 |
 |
||||||
[January 2009]
BAU 2009: Vote of Confidence in Building Industry
BAU 2009 attracted 211,000 visitors, which is yet another new record for the event and also a tremendous vote of confidence in the sector for the year of business to come, say the organisers. In the exhibition halls there was very little sign of the financial and economic crisis – this was the almost unanimous view of the exhibitors, continued their report.
The visitors came from all over the world; 36,000 of them from 151 countries outside Germany. On the fourth and fifth days of the fair in particular the halls were thronged with visitors, the stands were packed full and the corridors and gangways crowded. 2009 turned out to be the best year ever in BAU’s 40 plus year history.
1,924 exhibitors from 42 countries took part in this six-day event, which is Europe´s most important trade fair for architecture, materials and systems. Well ahead of the fair – one whole year before it started – the 180,000 m2 of space earmarked for the event was virtually fully booked. Undeterred by the mood of crisis in other sectors, more and more visitors came along each day to the New Munich Trade Fair Centre to find out about the innovations and further developments in the building sector.
The visitors came from all areas of planning, design and construction – planners, architects and construction engineers were among them, as well as building entrepreneurs, building tradesmen, building retailers and representatives of the housing industry.
Most of the visitors came from Germany, followed by Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, Iran, France and Turkey. Attendance by visitors from outside Europe, from countries such as China and Japan, was also above average – which is a clear indication of BAU’s elevated status even outside Europe. International participation was again high: over 36,000 visitors came from countries outside Germany. Commenting on this, Guido Wortmeier, authorised agent of Eduard Hueck GmbH, said: "Among the visitors that came to our stand was a high proportion of people from abroad, in particular we talked to lots of Russians". A similar comment came from Ivo Schintz, Managing Director of Tarkett: "We were able to welcome even more international guests than in 2007, in particular from Eastern Europe".
ENDS