The Portables Team vist Euroshop

By David Woods

DÜSSELDORF, Germany —EuroShop 2008, or in its proper form The Global Retail Trade Fair & Visual Marketing Show: 1.1 Million square feet of net floor space, 1900 exhibitors in 15 Halls and 104,000 trade visitors from 90 counties.

EuroShop 2008 offered a comprehensive overview of all the key trends in each of the four segments: EuroConcept (store fitting, store furnishing, architecture & design, lighting, refrigeration units and systems), EuroSales (visual marketing, sales promotion, POS marketing), EurCIS (information and security technology) and EuroExpo (exhibition stand construction, design, events).The Messe (Exhibition Center) is built adjacent to the Rhine.

Our mission was to take in the overall atmosphere, feel and latest trends. Our main interests were to see the exhibit architecture and substrates, as well the spatial solutions to the exhibits. I have a belief which probably stems from my first Euroshop in 1987 that Germany is the centre of the world when it comes to the Trade Show Industry and that Euroshop sets the trends for the rest of the world.

One of the most interesting observations were the wall shapes using concealed aluminum profiles with dye sublimated or solid colour tension fabric, and rear-lit graphics (single or double-sided) creating dynamic exhibit architecture at a fraction of the cost of conventional “custom” exhibits. Plus the cost of ownership is reduced by means of less cubic volume and weight.

These exhibit design solutions stood out on the show floor attracting the attendee to walk into a warm and friendly exhibitor environment.
With the creative lighting, graphics and floor treatments these exhibit styles deserve the award for The Stars of Europshop 2008.

See you at the next EuroShop February 26 - March 2, 2011