A clear increase of visitors at Orgatec 2008

On 25 October, after five days, closed with great success Orgatec 2008.
On a surface of 130 thousand square meters (increase of 13 percent vs 2006), around 62,500 visitors (with an increase of 9.3 per cent vs last show) coming from 113 countries obtained information about trends and innovations presented by 673 companies from 39 countries, whose expectations were predominantly exceeded. The number of visitors rose by 9.3 percent compared to the previous event, while the occupied space increased by 13 percent. 61 percent of the suppliers and around 50 percent of visitors came to Cologne from abroad. Around 70 exhibitors were Italian.
The clear increase of visitors in spite of the difficult International financial-economic situation, confirms Orgatec as leader exhibitions worldwide for furniture offices in the services field.
On their stands in high-quality design the companies picked up the new fair motto “Better office-greater success” with well thought-out solutions for greater motivation and productivity at the office workplace. Open office landscapes were presented, which enable intensive communication and an exchange of ideas in alternating teams as well as concentrated working. In open offices particularly high requirements are placed on the room acoustics and in particular employees’ speech comprehension.
The highlight was the “Ultima Office”, the largest market research campaign to be conducted so far on the office of the future, in which over 2,000 people participated at the fair and on the Internet. The first evaluations revealed that the office of the future should represent a flexible and mobile workplace, which nevertheless enables a certain degree of planning when it comes to the work times and activities. In addition, the workplace should be very open and communicative. A multi-sensual office and working environment offering space for individuality is preferred by the survey respondents. Therefore the office of the future should offer open office solutions for multi-office and departmental working, multiple-use workplaces, the use of new media technologies for multilocal working, modular solutions for more individuality and rest and relaxation rooms for combating stress.
Next edition will be held from 26^th to 30^th October 2008.