Truly international

02 May 2013
Volume 29 · Issue 5

Eddie MacKenzie visits Cologne for the IDS.

The Koelnmesse was the venue as the dental world descended onto Cologne for the 35th International Dental Show last month. In spite of the potential travel problems caused by the wintery weather, the event attracted some 125,000 visitors who were treated to an exhibition of over 2,000 companies covering 150,000 square metres. The event was truly a global affair, boasting delegates from 149 different countries.

The IDS was officially opened by Ulrike Flach, the parliamentary under-secretary of Germany’s federal ministry of health. In her opening speech Ulrike said that the safety and quality of medical products have the highest priority. She also pointed out the excellent conditions for innovation in the healthcare industry. Ulrike stressed the importance of maintaining the balance between open access to innovations and the long-term financial stability of the system.

 

Size

The show proved to be even larger than previous events, with six per cent more visitors than in 2011, and an increase in exhibitors of 5.3 per cent. The 2,058 companies (from 56 different countries) presented a wide range of innovations, products and services. With such a diverse crowd the translator services on offer at the Koelnmesse were put to good use, though thankfully for me the primary language used on most stands seemed to be English.

As the event was so large, it was important to plan any hall expedition carefully. This was definitely not a time for a casual stroll! With so much to see delegates needed to plan their route to ensure they got the most from their time at the halls. When a break was needed there were numerous refreshment stalls and eateries where delegates and exhibitors could recharge their batteries and focus.

 

Satisfaction

The visitor survey revealed that 74 per cent of visitors said they were (very) satisfied with IDS. What’s more, the fair’s comprehensive spectrum of products and numerous innovations caused 79 per cent of the visitors to rate the product range as either good or very good. In terms of reaching their trade fair goals, 74 per cent of the visitors surveyed said that they were satisfied or very satisfied. Overall, 95 per cent of the visitors surveyed would recommend a visit to IDS to their business partners.

Frank Rosenbaum, GC Germany’s managing director, commented: “We had a steady stream of visitors at our stand. The trade visitors were very knowledgeable and took a close look at our innovations. Most importantly, many decision makers were in attendance, and this was reflected in the number of orders we received during the fair. In other words, we’re very satisfied, and we’re also already looking forward to IDS 2015.”

Ivoclar Vivadent Deutschland, Norbert Wild, managing director: “As we expected, the Ivoclar Vivadent stand was well frequented by dentists and dental technicians from around the world on all days of the trade fair. Extensive interest was displayed in our innovative products, and our turnover expectations were met as well.”

Jeff Slovin, Sirona Dental Systems’ CEO commented: “IDS was a complete success for us. We were pleased by the many visitors from abroad in attendance and, as always, with the very positive reactions of the German dentists and dental technicians. IDS truly lived up to its reputation as the sector’s leading trade fair.”

Henner Witte, KaVo Dental’s managing director added: “IDS 2013 was a great success. We were thrilled by the large number of visitors in attendance and their extensive interest in our products - not to mention the business we generated at the fair. German customers were particularly interested in our digital workflow solutions, especially those involving the integration of X-rays and CADCAM systems. The number of international visitors - especially from growth regions such as China, Russia, and Brazil - was also very impressive, as was the interest displayed in our entire range of products for these international markets. We’re very grateful to our customers and business partners.”