IDS 2013 sets new records in terms of visitors, exhibitors and exhibition space

125,000 visitors from 149 countries - 2,058 suppliers from 56 countries - Visitors even more international and have even more decision-making authority - Sector demonstrates its innovative strength and looks forward to sustained momentum through IDS

The 35th International Dental Show (IDS) posted record-setting results when it closed on Saturday, 16th March 2013, after five days in Cologne.

The world's leading dental trade fair attracted 125,000 trade visitors from 149 countries. That figure represents an increase of six per cent compared to the previous event. Records were also set in terms of the number of exhibitors and the occupied exhibition area. This year 2,058 companies (+5.3 per cent) from 56 countries presented a wide range of innovations, products and services on 150,000 square metres of exhibition area (+3.4 per cent). With 68 per cent of the exhibitors and 48 per cent of the visitors coming from abroad, the fair was also more international than ever before. "The degree to which IDS's global attraction increases from one event to the next is impressive," said Dr Martin Rickert, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (VDDI). "Thanks especially to the trade visitors' high level of internationality and decision-making authority, we expect the positive effects of the fair to continue for the rest of the business year. We're also expecting sustained growth in the German and international healthcare markets." Katharina C. Hamma, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse, added, "IDS has good reason to consider itself the world's leading dental trade fair. It provides the perfect conditions for sharing information, communicating and doing global business. The exhibitors were delighted with the large number of excellent business contacts they were able to make, and the visitors were excited by the comprehensive product range, as well as the numerous innovations that were presented."

IDS 2013 was opened by Ulrike Flach, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Germany's Federal Ministry of Health. In her opening speech Ms. Flach stressed that the safety and quality of medical products have the highest priority. She also pointed out the excellent conditions for innovation in the healthcare industry. For example, she said, Germany is much faster than many other countries when it comes to bringing medical innovations into the mainstream of medical practice and thus making them available to everyone who needs them. She also stressed the importance of maintaining the balance between open access to innovations and the long-term financial stability of the system.

Exhibitors were delighted by the success of the trade fair
From the very first day, this year's IDS was characterized by halls filled with visitors and stands that were very crowded. Michael Brielmann, Head of Sales and Marketing of VITA Zahnfabrik, spoke of a "huge success" and "thousands of visitors at the stand". Rick Laduca, President and General Manager of Handler from the USA, called IDS 2013 "fantastic". Representatives from all of the relevant professions - from dental practices to dental laboratories, the dental trade and the university sector - came to IDS from all over the world. Jeff Slovin, CEO of Sirona Dental Systems, was very happy with "the large crowds of international visitors and, as always, the great response of our German dentists and dental technicians". Norbert Wild, Managing Director of Ivoclar Vivadent Deutschland, stated, "As usual for IDS, the percentage of international visitors once again grew compared to 2011." Henner Witte, Managing Director of KaVo Dental, also expressed great satisfaction with the increase of the number of international participants, "especially from growth regions such as China, Russia and Brazil." Above all, large increases of visitor numbers were recorded for Russia, Japan, Ukraine, Brazil, China and Turkey. The decision-making authority of the visitors was also referred to again and again. Christoph Weiss, Managing Director of BEGO, reported that "the customers were very well informed and showed great interest in new technologies". C. W. Emery, President of ITL Dental Corporation from the USA, spoke of "contacts with top-quality potential customers", and Frank Rosenbaum, Managing Director of GC Germany, was very happy about the "many decision-makers". This impression was confirmed by the initial results of an independent visitor survey, which reported that 83 per cent of the IDS trade visitors are involved in purchasing decisions at their companies. This made for good business activities. For example, Jurgen-Richard Fleer, General Manager of J. Morita Europe, talked about "an encouragingly large number of orders placed". Johannes Draxler, Managing Director of DeguDent, said he was "very happy with the business results". Young Wan Song, CEO of SSI Co., Ltd. from Korea, said that he expected "very good business subsequent to the trade fair".

Highly satisfied visitors
Trade visitors were also highly satisfied with the event. The visitor survey revealed that 74 per cent of visitors said they were (very) satisfied with IDS. What's more, the fair's comprehensive spectrum of products and numerous innovations caused 79 per cent of the visitors to rate the product range as either good or very good. In terms of reaching their trade fair goals, 74 per cent of the visitors surveyed said that they were satisfied or very satisfied. Overall, 95 per cent of the visitors surveyed would recommend a visit to IDS to their business partners.

Tremendous interest in innovations
Individuals from the specialist trade as well as end users were especially interested in innovative products and technologies. Nowadays it is almost taken for granted that developers will come up with functional enhancements, more rational digital workflows and software updates for existing CAD/CAM systems. Even so, many participants were still impressed by the large number of new materials for computer-controlled processing. In addition to the always popular areas of CAD/CAM, there have also been advancements in the details of various specialist disciplines - for example, in prophylactic care, the preservation of teeth and implantology. (For more information, see the accompanying trade review of IDS 2013).

Positive conclusions reached by BZAK and VDZI
"IDS is the top event for the dental market. In 2013, it again drew the attention of the international dental world," concluded Dr Peter Engel, President of the German Dental Association (BZAK). "Demographic developments will make continuous updates of healthcare structures necessary, and they will be dependent on technical advances and innovative therapies. At the trade fair, the industry has impressively demonstrated its ability to meet this challenge. But brainstorming for a (dentally) healthy future isn't required within the dental sector alone. It also has to come from public policymakers. Germany is at an excellent international level technically and scientifically, as was demonstrated by this year's IDS. However, austerity regulations are making it more difficult for innovations to make their way to the dentists' practices." At the end of IDS 2013, Uwe Breuer, President of the Association of German Dental Technicians' Guilds (VDZI), said in summary, "IDS has proven itself as the meeting place for specialists from dental technology laboratories and dental practices. At this leading global trade fair, both of these groups were once again able to get a comprehensive picture of the new developments and product refinements in the dental industry and make their evaluations together. From the point of view of the VDZI, it is becoming increasingly clear that master dental technicians and dentists, each group with its own specialised expertise, will have to work together even more closely in the future. A clear indication of this collaboration was given at IDS when the VDZI and the German Association for Oral Implantology (DGOI) presented the programme for the annual DGOI convention which will take place in September."

IDS - the International Dental Show is held in Cologne every two years. The event is organized by the Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Dental-Industrie mbH (Society for the Promotion of the Dental Industry, GFDI), which is the commercial enterprise of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (VDDI). The trade fair is staged by Koelnmesse GmbH, Cologne.

IDS 2013 in figures:
At IDS 2013 a total of 2,058 companies from 56 countries (2011: 1,954 companies from 58 countries) occupied a gross exhibition space of 150,000 sqm (2011: 145,000 sqm). Among the participants were 643 exhibitors and 12 additionally represented companies from Germany (2011: 654 exhibitors and 17 additionally represented companies) and 1,347 exhibitors and 56 additionally represented companies from abroad (2011: 1,250 exhibitors and 33 additionally represented companies). The proportion of visitors from abroad was 68 per cent (2011: 66 per cent). Including the estimates for the last day of the fair, around 125,000 trade visitors from 149 countries came to IDS (2011: 117,697 trade visitors from 149 countries); 48 per cent (2011: 42 per cent) of them came from abroad.*

The next IDS - 36th International Dental Show will take place from 10th to 14th March 2015.