The alliance between Hardware Fairs

Bilbao Exhibition Centre and the Koelnmesse trade-fair complex in Cologne have entered into a strategic partnership for joint promotion of world's two leading hardware fairs: the INTERNATIONALE HARDWARE FAIR / PRACTICAL WORLD and Ferroforma. This agreement, which seeks to reinforce both events, is the first of its kind between trade fair complexes in Europe.

The two organizations will pool their experience in the sector, going beyond mere commercial results and seeking to attain the highest standards of quality and international representativeness in both events.

Oliver P. Kuhrt, Executive vice president of Koelnmesse: "Today we are crowning an exciting and constructive phase of negotiations conducted in a spirit of partnership by concluding a contract that points the way to the future." And José Miguel Corres, CEO Bilbao Exhibition Center, says: "The strategic alliance between Ferroforma and the INTERNATIONAL HARDWARE FAIR / PRACTICAL WORLD is a European partnership from which all parties can only profit."

In short, this is a joint venture between leading trade fair complexes that will provide firms in this sector with the possibility of accessing a broader, more specialized commercial platform every year! One year in cologne - one year in Bilbao.

Each partner will contribute its mercantile expertise, its trade fair industry know-how and its specific sales channels. To that end, the two organizations are placing their respective marketing networks at the disposal of the strategic partnership.

The agreement will come into force in 2008, and from then on each partner will contribute its mercantile experience, its trade fair industry know-how and its specific sales channels. To that end, the two organizations are placing their respective marketing networks at the disposal of the strategic partnership.

The agreement is intended to last indefinitely, and is open to extension to other sectors (environment, industry, foodstuffs, art, etc.). It also envisages the possibility of further developments designed jointly for Latin America and other geographical areas.

Koelnmesse has been organizing INTERNATIONALE HARDWARE FAIR / PRACTICAL WORLD, undoubtedly the world's leading hardware fair, for more than 80 years. The event is characterized by its high international profile in terms of both exhibitors and visitors. As from two years ago, it is staged every two years, in even numbered years.

In March 2006, 3,491 exhibitors from 58 countries presented their new products at the INTERNATIONAL HARDWARE FAIR / PRACTICAL WORLD 2006. The leading international trade fair for tools, security systems, locks and fittings, and builders’ and DIY supplies attracted nearly 75,000 trade visitors from 140 countries.

In 2008, Halls of the PRACTICAL WORLD will for the first time be open to do-it-yourselfers and members of the skilled trades. This will not affect the Tools and Security and Fastening Technology, Locks + Fittings sections of the INTERNATIONAL HARDWARE FAIR, which will remain open exclusively to trade and industry specialists. These specialists will have access to all halls of the INTERNATIONAL HARDWARE FAIR / PRACTICAL WORLD.

With six months remaining before the INTERNATIONAL HARDWARE FAIR / PRACTICAL WORLD 2008, big players confirmed that they'll be taking part. The fair will feature presentations not only by industry companies, but also by the "big box"-trade-business for the first time. Exhibitors that have already signed up include the german sector leader OBI, toom Baumarkt, the strong regional chain BayWa, and renowned industry suppliers such as ABUS, Burg-Wächter, GAH Alberts, Hettich, HSI Schwerter, Meffert and Westag & Getalit.

Ferroforma, for its part, began in 1974. Since then, it has grown into the world's second biggest specialist hardware fair. It has great potential for further growth with a new, top class venue at its disposal, and the organizers decided early in 2005 to reschedule the event to the first half of every odd numbered year.

The March 2007 Ferroforma-Bricoforma event attracted 24,080 trade specialists from more than 90 countries, and more than 2000 foreign visitors, an increase of 23% on the figure for the previous fair. It featured a total of 1314 exhibitors from 28 countries on 994 stands, offering an extremely wide range of products with a high international profile (57% of firms were foreign).

Foreign firms came mainly from Germany, France, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Portugal, the U.K., China, Morocco and Mexico, along with other emerging countries and countries currently undergoing strong industrial and economic development, and presented an extremely varied range of products.

However, they all had in common the high standard and high rank of the specialists that they sent to the event, many of whom represented top level purchasing groups.

Thanks to the change of dates - the next Ferroforma is scheduled for March 25-28 2009 - the event is now held on alternate years with its German counterpart, thus reinforcing its value as a fundamental reference point in the world.