Almost 21thousand visitors from 113 countries attended EXPOdetergo International at Fiera Milano/Rho where 277 companies exhibited their products. The number of international visitors registered at the show increased by 15%. The mission “Updating the Future” was reflected by products’ imprint of sustainability, digitalization, remote control and Internet of Things. Livio Bassan, the President: “I like to underline the educational role of this edition: the attention to resource saving, let it be water, energy, detergents or fabrics, was a common thread that characterized most of the exhibited solutions”
From 19 to 22 October, Fiera Milano Rho registered 20,756 visitors from 113 countries during EXPOdetergo International 2018. Comparing to its last edition, the increase in the figures confirms EXPOdetergo International as the world’s leading event for laundry, ironing and textile care industry.
The internationality of the visitors is worthy of note: 45% from abroad, increasing by 15% overall. Even the number of countries represented grows – 113 compared to 102 last edition (+11%) – with a significant increase of those from Africa and Asia, while Europe remained the continent with the highest number of foreigners (71%). In particular, Germany ranked first for number of visitors, followed by France, Spain, Russia and Belgium.
“EXPOdetergo International has the strength to group operators from five continents and the European and American buyers’ acute interest, combined with the new profiles from Asia and Africa, are a clear demonstration of how the expo is the chance to create real business opportunities even in those developing countries whose growth margins can prove interesting.” – confirmed Livio Bassan, president of EXPOdetergo International – “I also would like to stress the educational role this edition played: focus on saving resources, whether water, energy, detergents or fabric, represented a central theme that characterized most of the presented proposals. Overall, during these days filled with lively trading and professional discussions, we fully expressed the claim ‘Less is Better’ we used to launch the event: in fact, competitiveness is now based on money-saving and time-saving strategies and the market is in line with these key aspects”.
An edition that boasts significant figures from every standpoint ended last October 22nd at Fiera Milano: 277 exhibitors, 36% foreign, from 24 countries covering a 17.654 sq. m. expo surface. A complete range of the sector’s most innovative offers was presented at EXPOdetergo International: from dry cleaning, an industry that represents Italian excellence, to water, with the leading international specialists’ ranges. Ironing products, professional detergents – which are increasingly high-performing and environmentally friendly – and complete and automated lines, including packaging were also showcased. The supply chain was completed by the offering of the fabric (bedding and table linen), with luxury fabrics and linens for hotels, spas and restaurants, management systems and 4.0 solutions.
In fact, laundry technologies are not only more efficient but the new goal is to be smart. Digitalization, Internet of Things and remote management are now a reality that is revolutionizing industry professions. While electronic garment tracking systems are increasingly more popular – from smaller and thinner RFID labels to bar codes on water repellent paper that can monitor garments or linens in every processing phase – management systems have become software platforms that companies can view on their PCs, tablets or phones or even smart Apps that allow laundries to monitor the entire laboratory remotely. Laundry managers, both tradition and self service, have now become system managers able to manage their businesses directly from their tablets or smartphones, wherever they are.
Professional training, in-depth knowledge of the market and its mechanisms, and being up-to-date with the latest products are essential elements for a serious professional. But they are also the best tools for seizing opportunities that ensure business continuity and growth.
This is why, along with the offering, the event included significant content opportunities, from international events organized by Cinet and Etsa to encounters addressed to Italian operators offered by Assosecco and CNA/Confartigianato. Exhibitors and visitors were able to attend the presentation of two new studies commissioned by Expodetergo to Cerved that took stock of the two industrial laundry and dry-cleaning markets in Italy, providing a privileged look to help encourage new business strategies for operators, businessmen, dealers and all industry players.
A market map was revealed to help understand the state of the art of the two most important areas in the sector, stimulating new ideas among all the industry players, and helping entrepreneurs, professionals, sales people and operators in the laundry industry identify new, promising paths for their own businesses.
DETERGO MAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 2018
