All set for IDS 2011

There is still well over a year to go before the IDS once again drops anchor from 22nd to 26th March 2011 in Cologne. But already at this stage, Koelnmesse and the GFDI (Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie mbH - Society for the Promotion of the Dental Industry), commercial enterprise of the Verband der Deutschen Dental-Industrie e.V. (VDDI, Association of German Dental Manufacturers), are gearing up for the 34th International Dental Show. The registration forms for the next edition of the world's largest trade fair for dental medicine and dental technology were mailed in mid-January. Even prior to this Koelnmesse had registered high demand for stand space. Following the extremely successful IDS 2009 with 1,823 suppliers from 56 countries and around 106,000 trade visitors from 136 countries, the organizers are once again expecting a similarly good result for 2011. "According to a representative survey, almost 90 percent of exhibitors at IDS 2009 are planning to participate again at next year's IDS", reports GFDI Managing Director Dr. Markus Heibach. "This is the best confirmation of the undisputed status of IDS as the world's leading fair for the dental world. To that extent, despite the still tense world economic situation, the indications for the further extension of this position are very good." Oliver P. Kuhrt, Executive Vice-President Koelnmesse GmbH, promises: "We will once again conduct intensive advertising and press activities as well as offer tailor-made services and a range of services for exhibitors and trade visitors to ensure that IDS 2011 will also be a total success for all involved."

Therefore, once again next year the tried-and-tested provision will be retained: on the first day of the event, in other words 22nd March 2011, the fair is exclusively open to the specialist dental trade and importers thus offering the opportunity for uninterrupted sales negotiations. Next year the International Dental Show will once again occupy Halls 3, 4, 10 and 11 at Koelnmesse, which corresponds to gross exhibition space of 138,000 m². In order to take account of the great influx of visitors, at IDS 2011, as is customary, the South, East and West Entrances at Koelnmesse will be open. In terms of exhibitors, the organizers of the IDS are expecting more than 1,800 companies. In this connection Koelnmesse and the GFDI are not only assuming a very strong interest on the part of German suppliers, but also expecting an extremely high internationality once again. For IDS 2011 enquiries from many potential first-time exhibitors from abroad have been received. In addition, once
again more than ten foreign group participations are expected.

For Dr. Martin Rickert, CEO, VDDI, this reflects the current trend on the worldwide dental markets: "The worldwide financial crisis has also seriously affected the dental markets. In those regions and economies which are not coping so well with overcoming the crisis, the dental markets are also currently stagnating. Many economic regions and economies are however emerging more quickly from the crisis after all and this is where the national health markets are also picking up. In the medium and long term we still believe there will be a positive trend on the dental markets, because health and personal wellbeing are irreplaceable. We are therefore very confidently looking ahead to IDS 2011."

All the key visitors attended IDS 2009

The outstanding status of IDS as a world market place for dental products is underlined by the results of an independent exhibitor and visitor survey conducted at IDS 2009. In 2009 the leading international fair was the meeting place for decision-makers from the dental profession, the dental technicians trade, the specialist dental trade and the dental industry. Correspondingly, the IDS exhibitors expressed their extreme satisfaction with the visitors. 98 percent of the German exhibitors reached their Key-Accounts from the domestic market, 85 percent their key customers from abroad. The foreign exhibitors were even able to exceed this result: 98 percent reached their key international clients, 94 percent their Key-Accounts from Germany. Both 96 percent of the German as well as international exhibitors acquired new interested parties from Germany. At the same time, 84 percent of the German and 98 percent of the foreign suppliers made new international contacts. The visitor
quality also impressed: 85 percent of the German and 87 percent of the foreign visitors stated that they were involved in purchasing and procurement decisions, whereby 62 percent of all German and 71 percent of all international visitors stated that they were involved in purchasing decisions even to a decisive extent or shared responsibility in that area. Not least due to the excellent visitor quantity and quality, 97 percent of all exhibitors said they would recommend participation at the IDS to a partner or associated company.
But not only the exhibitors, the visitors also said they were extremely satisfied with IDS 2009. Both from Germany as well as abroad 80 percent of all visitors assessed the exhibition ranges at the event as very good to good. For 18 percent of the German and 15 percent of the foreign visitors the assessment was "satisfactory". As a result, 98 percent of the German and 95 percent of the foreign visitors were either satisfied, very or absolutely satisfied with the product range - even given the high requirements placed on IDS - an outstanding assessment.

Worldwide media response to IDS 2009

The media also showed great interest in IDS 2009. 662 journalists from Germany and 318 journalists from all over the world and thus a total of almost 1,000 media representatives, reported from and about the International Dental Show. There was plenty information of news value, because IDS once again lived up to its reputation as a trend and new products/innovations platform. For their research purposes the media representatives had around 1,100 new products/innovation reports at their disposal in an online new products database. In addition, the IDS exhibitors presented their latest products and developments in 30 press conferences. In addition to numerous publications in the trade, daily and business press, 66 TV programmes, 31 radio reports and 55 Internet broadcasts contributed to the outstanding media response. In order to once again ensure comprehensive worldwide media reporting for IDS 2011, Koelnmesse and the GFDI are also planning press conferences and meetings for the 34th International Dental Show in the USA, China and Russia along with a European trade press conference in December 2010 in Cologne. In the week leading up to IDS 2011 there will also be a business press discussion, and on the eve of the fair, in other words 21st March 2011, a new products/innovations tour for the media will be held.

IDS report for download
The IDS 2009 report containing comprehensive facts and figures is available for download on the Internet at www.ids-cologne.com.

The IDS (International Dental Show) is held every two years in Cologne and is organized by the GFDI (Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie mbH), the commercial enterprise of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (Verband der Deutschen Dental-Industrie e.V. - VDDI), and staged by Koelnmesse GmbH, Cologne.

Note for editorial offices:
Photos of the last IDS Cologne are available in our image database on the Internet at www.ids-cologne.com in the "For the press" section.

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