ISH, the world’s leading trade fair for the combination of water and energy, has once again demonstrated its significance for visitors and exhibitors. 2,482 exhibitors (Germany: 889, international: 1,593) from 61 countries, including all world-market leaders, launched their latest products onto the world market on an area of 260,000 square metres in Frankfurt am Main from 14 to 18 March 2017. Altogether, 200,114 visitors (2015: 196,777*) made their way to Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre to discover the numerous innovations and the latest trends. At the same time, ISH increased its level of internationality: 64 percent of exhibitors (2015: 61 percent) and 40 percent of visitors (2015: 39 percent) came from outside Germany. “ISH is growing and becoming increasingly international. The indices are outstanding and the mood in the exhibition halls was excellent. We are extremely pleased with the results of the event”, said Wolfgang Marzin, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Messe Frankfurt.
The five percent increase in the number of international visitors to 80,045 (from 75,819 in 2015[1]) was underpinned by the position of ISH as the world’s leading trade fair for the sector. The biggest visitor nations were China, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Poland, Belgium, Austria and Spain.
Top marks were awarded by all participants for the high standard of the fair. In particular, the large number of new contacts made was a source of great satisfaction on the exhibitor side and the overall rating remains on a very high level at over 80 percent. The exhibitors also see the economic outlook in a positive light with 88 percent saying it is satisfactory to good. In the case of German exhibitors, this value was even higher at 93 percent. No less impressive was the level of satisfaction on the visitor side with a potentially record-beating overall rating of 97 percent. Accounting for around a third of all visitors, the sanitation, heating and air-conditioning installation trade represents the biggest group of visitors.
Also very pleased were the spokesmen of the five notional sponsors of ISH: the German Sanitation, Heating and Air-Conditioning Association (Zentralverband Sanitär Heizung Klima – ZVSHK), the Association of the German Heating Industry (Bundesverband der deutschen Heizungsindustrie – BDH), the Association of the German Sanitation Industry (Vereinigung der Deutschen Sanitärwirtschaft e.V. – VDS), the Building Climate Institute (Fachinstitut Gebäude Klima e.V. - FGK) and the German Building Services Technology Association (VdZ – Forum für Energieeffizienz in der Gebäudetechnik).
Friedrich Budde, ZVSHK President, spokesman for the installation trade: “That was a most impressive event for our sector. ISH 2017 presented numerous solutions to meet the challenges of our time. From the point of view of the installation trade: a successful heating revolution and age-appropriate bathroom conversions. As representatives of the biggest national group of visitors, the installation trade, we are delighted with the flood of visitors to our lounge. The aim of our work is always the economic success of our members. And, together with the exhibitors, our association did much for this at ISH 2017!”
Manfred Greis, BDH President and Member of the FGK Board, Spokesman for ISH Energy: “ISH Energy 2017 exceeded our expectations and underpinned its position as the world’s leading trade fair for efficient and renewable energy. The German heating industry once again demonstrated its great innovativeness and presented convincing solutions that will make an important contribution to the success of the energy revolution. This includes not only highly efficient condensing-boiler technology with solar heating but also electric-power based systems, such as heat pumps, as hybrid systems, as well as stationary fuel-cell systems and digital applications.”
Hartmut Dalheimer, VDS Chairman, Spokesman for ISH Water: “We are extremely pleased with the response to ISH 2017! Not only were there numerous visitors of a very high standard, there was also a very noticeable increase in the number of international visitors, especially from China and Russia. Moreover, the German installation trade was also very well represented at the fair – the activities organised by Messe Frankfurt and the notional sponsors were effective. Visiting ISH must continue to be essential for all bathroom planners and installers. That was certainly the case for our bathroom ambassador, Franziska van Almsick, who thus ensured that ISH was given a prominent place in the media!”
The next ISH will be held in Frankfurt am Main from 12 to 16 March 2019.
