LogiMAT – More international than ever

Europe´s largest annual trade fair for distribution, materials handling and information flow has attracted more visitors and exhibitors this year than ever before. The participating companies and the trade audience appreciated this impressive showcase of products and services clearly structured in both wings of the Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre. From year to year LogiMAT is becoming a truly international event.

Another pleasing increase in exhibition space, in the number of exhibitors and visitors and in international coverage was recorded at this year´s LogiMAT, the 11th International Trade Fair for Distribution, Materials Handling and Information Flow. For three days, from 19 to 21 February 2013, a total of 1,003 exhibitors (+ 9.5 percent as compared to the record year of 2012) from 26 countries – among them 130 first-time exhibitors – presented their latest products and solutions to the sector in Stuttgart under the fair´s motto of 'Intralogistics – direct. Market place for innovations'. For the first time LogiMAT took up six exhibition halls, in the north and south wing of the New Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre – a total of 74,000 square metres of exhibition space (+ 16.5 percent). With 181 international companies (+ 2.5 percent), almost one in five exhibitors at LogiMAT came from outside Germany. They accounted for 18 percent of the total number of exhibitors. After Germany, the countries most strongly represented among the exhibitors were the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy and Austria. Fourteen of the exhibitors at this year´s LogiMAT have their company headquarters overseas, in particular in Australia, China and the US. "These results show that LogiMAT has now established itself firmly as the largest annual international intralogistics show in Europe," concluded Exhibition Director Peter Kazander. "And the fact that now LogiMAT is increasingly coming into the sights of exhibitors from overseas is evidence of the importance that is being attached to LogiMAT, also outside Europe, as a platform for presentation of companies, products and services and as a forum for forging international business contacts."

Similar trends were evident in the statistics for visitors to LogiMAT 2013. Despite weather problems and strikes at a number of airports from where participants were departing to come to Stuttgart, LogiMAT attracted a total of 29,500 trade visitors (+ 1.5 percent) on the three days of the fair. "The number of visitors arriving by plane this year was 8.9 percent lower than last time – this is a big drop," said Kazander. Nevertheless, according to the results of a survey by Basle-based independent market researchers Wissler & Partner, around one quarter of trade visitors had travelled more than 300 kilometres to get to the show. One in eight visitors (+ 2 percent) made the journey from abroad – and of that number ten percent were from overseas.

Overall the trade audience at LogiMAT 2013 was very satisfied with the event: 86.2 percent rated this intralogistics fair as "very good" or "good". "LogiMAT – and this is shown in the final results and also in current surveys – is regarded in the international intralogistics sector as one of the most important leading logistics trade fairs," explained Kazander. "Its character as an information and working fair is reflected in the increasing number of national and international business deals which were signed at the fair itself." 41 percent of visitors came to Stuttgart with a specific intention to invest.

As such LogiMAT has again this year underlined its function as an annual barometer for developments in the intralogistics sector, its innovations capability and the economic situation within the sector. International projects and exports are booming. "The forecasts for the coming years are also excellent," said Kazander. "Because of the impact of current trends in intralogistics such as resource-efficiency, information management and automation, and coupled with a certain backlog of investment in the sector, all the signs are pointing to further growth." The increasing internationalisation and the optimistic outlook for business in the sector would not be without impact on LogiMAT 2014, according to Kazander: "The exhibitors, the trade audience and the exhibition management were pleased with the new hall layout, spread between two wings of the exhibition centre, and the positive effects it generated." He concluded: "In this way we were able to maintain a clear structure for the individual segments in intralogistics and offer our visitors a compact, efficient platform, despite larger stands and a growing number of exhibitors. We will further optimise this concept in the coming year. LogiMAT will remain a great place for getting down to business in intralogistics and a superb, concentrated showcase for all that is happening across the sector."

Date of next LogiMAT 2014: 25 – 27 February 2014

 

Munich 21.02.2013 – Reproduction free of charge. Copies of publication to: EUROEXPO GmbH, Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, 80912 Munich, Germany.

Exhibitor Testimonials – LogiMAT 2013

"At LogiMAT we find the perfect opportunity to track trends and sentiment in the sector and of course to present our portfolio of consultancy services. Not least because of the increasing attractiveness of this show, we are also making some very interesting new contacts – and often these lead on to the start of a business relationship."
Jürgen Hess, Advisory Board of LogiMAT; Managing Director, Miebach Consulting, Frankfurt am Main

"Every year LogiMAT is sure to deliver high-quality and interesting talks and rising numbers of visitors. It is regarded worldwide as one of the leading logistics trade shows. We are very pleased to be here again as an exhibitor and to be able to experience three hopefully exciting and successful days in Stuttgart."
Matthias Kramm, Managing Director, Vanderlande Industries GmbH

"We are very pleased to be here at LogiMAT 2013 and we are expecting it to again be a successful fair. Every time we have been here it has been a positive experience: good visitor frequency, important contacts and high-quality conversations."
Andreas Oy, Sales Director, SSI Schäfer Noell GmbH

"Every year LogiMAT is the most important logistics fair for us and it is always a good
opportunity for networking."
Detlef Spee, Head of Intralogistics and IT Planning, Fraunhofer IML, Dortmund

"This year´s LogiMAT is the most important platform for intralogistics companies. The very first day was sensational: more visitors than ever, interesting inquiries, contract negotiations and already the first deals signed here at the fair itself. I have never experienced a day like it
in the history of LogiMAT."
Volker Knuff, Managing Director, Aberle Logistics GmbH, Leingarten

"LogiMAT is the principal event we attend every year. Here we can meet up with old and new customers and make use of the event for interesting trade talks. Taking part in this fair is a must for us."
Oliver Wolf, Head of Software Engineering, Fraunhofer IML, Dortmund

"LogiMAT provides an ideal framework for forging new contacts, including international ones, in the logistics sector, and for meeting up with existing customers."
Bertram Salzinger, Chairman, inconso AG

"For us LogiMAT is the top trade fair for the logistics sector. At LogiMAT we want to meet up with our existing customers, forge contacts with potential new customers and find out about developments in our realisation partners."
Ralph Ehmann, Director, IWL AG

"For us LogiMAT is an important component in the market launch of our camera-based reading system VICAMsnap!. At LogiMAT we hope to gain high-quality contacts – precise requirements and specific business intentions are more important to us than high visitor frequency."
Torben Posert, Team Leader Sales & Logistics, VITRONIC Dr.-Ing. Stein
Bildverarbeitungssysteme GmbH

"LogiMAT has succeeded in presenting a marketplace for information and products in the field of intralogistics which benefits operators, manufacturers and service companies in equal measure."
Christian Baerwolff, Marketing Director, Still GmbH

"LogiMAT has become very well established. Last year many visitors came along to the stand of our sales partners Schöler Fördertechnik and Hofmann Fördertechnik with specific questions, looking for the optimum materials handling solution for their companies. And we were able to develop many of these inquiries into orders."
Marc Wehner, Head of Sales, Central Europe, Linde MH

"LogiMAT is always good. We can´t complain – above all not about the number of visitors
here."
Stephanie Linz, Westfalia Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Borgholzhausen

"New contacts, networking, presenting new products – LogiMAT is a good forum for this; and this year again it went very well."
Valentin Adelfio, Head of Marketing and Sales, Stöcklin Logistik AG, Dornach (CH)

"LogiMAT is not only bigger, it has also become even more international – and we are seeing that this year in the inquiries we receive and in the customer contacts. We can look back on two successful days so far."
Sascha Krauter, Head of Rental, Stapler Center Pieckert, Empfingen

"We have been represented at LogiMAT for six years – and this year has been the best so far, in terms of the trade audience here, new contacts and specific inquiries received."
Stephan Pantelmann, Sales Manager, Stabau attachments, Schulte-Henke GmbH, Meschede

"Strothmann is exhibiting at LogiMAT this year for the first time. We are positively surprised at the number of visitors, the excellent quality of the inquiries and the promising contacts we made. LogiMAT can now certainly hold its own in any comparison with other large fairs."
Manuel Granz, Product Management, Strothmann Machines & Handling GmbH,
Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock

"In the last few days we generated lots of contracts and interesting inquiries. The fair is going very well."
Sabrina Völker, Assistant to Management Board, HaRo-Gruppe, Rüthen

"LogiMAT always was good – but this year it is especially enjoyable. We have signed up a number of orders, and have had many quality inquiries focusing mainly on solutions
combining technology and IT."
Harrie Swinkels, Managing Director, SSI Schäfer Noell GmbH, Giebelstadt

"We made some excellent quality contacts with decision-makers, users and trade professionals. The dates of the show are a little unfavourable for us, because an IT fair is taking place in Düsseldorf at the same time. That should have been coordinated differently."
Stefan Karp, Managing Director, GOD Barcode Marketing mbH, Lobbach

"For us LogiMAT is the most important trade fair in Germany. This year we were able to forge many new customer contacts. The investment has been worthwhile. This fair has done everything right."
Philipp Stanke, Head of Sales, Boplan Deutschland GmbH, Großostheim

"LogiMAT is one of the fairs in Germany that you simply have to attend, if you are involved in any way in packaging. Our goal is to achieve at least 200 contacts, as we did last year."
Martin Wiegel, Head of Sales / Project Management, Kiga Kunststofftechnik GmbH, Wilnsdorf

"We have been taking part in LogiMAT since 2007. LogiMAT has grown steadily and for us it has become very important. As an exhibitor we are seeing this clearly in the growing number of quality and well informed visitors."
Christina Fallnich, Marketing Manager, HSM GmbH + Co. KG, Frickingen

"LogiMAT is a bank for interesting talks with customers from home and abroad. It is always
good to extend your networks."
Marek Matuszewski, Sales Manager, GOB Software & Systeme, Krefeld

"We have been taking part in LogiMAT from the very start, and this year is the 11th time. For us it is simply the most important trade fair and we are always very pleased with it."
Tabea Weilbrenner, Marketing Manager, Industrial Halls, Losberger GmbH, Bad Rappenau

"Our goal at LogiMAT is to make direct contact with end customers, but also with contractor and hall-construction companies. We want to highlight the importance of fire protection – something that is often neglected in tenders – and ensure it is included in the corresponding
bid packages."
Markus Kock, Head of System Construction, Wagner Group GmbH, Langenhagen

"LogiMAT is the ideal platform for presenting our entire product portfolio to existing and potential new customers. This year we are seeing many trade visitors who are interested in specific systems and looking for qualified advice and information."
Susanne Frank, Corporate Communication, AEB GmbH, Stuttgart

"The new hall layout has had no negative effects on visitor frequency. On the contrary, we are very satisfied with the number and quality of contacts."
Walter Löffler, Managing Director, Regalwerk, Korntal, Spokesman for the Operations
Forum (LogiMAT joint stand with 11 exhibitors)

"The trade fair has gone very well overall for us this year. The theme-based arrangement in the exhibition halls worked well."
Mathias Thomas, Owner, Dr. Thomas + Partner, Karlsruhe