With the aim of placing orders, around 135,000 trade visitors made their way to Ambiente in Frankfurt am Main from 13 to 17 February. Thus, the general economic downturn was not greatly in evidence during the world’s biggest trade fair for the consumer-goods sector. The trade proved to be receptive and willing to buy the new and innovative products being shown by 4,466 exhibitors from 86 countries. Interestingly, the economic barometer for the consumer-goods markets in Germany continues to point to fair and this resulted in an eight-percent increase in the number of German trade visitors. On the other hand, the economic situation led to a fall in the number of visitors from abroad, especially from companies directly affected by the financial crisis, e.g., Great Britain, Spain, Russia, Japan and the USA. As in previous years, the best represented nation in terms of visitor numbers was Italy ahead of the USA, Great Britain, Greece and Switzerland.

“Many companies have elected to take advantage of the opportunities offered by difficult times. And, as we could see at the fair, this commitment pays off. The trade – particularly the German trade – is grateful for all new and potent ideas. With a stable and healthy Ambiente, Messe Frankfurt remains a tower of strength for the worldwide consumer-goods sector”, said Dr. Michael Peters, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt GmbH.

The vast majority of our members is delighted with the course of business at this year’s Ambiente”, said Jens-Heinrich Beckmann, General Manager of the German Knives and Housewares Association (Industrieverband Schneid- und Haushaltwaren e.V. IVSH), con¬firming the success of Ambiente 2009. “The fair was much better than expected at first. There were enough visitors from Germany, especially the big and important buyers. However, there was also a large number from abroad – and they all placed orders. Although the total was down on last year, presumably the result of cuts in travel budgets, visitors showed great interest in new products. Compared to competing fairs in the early part of the year, Ambiente was by far the best event.”

Thorsten Klapproth, Chairman of the Board of Management of WMF AG, also mentioned the good atmosphere at the fair: “The crisis has not affected us so far. At present, consumers have more money in their pockets than in 2008. And, when the crisis comes, the right things will be done.” Wilhelm Seibel, General Manager of Seibel Designpartner GmbH with the Mono and Pott brands described the international situation as follows: “Despite the decline from certain countries, such as the USA, we had a particularly large number of visitors from outside Germany. Surprising in this connection, however, was the fact that the most important buyers from the USA came to the fair.” Bernd D. Ehrengart, Managing Partner of the furniture and home-accessory supplier, Lambert GmbH, echoed this: “Our sales are actually slightly up on the previous year, and we are very pleased about this. There was only a small drop in our export business, which was due primarily to a decline in the number of buyers from Spain, England and the USA. Although there was no sign of a general unwillingness to place orders, customers have become more selective. They know what they want and make their decisions carefully. Ambiente left no doubt that active companies and trendsetters are less susceptible to economic fluctuations. In difficult times, it is important to set accents and to generate enthusiasm with new, innovative ideas. Given the current economic situation, rates of growth as in the past are unrealistic.”

Altogether, two thirds of the exhibitors said they had achieved their goals for the fair. On the visitor side, this proportion climbed to over 90 percent. Two thirds of trade visitors polled were top managers and had appropriate purchasing and decision-making authority. “The new products for 2009 have been ordered. Demand in the home segments is very good. The themes and trends of the sector are proving popular. Now, all we have to do is sell them and do some good business. Despite the fact that success is always relative, something that hold equally true for this year’s forecasts, Ambiente certainly attracted the trade, as shown by the large number of visitors in the halls. Although gaps are never attractive, the organisers cannot be held responsible for the exhibitors who dropped out at short notice”, said Thomas Grothkopp, General Manager of the German Association for Tableware, Housewares and Home Decor (Bundesverband für den Gedeckten Tisch, Hausrat und Wohnkultur e.V.).

The assessments of the individual companies and representatives of the trade associations are also reflected in the results of polls on the current economic situation, which tend to be considerably less optimistic in the case of international exhibitors and visitors than those from Germany where the current situation is not seen in such a negative light. Almost three out of four consider it to be satisfactory to good.

New Ambiente from 2010
Ambiente will have a completely new look from next year with the range of exhibits at the world’s biggest consumer-goods fair being completely restructured. Thus, Dining will move to the eastern side of the Exhibition Centre, the side nearest the city centre, and occupy Halls 1 to 6. Consequently, Living and Giving will be located in the western section. Moreover, the new Hall 11 will be integrated into the fair. This new structure will make it possible to provide more room for market segments with a potential for international growth, e.g., fashionable products for the kitchen and designer articles. At the same time, the exhibition space for individual product groups will be reallocated to match changes in exhibitors’ assortments and channels of distribution. From next year, therefore, trade visitors to Ambiente will benefit from shorter walking distances and be able to find their way around the fair more efficiently.

The next Ambiente will be held in Frankfurt am Main from 12 to 16 February 2010. Ambiente presents the latest products and trends for the table, kitchen, housewares, giving and home decor.

Ambiente goes City
Under the name ‘Ambiente goes City’, many of the new products from Ambiente can be seen parallel to the fair in selected shop windows in downtown Frankfurt. The initiative for this came for the fourth time running from Messe Frankfurt and the ‘CityForum ProFrankfurt’ association. Until Saturday, 21 February, around 50 specialist shops and department stores are showing the latest trends and products of 40 Ambiente exhibitors in special displays and shop windows. This year, the campaign is also being accompanied by a competition. Entry cards can be obtained in the shops taking part. Further information is available on the internet at: www.ambientegoescity.de.

Trends
Trends Dining
Sustainability, nature and colours are the definitive trends for the tabletop, kitchen and household. Durable, high-quality products, timeless design and recycled materials are the hallmarks of this trend. The theme of wellness in the home is getting bigger as well. This is revealed, for example, in the design and materials featured. In this context, products made of natural materials or a mix of natural and manmade materials are used. In this segment, the colours are muted or limited to plain white. Conversely, intense colours like variants of green, yellow and orange as well as mauve, grey, lilac and red are to be found in the other product areas. Most of the colours used are plain, with decoration, either limited to graphic elements or inspired by role models from nature like plants or animal motifs tying in with the second trend.

Trends Living
In the home, genuine values and sustainability clearly continue to be a subject for reflection. Distinctly high-quality materials and manufacturing is becoming more important, in terms of the decision to buy, as is ecological and social responsibility. Particularly in spring, natural materials like wood and mother-of-pearl encounter a plethora of fresh flowers and green plants. Enjoyment and relaxation in the home are becoming even more important. Living in the here-and-now finds its expression in designs, which although bold, are not severe. A combination of culture, style and materials peps up individual style. Porcelain, in particular, is enjoying huge popularity and not just in the tabletop sector. The trend colours for spring are mauve, lilac, pale pink and berry colours. Combined with white, grey, gold and silver, they graduate from the sheer to the vibrant. In addition, the full spectrum of fresh, fun colours is in evidence. The “traffic light colours”, green, red and yellow in a sharp contrast with black, is super hip.

Trends Giving
Inspired by the world of fashion and interior decorations, furnishing and decorating products are combined with lilac and berry colours. In spring, this goes hand in hand with pastel colours in the form of floral patterns and ornamentation. Natural materials like raffia, jute and hemp are added to prevent the whiteness of the decorating world looking sterile. Currently, more and more manufacturers are buying into texture. For example, fine structures and openwork adorn porcelain, clay and metal surfaces. Stone and ceramic objects show off shards of glass and tiny mirror mosaic stones. Handicrafts such as crochet, knitting and embroidery are experiencing a revival and, to go with this, manufacturers are offering antique-look porcelain with delicate, Old-English-style, floral patterns. In the jewellery sector, attracting attention is on trend with lavish pendants and large-link chains. Alongside shades of lilac, vivid red is gaining ground for decorative stones.

Note for journalists:
You will find further information and high-resolution photographs on the internet at: www.ambiente.messefrankfurt.com.

Background information on Messe Frankfurt
With annual revenues of € 436 million (November 2008) and over 1,400 employees around the world, Messe Frankfurt is Germany's biggest fair and exhibition company. The corporate group has a global network of 29 subsidiaries, five branch offices and 48 international sales partners, which represent Messe Frankfurt in over 150 countries of the world. Events 'made by Messe Frankfurt' are held at over 30 venues worldwide. In 2008, the Messe Frankfurt group organised over 100 fairs, more than half of them outside Germany.
At present, the Exhibition Centre can boast 322,000 square metres of exhibition space with nine exhibition halls and a congress centre. The company is publicly owned with 60 percent being held by the City of Frankfurt and 40 by the State of Hesse. Further information: www.messefrankfurt.com