Optimism returns to the industry High exhibitor and visitor satisfaction Following exhibitor and area record once again 50,000 visitors Number of foreign visitors more than twice as high

INTERFORST 2010 with its record result has shown that optimism has returned to the forestry industry. Once again, more than 50,000 visitors from 80 countries (2006: 59 countries) came to the Munich Trade Fair Centre on the five trade fair days.
At INTERFORST 2010, 410 exhibitors (2006: 404) occupied almost 10 % more net exhibition space than in the record year 2006. With nearly 25,000 m², the net exhibition space of the German exhibitors grew by 5 %. The net space booked by foreign exhibitors increased by 15 % to reach almost 10,000 m². Thus, INTERFORST 2010 presented itself on a gross exhibition space exceeding 67,000 m². 128 foreign exhibitors (2006: 105) from 24 countries (2006: 15) participated in INTERFORST.

At the end of the fair, the exhibitors confirmed that they had made many business agreements and initiated numerous new business relations. This underlines the unanimous opinion that the industry is once again looking into the future with more confidence and that there is great interest in innovations. The congress, forums and special shows met with an excellent response.

“INTERFORST 2010 has clearly shown the new spirit of optimism prevailing in our industry, the great majority of our exhibitors is very satisfied. Besides the increase in the number of exhibitors, the trend towards a more international mix of the participants is substantiated by the fact that the number of our international visitors has doubled“, Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Managing Director of Messe München, summarizes the course of INTERFORST. More than 15 percent of the visitors came from other countries from all five continents. Most visitors traditionally come from Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Poland and France. Walter Ries, Managing Director of pezzolato, summarized his impressions as follows: “INTERFORST is a trade fair where you can meet customers from all over the world. The event deserves to be called an international trade fair because all nations are represented here. The advantage of INTERFORST is that it addresses a specialized audience. For me, it is visitor quality that counts, not visitor quantity. We have been able to initiate good new business relations, and our expectations to meet international visitors have been met.”
After two rather difficult years, the industry now records a positive trend. The excellent mood in the halls and on the open-air exhibition grounds is also reflected in a survey of exhibitors (conducted by the independent opinion research institute TNS Infratest). 91% of the exhibitors assessed INTERFORST as “excellent to good” and even 98% recommend INTERFORST as a trade fair to their business partners. The number of visitors (89%) and INTERFORST’s character as a key trade (80%) were also praised.  97 % assessed the benefit of attending the fair as “excellent to very good”.
The Chairman of the Advisory Board Ralf Dreeke, Managing Director of Wahlers Forsttechnik GmbH, emphasizes: “Die INTERFORST 2010 took place exactly at the right time. For the exhibitors, it has been absolutely worthwhile to be present at the fair, and it was also important that we dealt with topics like the environment, soil protection and biodiversity.”

The mood among visitors was similarly good. 95% of those surveyed would attend INTERFORST again and 97 % will recommend it. Top grades were given for the completeness and broad spectrum of the range of products (93% “excellent to good”), for the presence of the market leaders (91%) and the international mix of the exhibitors (80%). A great number of visitors praised the high informative value of INTERFORST. They benefitted from the congress and forums for further education purposes, which proves the successful combination of exhibition and communication platform. Compared to 2006, the overall assessment of INTERFORST could be increased once again. 95% (2006: 91%) assessed INTERFORST as “excellent to good”.
 
INTERFORST 2010 was inaugurated by the Bavarian State Minister for Food, Agriculture and Forestry, Helmut Brunner. The subsequent discussion panel with him dealing with the utilization of wood as a task for the future was a successful kick-off for INTERFORST 2010. Afterwards, Helmut Brunner presented the innovation medals to the winners of the novelty contest organized by KWF and Messe München and held for the fourth time within the scope of INTERFORST. As in the past, INTERFORST 2010 was once again accompanied by a top-class accompanying programme, one of the major contributions to the event’s great success and high quality.
“Forestry and Wood Economy – Today and Tomorrow – from the Local to the Global Level” was the motto of the top-class congress and forums which took place once again in the middle of the trade fair events – a concept which has really proven its worth. The information provided in daily talks about the most burning topics of the forestry industry was very well accepted. Professor Gerd Wegener, Chairman of the Programme Committee, drew the following conclusion: “It is important that the thoughts we had when planning the congress and the forums proved to be right and that the topic of the Congress, i.e. “Forestry and Wood Economy – Today and Tomorrow – from the Local to the Global Level”, was covered in all its aspects. At INTERFORST, we succeeded in seeing the value-added chain as a whole. There were special contributions to local subjects, but also to global scenarios. The participants talked a lot about the future and there were many young people. This proves that INTERFORST is fit for the future. And there were many participants who were interested in the industry as a whole because INTERFORST not only presents technology but also shows the industry as a whole. The forum really turned into a communication platform where people got together who would otherwise never have met. As a result, the congress and the forums were very well attended.” In collaboration with strong partners, INTERFORST once again offered a platform for practically oriented demonstrations and explanations.  One of the focal points was formed by all health and technical aspects of the workplace in the forest. The special shows organized by the Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung [in English: German Statutory Accident Insurance], the KWF and the Spitzenverband der Landwirtschaftlichen Sozialversicherung [in English: Umbrella Organisation of the Agricultural Social Insurance] were the centrepiece of the events in hall B2 and recorded a high trade visitor frequency.
 
The discussion forum entitled “Nature, Forest, Technology“, developed jointly by the Bavarian Association of Forest Owners and the Bavarian State Ministry for Food Agriculture and Forestry, took place for the first time within the scope of INTERFORST in the “Wald-Café”. Topics like biodiversity and climate were discussed with renowned experts on the “Green Couch” twice a day. One of the main issues was the contribution that the forest and the forestry and wood industry makes for the environment and climate, keyword CO². The discussion forum was very well attended by the visitors.
 
An additional attraction was the “Stihl Timbersports Series Show“. This international competition series is considered to be the elite class of sport tree felling. There were daily demonstrations in the different axe and sawing disciplines on the open-air grounds.
A further highlight was the “Bavarian Logging Championship” which was already held for the fourth time.