K 2016: Increased visitor number and numerous deals
A good economic state of the international plastics and rubber sector and a positive outlook for the future characterised this year’s K show and made for an excellent mood amongst the 3,285 exhibitors in Düsseldorf. Companies reported a host of new leads, many of which already led to closed deals over the eight days of the trade fair.
Ulrich Reifenhäuser, Chairman of the K 2016 Advisory Board: “I have never seen such a vast number of decisive customers willing to buy at a trade fair before The number and magnitude of deals, some of which were concluded here spontaneously, as well as the many concrete enquiries about new projects by far exceed our expectations It was clear from day one that customers wanted to not only find out about new technologies but also purchase them. There is strong investment in all our customer industries and in all regions of the world.”
Exhibitors confirmed that trade visitors were extremely serious about their business negotiations and showed a pronounced willingness to invest. Furthermore, they emphasised the again higher percentage of international visitors and their high degree of professional expertise as well as the fact that a disproportionately high number of top managers and company owners had come to Düsseldorf.
230,000 trade visitors from over 160 countries were welcomed to the exhibition halls over the eight days of K 2016 (2013: 218,000 visitors, 3,220 exhibitors).
The proportion of international guests has risen: some 70% came from abroad. More than 40% of all foreign visitors hailed from overseas – even from as far-away places as Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, the Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Oman, Madagascar, Mauritius, Surinam and Togo. The experts from Asia accounted for the largest group among foreign guests, which grew yet again: nearly 30,000 experts came from South, East and Central Asia. Guests from India again constituted the biggest group here but the number of visitors from China, South Korea and Iran also rose significantly. Almost on a par remained the proportion of visitors from the USA and Canada with some 6% of all foreign visitors.
Regarding guests from the neighbouring European countries Italy dominated with over 10,000 visitors followed by the Netherlands (some 9,500), France (some 6,700), Belgium (some 6,300), Spain and Poland (some 5,000 each). There was perceptibly stronger interest taken by Turkey, Hungary and Greece.
The next K in Düsseldorf will take place from 16 to 23 October 2019.
