Euroshop 2023: Incredible variety

Eight dimensions formed the backbone of Euroshop from late February to early March in Düsseldorf. One of them was Expo & Event Marketing, ranging from stand construction systems to the metaverse.

In February 2020 COVID already cast a dark shadow over the last edition of Euroshop. “Even during the event, a huge number of trade shows were called off and orders were cancelled,” recalls exhibitor Jakob Gilnhammer. “We were so happy to be back after three years,” says the managing director of the company that is well-known for its lightweight wall systems. Digitalisation is one of the watchwords of the day. At the Gilnhammer booth, visitors were interested in the new online catalogue with its convenient click register. But the main attraction was the booth itself. It was built out of Gilnhammer’s ultra-lightweight wall systems in a sandwich construction with a paper honeycomb core. One example is the G40 Classic range with its patented eccentric connector. The 40 mm thick wall system enables you to create individual constructions of any kind or size swiftly and easily - simply by connecting the elements.

As a system for building small exhibition stands or galleries even faster, Gilnhammer presented its G40 Quick system with tool-free connectors. Visitors experienced moments of tranquillity in Raumbox, a kind of room-in-room think tank with a door and glass walls. In addition, Gilnhammer demonstrated how to secure orders even in times when there are no trade fairs, offering exhibition tables, seating cubes and presenters. They belong to Gilnhammer’s system furniture range, consisting of lightweight elements and the innovative Twistfix connector. Visitors were impressed by the stability and variety of this furniture which can be assembled swiftly and conveniently. Jakob Gilnhammer on Euroshop: “There were fewer visitors and exhibitors, but more quality, better conversations and more potential customers” (www.gilnhammer.de).

The Belgian stand system maker beMatrix transported its visitors at Euroshop into an entire city built out of its own construction elements. The design was inspired by scenery with buildings such as a bus stop, a hotel, a shop, a fountain and a restaurant terrace. A single, individually adapted, frame system served as the entire foundation. All superstructures consisted of standard elements from the Belgians’ modular system. Visitors marvelled at the new frame for glass panels. The featured system was beConstruct, a profile for open, non-load-bearing constructions. Fast Clamp was also on display, the new clamp for connecting frames without screws.

As a further eye-catcher, beMatrix presented beTV, the television set integrated into a frame. A total of 28 different infills were mounted to the frames. They ranged from glass to metal and textile-covered wooden panels to completely recycled panels. Walls featuring LEDskin panels garnered the most attention with music and visuals. “The sounds and images created some real goosebump moments,” recalls beMatrix CEO Stefaan Decroos. “The atmosphere was really lively - like a show in a market square or pedestrian zone.” The company had further novelties up its sleeve: a new service platform for virtual 3D designs and a carbon footprint calculator. Speaking of sustainability: beMatrix aims to be a carbon neutral company. Its specially developed ProjectC! master plan defines targets and measures. For this, beMatrix won second place in the IDIA IFES Development + Innovation Awards (www.bematrix.com).

A metaverse is the convergence between the physical and digital worlds. Euroshop visitors were able to explore such a metaverse at the Holtmann+ Experience. The place to immerse yourself in digital worlds was located in the IFES Global Village, the group stand of the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services Providers. Holtmann was one of 17 member exhibitors, featured prominently right on a main aisle. On 27 February visitors experienced the launch of the new metaverse live with VR headsets and tablets. Visitors interacted safely in the contact-free virtual 3D environment. “Holtmann has seen a remarkable transformation over the past three years. Our path led us from a stand construction firm with a focus on implementation to a full-service provider for live communication,” explains the company's CEO, Jörg Zeißig, adding: “So now, Holtmann has become Holtmann+.”

The exhibitor placed the same importance on face-to-face encounters with customers and fellow industry professionals as on virtual communication. Behind a wall full of team photos, visitors got an opportunity to meet creatives and architects, strategists and construction experts. At times, an illustrator would even sketch the conversations. “At the booth, visitors were able to experience our entire portfolio live and in person,” says Jörg Zeißig. The CEO concludes: “With the launch of our Holtmann+ Experience at Euroshop, we demonstrated that we have already recognised the future digitalisation needs of our customers today. And they include 3D visualisation, data analytics, digital asset management and 3D asset creation” (www.holtmannplus.de).