BAU
2007: Record 209,000 Trade Visitors Create Upbeat Mood
BAU
2007 attracted a record number of visitors. Over the six days of the fair,
over 209,000 trade visitors came to the world´s biggest trade fair
for building materials, to find out about the products and services of
2,046 exhibitors from 44 countries. We feature show statistics alongside
comments and pictures from Schuco, Dorma, G-U, Pilkington, Elumatec, GEZE
and Wicona.
Visitors from all over the world - architects, planners, construction
engineers, building entrepreneurs, building tradesmen, retailers, wholesalers
and others - made the journey to Munich, despite the severe storm raging
over northern Europe on Thursday and Friday. For the first time in its
over 40-year history BAU surpassed the 200,000 mark for visitor numbers.
*
BAU is an international magnet - 36,000 visitors from abroad
* Range extended further - 143 countries
* Interest rises strongly from the Middle East, East Asia and South/Southeast
Europe
* Exhibitors - excellent business talks and sales
* Highly popular forums and special displays
Never before has the audience been so international in scope, a fact also
noted by the exhibitors. Over 36,000 trade visitors - more than ever before
- came from abroad. This represents a leap of 20% in the proportion of
international visitors attending the fair.
The number of countries of origin spanned by the visitors also set a new
record, at 143. Particularly strong growth was seen in visitor numbers
from eastern and southeastern Europe. From Slovenia (1738), Latvia (526)
and the new EU member state Romania (611) around three times as many visitors
were recorded as at BAU 2005. Twice as many visitors as last time came
from Poland (702), Russia (1347), Turkey (1337), Greece (805) and the
other new EU member state Bulgaria (415). Significant rises were also
noted in visitor numbers from the Middle East and East Asia, in particular
from Iran (894), Korea (661) and the United Arab Emirates (191).
Other countries of origin where numbers were also noticeably up were Austria
(6162), Switzerland (2122), Italy (2435), France (646) and the Netherlands
(560).
The
high number of visitor registrations was also reflected in the impressions
gained by the exhibitors. Torsten Pyzalski, Head of Marketing Services
at Dorma, explained: 'We have been coming to BAU for many years, but there
have never been so many international visitors as this time. We talked
to people from a wide range of different countries.'
Similar sentiments were expressed by Peter Maier, Director of Sales and
Marketing at Erlus: "BAU is becoming more and more international.
Our international business has been given a further boost by BAU."
More international visitors at their stands was also commented upon by
companies like Glas Trösch, Interpane, Hörmann and Wicona.
In some cases, commented Roger Görg of ThyssenKrupp, 'customers came
along with plans for specific projects, which they then spread out on
the table and discussed with our sales people.'
The visitor survey showed clearly that BAU 2007 reached even more architects,
planners and construction engineers than before. The proportion of visitors
falling into this category was 18% (2005: 15%), which corresponds to around
36,000 visitors. 88% (84%) of the visitors described themselves as 'decision-makers'.
The number of first-time visitors rose sharply (41% / 2005: 31%). So,
too, did the number of repeat visitors (32% / 23%). The survey also revealed
that more and more visitors - in 2007 almost one third - are spending
several days at BAU. Energy-efficient building and renovations and modernisation
were the big themes at BAU 2007. At almost all stands products and technologies
were presented which would help save energy or which were specially developed
for R&M work. 'The subjects of energy-saving and R&M really hit
a nerve with the visitors,' commented Thomas Lauritzen from Schüco.
A
real magnet for visitors to the fair were the forums 'Clima Design meets
Visions of Glass' and 'Macroarchitecture'. The lounges resembled crowded
university lecture halls. Each day hundreds of people, among them many
students, came to hear the lectures given here by world-renowned speakers
from industry, research and development. Topics on the programme included
sustainable building, transparent building skins, new materials and surfaces
and the use of glass in construction.
Leading representatives from industry and architecture used the forums
to exchange knowledge and experience. Special forums were also set up
on IT for construction, solar horizons and urban design, each with a daily
lecture programme.
'The wide-ranging programme with high-ranking speakers was exemplary,'
said Manfred Ploke, Board Member of Interpane. In the survey, the accompanying
programme to BAU 2007 was rated as 'excellent to good' by 90% (75%) of
exhibitors and 82% (77%) of visitors. These results were even better than
in 2005.
On
the stand of SunTechnics in the 'Solar Horizons' display area, the visitors
were particularly interested in complete, ready-made solar systems. 'A
noticeably large number of visitors from abroad, in particular from southern
and eastern Europe, but also from Asia and the Middle East,' had found
their way to the SunTechnics stand.
Again this year, BAU was chosen as the venue for many awards ceremonies,
among them that of the renowned architectural prizes 'Aesthetics and Construction',
presented in collaboration with the trade journal DETAIL, and the '1:1
Award for the First House', presented in cooperation with Bauwelt. Presented
for the first time this year were the 'Archi-Students-Creative Awards'.
Taking part in this ceremony, which was associated with a congress, were
around 500 students from across Europe.
Also awarded were the following:
* German Façade Awards 2007
* Bavarian Engineering Awards
* Award for Product Innovations in Renovations and Modernisation
* Building Retailers´ Oscar
* 'Built on IT - Building Jobs with a Future'
High proportion of repeat bookings expected from exhibitors for BAU 2009:
83% of exhibitors at BAU 2007 said they would 'certainly or probably'
be taking part again in BAU 2009. On the visitor side, 75% said it was
highly likely or certain that they would be back at BAU in two years´
time. Opinions about the current economic situation in the building industry
mirrored the mood evident at the fair.
As compared to the survey in 2005, the mood had turned around completely.
86% of the exhibitors at BAU 2007 said they thought the current situation
was 'excellent to good'. Two years ago that figure had been just 38%.
A similar picture emerged on the visitors´ side, of whom 73% (35%)
rated the current economic situation as 'excellent to good'.
Torsten Pyzalski, Dorma: 'We have been coming to BAU for many years, but
there have never been so many international visitors as this time. We
talked to people from a wide range of different countries, e.g. eastern
Europe, Asia (mainly Japanese and Chinese), from Poland, the Czech Republic
and amazingly a large number from the Arabian countries. We were also
pleased about the high quality of the visitors, among them many professors
and architects. Our goals at BAU were to make customer contacts and to
present new products. And we achieved them.'
Brigitte Vöster-Alber, GEZE: "BAU 2007 was a success all along
the line for GEZE. Our challenge for 2007 will be to maximise the contacts
we made with international visitors at the fair, of which there were more
this year than in 2005. The enthusiastic reactions of the visitors to
our many new products underline the truth of our company motto - Only
actions count."
Thomas Lauritzen, Schüco: 'The subjects of energy-saving and R&M
really hit a nerve with the visitors. Investors, planners, architects,
metal processing firms - we reached all the target groups and recorded
double-digit growth in visitor numbers. On Friday alone we had sixteen
groups of visitors from all over the world at our stand - and all at the
same time. The theme of energy is big around the world, whether Europe,
China or the US.'
Daniel Schallmo, Wicona: 'We are very satisfied
with BAU. You can really see that Messe München conducted lots of
press conferences around the world in advance of this fair. We had very
many international visitors, for example from Russia and China and also
many visitors from eastern Europe. That fits in perfectly with our ambitions
and expectations. What we also liked is the combination of trade fair
with seminars and forums. That´s what our customers are interested
in and we notice that it attracts new customers, too, who come along to
gather ideas and information at the events. Exhibiting at BAU was very
worthwhile for us.'