EISENWARENMESSE - International Hardware Fair: Well positioned in the trade fair year 2016.

EISENWARENMESSE - International Hardware Fair strengthens its position as the international hardware industry's number one event 

Concentrated and efficient over three days: From 6 to 8 March 2016, around 2,670 exhibitors from 55 countries will be exhibiting at the 40th edition of EISENWARENMESSE - International Hardware Fair in Cologne. With a very good number of registrations on a par with the previous event and an 80% share of foreign exhibitors, the event is once again consolidating its position as the number one event of the international hardware industry. Products, new products, innovations and trends from the Tools, Industrial Supply, Fasteners and Fixings, Fittings as well as Home Improvement segments will be on display. "We have further developed EISENWARENMESSE - International Hardware Fair 2016 in order to accommodate the industry's needs and trends more efficiently," explained Katharina C. Hamma, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH. "The number of registrations proves that we are on the right track. Our trade visitors can once again look forward to an excellent range of high-quality offers as well as a supply of information that deals with the hot themes of the industry." For the first time ever an E-Commerce Theme Day is being staged at EISENWARENMESSE - International Hardware Fair, which will address the developments of the online trade and its effects on the hardware sector. 

With a reduced format of three days and covering 144,200 square metres, EISENWARENMESSE - International Hardware Fair 2016 offers an excellent range of offers for even more efficient business. Traditionally, the product section Tools is represented the most strongly at the trade fair. In 2016, approx. 1620 exhibitors will be presenting their new products and innovations in Halls 1 to 4 and in Hall 10 - from axes to pliers, including Gedore, Hazet, Knipex, Kukko, Pferd Rüggeberg, Rhodius, the Rothenberger Group, Stahlwille, USAG and Witte.

Also well represented: The Industrial Supply product section in hall 4. Here, around 450 exhibitors including Annovi Reverberi, Brennstuhl, Hailo, Keter and Telwin will be presenting compressed air tools, high-pressure cleaners, welding and soldering equipment, workshop equipment, shop and storeroom fittings, ladders and scaffolding as well as products on the theme of work safety.

In Hall 5.2 exhibitors (in total approx. 350) such as Ambrovit, Bossong, Lederer, Prebena, Reyher, Schäfer + Peters as well as TOX Dübel from the Fasteners and Fixings, Fittings segment will be presenting what is going to be available on the market over the next few months. The 'Fastener Forum' will also be located directly in the product world for the first time. Here, interesting lectures and discussions on the trends and changes in the segment of fasteners and fixings will take place daily.

The range of exhibits is rounded off by the Home Improvement section in Hall 5.1. Here, the trade visitors can find the DIY supplies of around 250 exhibitors. Around 45 of these exhibitors will be presenting on the newly created DIY Boulevard, which covers 210 metres and runs through the centre of the hall. As a result of the new concept, which is perfectly tailor-made to suit the needs of the DIY exhibitors, the product section has recorded the highest number of trade fair returnees, including Abus, Burg-Wächter, Fischer, Hettich, Meister, Mellerud, Steinel, Tesa, UHU and Westag&Getalit.

In addition to the offer and its excellent hardware competence, EISENWARENMESSE - International Hardware Fair once again excels because of its high level of internationality. In addition to Italy, German is the European country with the highest number of exhibitors, followed by Great Britain. From overseas, China, Taiwan, India and the USA are the most strongly represented countries.

The theme of the industry: E-Commerce
E-Commerce is the talk of the town at the moment, also within the hardware industry. As a communication and dialogue platform, EISENWARENMESSE - International Hardware Fair is staging its own E-Commerce Theme Day for the first time (6 March 2016) as well as presenting an E-Commerce arena sponsored by SSI Schäfer on Passage 4-5, in order to provide its exhibitors and trade visitors with concentrated information on the theme. In the scope of the Theme Day, the results of the brief study "B2B marketplaces 2016 - what it really comes down to," which Koelnmesse jointly carried out with the IFH Cologne, will be presented.