Optimism for imm cologne 2012: excellent registrations from Italy

At five months left from the opening, there are already excellent results: +18 percent of registrations over the same period last year. About 80 percent of space occupied. The hall 11 is already sold out and Italian brands take the lion’s share.
From 16 to 22 January 2012 the designer nation’s furniture and interior design culture will once again be out in full strength at imm cologne under the flag of Italy’s leading lifestyle brands. With still half a year to go before the trade show, appearances by 60 Italian exhibitors, including top brands B&B Italia, Cierre, Desalto, Driade, Living Divani and Kartell, are already certain. They will present their ranges and innovation in the “pure” design segment.
The export data published by the Federal Office of Statistics support this view: in 2010 Italy exported 14.5 per cent of total furniture production to France, 10.4 per cent to the Uk, 10.3 per cent to Germany and 9.3 per cent to Russia. In the other direction, Italy imported 21.9 per cent of its furniture from China and 13.6 per cent from Germany. These figures alone show how important their mutual markets are for these two big furnishing nations.
Next year’s novelty will be LivingInteriors. After the big success of LivingKitchen at imm cologne 2011, and alternating with it, Koelnmesse will offer a new platform for exhibitors of complementary sectors such as the furniture of bathroom furniture, floors, walls, ceilings and lighting. Visitors will be able to build up a picture trends, new ideas and future standards.
The event, organized in cooperation with Gruner+Jahr Events, will have an international character and, as LivingKitchen, is designed to be an exhibition at the fair, independent but synergistic, as part of imm cologne.