Presentation of tomorrow’s new trends by 1,400 exhibitors from all over the world
DOMOTEX scores with new informative events and special displays
DOMOTEX visitors will be the first to use the new entrance Nord 1

Hannover. DOMOTEX HANNOVER (17 – 20 January 2009) is getting the new business year off to a good start. This year the world’s biggest trade show for carpets and floor coverings has attracted 1,400 exhibitors from some 60 countries who will be presenting the latest products and innovations in carpets, textile and resilient floor coverings, laminate floorings and wood parquet. On a total display area of 89,000 square metres market-leading suppliers from Germany and many other countries will be giving a foretaste of future trends with new materials and all the latest combinations of colour and pattern. So once again this year’s DOMOTEX HANNOVER is a reliable indicator of what is happening in the international flooring industry. “Despite the current economic downturn, our exhibitor numbers are even higher than we had originally projected. This shows that our exhibitors have clearly understood the importance of DOMOTEX for the industry as a whole – and the key role that trade fairs play as a marketing instrument. It’s precisely when trading conditions are difficult that businesses need to make new contacts, stimulate the market and establish their presence in a competitive field. And there’s no better place to do that than right here at DOMOTEX”, says Stephan Ph. Kühne, a member of the Board of Management at Deutsche Messe AG.

Exhibitors and visitors alike welcome the concentrated focus on the flooring market that only DOMOTEX HANNOVER offers. The main display categories at DOMOTEX are as follows:

• Carpets and rugs (hand-made)
• Machine-made carpets and rugs
• Textile and resilient floor coverings
• Fibres, yarns and textiles
• Wood and parquet flooring
• Laminated coverings
• Laying skills, cleaning and application technologies

DOMOTEX HANNOVER ranks among the world’s most truly international trade fairs, with 80 percent of exhibiting firms based outside Germany. Topping the list of exhibitor nations is Turkey, followed by Belgium and India. There is a similarly strong international presence on the visitor side, with approximately 55 per cent of trade visitors expected to come from countries other than Germany.

Complementing the vast array of exhibits at DOMOTEX HANNOVER 2009 and providing valuable additional background information is the extensive line-up of new special presentations and events, plus the international architecture forum contractworld. One of this year’s new additions is “world of acoustic”, a special event on the subject of room acoustics, with contributions from experts and specialists in this field. Alongside the structure and design of a room, its acoustic plays an important part in creating a positive ambience and a sense of well-being. The two-day program on Monday 19 January and Tuesday 20 January includes presentations of best-practice case studies, together with lectures and workshops.

As well as the usual program of lectures by distinguished architects, including David Chipperfield, Matteo Thun and Mario Botta, this year’s contractworld features for the first time contributions from experts in other disciplines. So in the session devoted to “Hotels/Spas/Catering facilities” on Sunday 18 January the town planner and tourism expert Dr. Felizitas Romeiß-Stracke is scheduled to give a talk. And on Tuesday 20 January, in the “Change of use/Conversion” segment, Dr. Margot Käßmann, the Regional Bishop for the Protestant Lutheran Church in Hannover, will be giving a talk on the pros and cons of adapting religious or sacred spaces for alternative uses.

Another highlight at contractworld is the presentation of Europe’s most prestigious architecture prize for interior design, the contractworld.award. Worth a total of 60,000 euros in prize money, the award is the most valuable of its kind in Europe. This year the jury considered 570 project submissions, including 293 from outside Germany. This is an all-time record, well ahead of the 366 entries received in 2008, and it confirms the established position of the contractworld.award as a regular fixture on the international architecture scene. The prize award ceremony takes place on Saturday 17 January in Hall 4, starting at 5.30 p.m.

An exciting first at DOMOTEX in 2009 is the presentation in Hall 17 of the world’s largest square Nain carpet, measuring a massive 20 ◊ 20 metres. With approx. 490,000 knots per square metre, the carpet was knotted in one piece and took six years to make. A total of 2,250 kilos of wool, 300 kilos of natural silk and 1,280 kilos of cotton went into the delicate filigree motifs, the beige background and the artistic design of the central medallion.

DOMOTEX HANNOVER 2009 will once again be the top event of the year for flooring tradesmen. Around 20 per cent of all trade visitors at the show now come from the floor-laying trades. Elaborate presentations and events aimed specifically at parquet floor-layers and other flooring professionals, as well as interior furnishers and decorators, will serve as a valuable source of information and practical tips for visiting tradesmen. At the Skilled Trades Forum leading specialists will discuss topical issues in working practice, consider the challenges that confront the tradesman in the workplace today, and present the latest in problem-solving techniques. The special presentation Initiative for Safer Working Practices looks at health and safety issues confronting floor-laying professionals. Another established favourite at DOMOTEX HANNOVER is the European Team Floor-laying Competition. Teams from seven nations will go head to head in this sporting competition to test their skill and speed in laying various types of flooring.

Also new for this year is the integration of Hall 18 to house parts of the presentation by suppliers of Oriental carpets. This extensive display category will occupy Halls 14 to 18. Meanwhile the whole Nord 1 entrance area has been completely remodelled over the past few months. In addition to an aesthetic makeover, the new building will also offer improved functionality in terms of directing the flow of visitors. The work has only recently been completed – so DOMOTEX ticket-holders will be the very first visitors to use the new entrance in 2009.

A combined ticket will again be available for DOMOTEX HANNOVER 2009. This is valid both for admission to the show and for public transportation throughout the Greater Hannover region (GVH) for the duration of the show.