One of the DOMOTEX’s biggest exhibiting nations is Turkey, which next year will use the show to present an extensive offering of handknotted and machine-made rugs. For Turkish rug makers, DOMOTEX offers excellent opportunities for tapping into new markets and boosting their exports.
In 2011, an EU-funded project was launched to enhance the competitiveness of Turkish firms in the international market. The project focuses on five Turkish cities, one of which is the Southeast Anatolian city of Gaziantep. There, the project provides support for local production of machine-made rugs – one of the city’s most important industries. Some 40 percent of the world’s area rugs are made in Gaziantep. Next year, an extensive selection of Gaziantep-made rugs will be on show in halls 2 to 4 at DOMOTEX.
The international floor coverings industry is watching Hannover, Germany, with keen anticipation because that’s where the next DOMOTEX show will be held. DOMOTEX is the world’s No. 1 trade fair for carpets and floor coverings. In 2014, from 11 to 14 January, some 1,400 companies from 60 nations will converge on the Hannover Exhibition Center to showcase their latest products and new season’s collections. DOMOTEX picks up on key trends and innovations and sets the tone in international interior design fashions for each new year. And with its new Innovations@DOMOTEX format, next year’s show will give unprecedented exposure to a select handful of product innovations and design highlights, starting with a major pre-show PR campaign.
Exhibitors interested in showcasing their innovations in textile and resilient floor coverings, parquet and laminate flooring and modern handmade carpets as part of the Innovations@DOMOTEX format still have until 2 October to submit their applications. Submission is free of charge.
Innovations@DOMOTEX has sparked enormous interest among DOMOTEX exhibitors and attracted an impressive number of quality entries very soon after it was first announced. “The exhibitors quickly recognized Innovations@DOMOTEX for the great opportunity that it is – the opportunity to leverage a comprehensive package of communication measures to get their innovations front of mind with their target audiences and hence get more out of their DOMOTEX showcase,” commented Dr. Jochen Köckler, a member of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG, the official organizer of DOMOTEX.
Architect Jürgen Mayer H. to design “Innovations@DOMOTEX Areas”
The product innovations selected for Innovations@DOMOTEX by the expert jury will be staged to dramatic effect in special display zones known as Innovations@DOMOTEX Areas. The creative design of these exhibition spaces is in the capable hands of the internationally respected German architect Jürgen Mayer H. The Innovations@DOMOTEX Areas will feature as central meeting points and design highlights in Halls 6, 9 and 17. Jürgen Mayer H. heads the eponymous Jürgen Mayer H. architectural firm in Berlin, which works at the interface between architecture, communication and new technology. His work has earned him numerous international awards, including the 2013 Mies van der Rohe Emerging Architect Special Mention Award and the Holcim Award 2005 Bronze Europe for sustainable architecture.
Future expert Matthias Horx guest speaker at the Wood Flooring Summit
Germany’s population is decreasing, but the number of households is on the rise. The resulting shortage of residential development space poses great challenges both for architects and designers. What new modes of home living will emerge as Germany responds to these challenges? What might future solutions look like? Answers to these questions and more will be provided by Max Horx of Germany’s Zukunftsinstitut (Future Institute) at DOMOTEX 2014. Horx, an influential trend researcher, will be giving a lecture at the Wood Flooring Summit in which he will present the Future Institute’s latest study, “The Future of Home Living – Central Trends Through to 2025.” The lecture, which will be given on 11 January and will be followed by a discussion round, is an absolute must for anyone and everyone who wants to get an overview of today’s key developments in home living.
Platform for the international contract furnishing sector With its winning mix of lectures and presentations of innovative materials for the contract furnishing sector, DOMOTEX is also a must for architects, interior designers, planers and furnishing designers on the lookout for creative new ideas for their design palette. The Innovations@DOMOTEX showcase will highlight current flooring trends and new product developments for the diverse range of application areas encompassed by the healthcare, catering and hospitality sectors. Thanks to the breadth and quality of the innovations on show, DOMOTEX is sure to put in a strong performance worthy of its status as a leading professional platform for the international contract furnishing sector. Before the show even starts, visitors can research the latest developments in their particular areas of interest – so they know which manufacturers to talk to when the get to Hannover.
Outdoor trends in the floor coverings industry There’s a growing awareness in the market of the immense lifestyle design possibilities offered by flooring solutions for outdoor living. Next year’s DOMOTEX will embrace this trend with a comprehensive offering of innovative floor coverings for outdoor use in exhibition halls 8 and 9. The manufacturers of these sorts of products deliver much more than just good looks; they’re also big on quality, eco-friendliness and sustainability. Decking boards are available in a wide range of timber types, both treated and untreated. Being natural and highly durable, they lend a timeless elegance to any outdoor area they are used in, whether classic or modern. DOMOTEX 2014 will most likely feature more than 200 manufacturers of parquet and laminate flooring and flooring solutions for outdoor areas.
