmes.

Facts and figures on the situation of the German furniture industry: Home styling is in – buying furniture too?

Dirk-Uwe Klaas, CEO of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM)

For Dirk-Uwe Klaas, CEO of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM) in Bad Honnef, it’s obvious why home styling has finally been discovered as the latest hot topic: “People spend approx. 340 days a year in their own home. That’s why an increasing number of people are coming to see home as a place for self-fulfilment. Nowhere else can you indulge your own tastes as freely as in your own four walls.”

Cars instead of sofas – a lean period for German furniture manufacturers
But even if home styling has become a cult – is it actually still possible to make money with furniture in the face of shrinking private budgets and the massively subsidised bargains available on the automotive market right now? At first glance, the German furniture industry’s half-yearly figures indicate a resounding “no”. With sales of 7.6 billion euros, German furniture manufacturers were an alarming 13.8 percent or 1.2 billion euros down on the previous year’s figure.

However, in view of the unique economic situation right now, any serious answer to the profitability question must take account of figures from earlier years as well. Back in 2008, for instance, the results painted a very different picture: furniture producers ended the year with growth of 1.6 percent. Although there was a slight decline in domestic sales, this was more than offset by export growth of 4.3 percent as compared to the previous year.

Sustainability and healthy living included: solid wood furniture at imm solid

Ever since the awkward eco-fashion designer Miguel Adrover became the latest worldwide craze and insider tip and designed the autumn collection 2008 for the conventional German natural fashion mail-order company Hessnatur, it has been clear: Sustainability has developed into a boundless mega trend.

This is a fact that Vereinigte Möbeleinkaufs-GmbH & Co. KG is well aware of. With its new line “Woods & Trends” based on solid wood furniture, the industry player from Bielefeld is reacting to the fact that more and more consumers want ecologically manufactured lifestyle products. And these are already plentiful in the furnishings world – unlike in other industries. They can be seen at imm cologne from 19 to 25 January 2009.

Modern furniture de luxe – lounge and bedroom furniture at imm prime

The Japanese cultivate a delicate minimalism. The Americans like heavy furniture with a colonial look. The Italians love low horizontal lines and gleaming fronts. And the Germans insist on an abundance of ingenious storage space. Is this actually true? Are these style pigeonholes still applicable? This question is best answered at imm cologne from 19 to 25 January 2009. Renowned lounge and bedroom manufacturers from regions all over the world will exhibit their wares under the sub-brand imm prime and imm prime design in halls 2.2, 3.2, 4.2 and 3.1 of the international furniture trade fair held in Cologne.

Furniture industry sees an opportunity despite financial crisis

Despite the financial crisis and its current effects on the economy, the German furniture industry sees an opportunity to increase the status of homes and furnishings in these difficult times. Whenever people feel extremely insecure, their own home and the sense of security and safety connected with their own four walls assume a higher status. Only the furniture industry can satisfy this feeling now, and thereby bring furniture higher up the ranking list of personal desires. In addition, furniture as a valuable and life-long consumer item represents a long-lasting and reliable investment.

The figures and statistics seen since the summer provide evidence that this hope is not entirely without foundation. In the otherwise extremely different 3rd quarter of the year, in which almost no other industry branch escaped unscathed, growth of 1.5 percent was realised.

imm cologne

Create. Furnish. Live.

imm cologne 2012: Lifestyle labels from Italy head the list of international exhibitor groups

Business trends 2011: Excellent prospects for the furniture industry

Prime: international platform for living room, bedroom and solid wood furniture

Comfort at the imm cologne: Upholstered Furniture between Vintage and Fjord Feeling

Dirk-Uwe Klaas, Association of the German Furniture Industry, on consumers’ changing mentality

Statement by Hans Strothoff (BVDM) about the planned international kitchen trade fair in 2011

Facts and figures on the situation of the German furniture industry: Home styling is in – buying furniture too?

Sustainability and healthy living included: solid wood furniture at imm solid

Modern furniture de luxe – lounge and bedroom furniture at imm prime

Furniture industry sees an opportunity despite financial crisis

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