LogiMAT 2016 clearly surpasses the visitor mark

As the "first guest organizer to completely fill the exhibition grounds", according to the Stuttgart trade fair company, LogiMAT 2016 occupied all exhibition halls at the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre from 8 to 10 March 2016. 1,280 international exhibitors (+10.2%), almost a quarter of them from 32 countries (+15%) around the world, presented their latest solutions and product developments for intelligent, future-proof intralogistics on 95,400 square meters of exhibition space (+12%) in eight halls. The growth in the number of international exhibitors and trade fair visitors is a sign of the high level of attention that LogiMAT is also attracting abroad, explains Kazander.

The trade fair management is "extremely satisfied" with the fact that the double-digit growth in exhibitors and exhibition space was accompanied by corresponding visitor interest. According to figures from the Basel-based market research institute, more than one in three trade fair visitors (35.7%) had to travel more than 300 kilometers to attend. Over 20 percent of trade visitors came from abroad. Of these, 69% came from EU countries, 17% from the rest of Europe and 14% from overseas, Asia and the Middle East. More than 88 percent of the trade visitors described themselves as decision-makers from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Around 40 percent of trade visitors came with specific investment requirements, with one in five placing corresponding orders at or after LogiMAT. In summary, 78.3 percent of LogiMAT visitors gave the intralogistics trade fair the school grades 1 and 2 in their overall assessment.

In many cases, LogiMAT 2016 was used by exhibitors as an exclusive presentation area for their new products and innovations, which often already demonstrated concrete solutions in the context of the megatrends Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things and e-commerce. "This confirms LogiMAT's reputation as an information platform, working trade fair and trend barometer for developments in intralogistics," says Dr. Petra Seebauer, Managing Director of EUROEXPO Messe- und Kongress-GmbH. "What you don't find at LogiMAT doesn't exist yet," adds Kazander. The TradeWorld trade platform, which was held for the third time as part of LogiMAT, was also very popular with exhibitors and trade visitors. It focused on the close integration of logistics with trade and sales processes in B2B and B2C. This year, exhibitors presented solutions for Retail 4.0, such as e-procurement, payment, marketing, store solutions, shipping management, fulfillment and returns handling. "This year's TradeWorld confirmed how e-commerce and omnichannel processes and the logistics behind them complement each other," explains Dr. Seebauer, Head of TradeWorld 2016. "The integration of the TradeWorld retail platform into the LogiMAT trade fair has proven to be the right decision. E-commerce is a particular growth driver. TradeWorld thus demonstrates the enormous added value offered by the close networking of e-commerce and logistics. We will continue to expand the presentation of corresponding solutions."

Despite the fact that all exhibition halls were occupied for the first time, LogiMAT 2016 was fully booked. By 2018, the completion date for the new Hall 10 at the Stuttgart Exhibition Center, the number of exhibitors will have to increase further in the existing exhibition space. "We want to offer trade visitors not only size, but also variety and attractive solutions," summarizes Exhibition Director Kazander. "Whatever the future development of LogiMAT, it will remain the trade fair for short distances, compact information and direct comparison of international providers for efficient intralogistics."

The next LogiMAT opens its doors in just under six weeks, from April 19 to 21, 2016, in Nanjing, China.

LogiMAT 2017 in Stuttgart will take place from March 14 to 16, 2017.

Further information can be found at: www.logimat-messe.de or www.tradeworld.de