IDS 2017 gains momentum

More than 2,200 exhibitors are expected at the International Dental Show in Cologne - top ratings from participants of IDS 2015 confirm the position of IDS as the world's leading trade fair for the dental industry.

In just over 400 days, the next IDS will open its doors in Cologne from 21 to 25 March 2017. And the preparations for the 37th International Dental Show are already picking up speed. A new thing to note is that the application deadline for exhibitors has been pulled forward to 31 March 2016. By sending out the application form at the beginning of December, the GFDI Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie mbH, the commercial enterprise of the Verband der Deutschen Dental-Industrie e.V. (VDDI) (Association of German Dental Manufacturers) and Koelnmesse have given the official go-ahead for the next edition of the world's largest trade fair for dental medicine and dental technology. Based on the applications received by 31 March, the GFDI and Koelnmesse will begin with the hall planning in April. Even though the fair is still a long way off, numerous inquiries from businesses about stand areas have already reached the Koelnmesse. Not least because of this, after the record result of IDS 2015 with 2,199 exhibitors from 59 countries (foreign share 70 percent) and around 139,000 trade visitors from 152 countries (51 percent), the organiser is expecting a similar high level of interest from the entire dental world in 2017 as well. "According to a representative survey, about 90 percent of the exhibitors from IDS 2015 are planning to participate at IDS 2017," says Dr. Martin Rickert, Chairman of the VDDI. "The huge interest - already in the run-up to the official application period - shows that IDS is indispensable for all those people who want to operate successfully in the dental industry." Katharina C. Hamma, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse added: "Pulling the application deadline forward enables us to respond to individual customer requirements more accurately and support the exhibitors and trade visitors with manifold services and offers for their successful trade fair participation at an early stage."

IDS 2015 stood out once again with its strong growth and set new records for all of the trade fair's key figures. With an expanded exhibition surface of 157,000 square metres (+6.2 percent) as well as an increase in the number of visitors and exhibitors, the past event quite rightly carries the title the "biggest IDS of all time" so far. After the record year in 2015, at the next event the organisers are awaiting over 2,200 companies at the International Dental Show. Koelnmesse and GFDI again not only expect a lot of interest from German suppliers, but also particularly a strong international presence. Even now many inquiries from potential new exhibitors are coming in from abroad. In addition, more than a dozen foreign group participations are expected.

The first day of the trade fair (21 March 2017) will again be dominated by the "Dealer's Day". This day will focus on dental specialised traders and importers and will provide all interested parties an opportunity to attend the sales talks at the exhibitors' stands.

Top marks from exhibitors and visitors for IDS 2015

The undisputed positioning of IDS as a world-leading international trade fair for the dental industry has also been impressively confirmed by the results of an independent exhibitor and visitor survey on IDS 2015. The event brought together in Cologne decision makers from around the world from the dental profession, the dental laboratories, the specialist dental trade and the dental industry. This was a cause of great satisfaction among IDS exhibitors. 99 percent of German suppliers reached their key customers from the domestic market and 82 percent their key accounts from abroad. Of the foreign exhibitors, 98 percent had contact with their international customers and 95 percent with their German key accounts. 95 percent of the exhibitors established new contacts to potential German buyers. At the same time 79 percent of the German and 98 percent of the foreign suppliers won new international contacts. The quality of the visitors was therefore correspondingly high: 79 percent of the German and indeed 89 percent of the foreign visitors were involved in the purchasing and procurement investments of their companies. Thanks to the success of the trade fair, 90 percent of the German companies and 91 percent of the foreign companies are planning to exhibit at IDS again in 2017.

Conversely, the IDS visitors were also satisfied all-round: More than three quarters of those questioned are planning to visit the International Dental Show again in March 2017. The comprehensive product range and numerous new products ensured that 82 percent of the German and 80 percent of the foreign trade visitors rated the exhibition offerings of IDS 2015 as either very good or good. Overall, 95 percent of the visitors questioned would recommend visiting IDS to business partners.

IDS takes place in Cologne every two years and is organised by the GFDI Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie mbH, the commercial enterprise of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (VDDI) and staged by Koelnmesse GmbH, Cologne.

IDS (International Dental Show) takes place in Cologne every two years and is organised by the GFDI Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie mbH, the commercial enterprise of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (VDDI) and is staged by Koelnmesse GmbH, Cologne.