The first analysis of the data on the visitors to Pordenone for Sicam 2010 provides another clear sign, i.e. the trade fair’s growing international quality.
The international exhibition of components, semi-finished products and accessories for the furniture industry recorded a new record for foreign visitors, amounting to as many as 26% of the 18,000 operators who visited the Friuli city from 20th to 23rd October (4,680 from 83 different countries, compared to 3,050 from 79 countries in 2009).
The largest delegations of foreign visitors were from Germany (10%), Slovenia (8%), Spain (6%), and France, Russia and Poland (5%). There were noteworthy arrivals from countries such as Cape Verde, Mexico, Jordan, Iceland, South Africa, and Vietnam, just to mention some of the more surprising examples.
This international appeal is also seen in the records related to the exhibitors: 25% of the 530 exhibitors present came from outside Italy.
The presence of Italian visitors was obviously also to the fore: 13,320 (10,200 in 2009), from all regions of Italy; especially the Triveneto (together the Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia areas), Brianza and Marche regions which are the three main furniture manufacturing areas.
These figures highlight how this second edition of the b2b event was an unquestionable success. Sicam is an appointment that features in the agendas of all operators in the Italian and international sector, both those that propose new ideas and solutions and those searching for mechanisms, trends, decorations or elements that we will see in furniture and furnishings collections presented in furniture trade fairs in the upcoming months.
If, instead, we analyse this data in the light of the economic season that is unfortunately still in progress, its reach becomes even greater. By no coincidence, opinion leaders, buyers and decision-makers all came together at Pordenone. It was a “solid” event, visited by operators from the furniture and furnishings sectors (42% of visiting companies belong to these sectors), with artisan (20%) and commercial (18%) companies acting as a foil.
The high quality of the operators underlines the practicality of this business event. Going by the processing of the data recorded at the entrance to the event, as many as 55% of the visiting operators can be defined as members of company top management (33% owners with the remaining holding positions of sales manager, chief executive, production manager, and technical director). These trade fair figures would be difficult to find at other events in the world of design and planning: 11% of visiting operators were architects, designers or consultants active in the world of creativity.
Added value was also given through the congresses, presentations, and press conferences during which new products were presented for the upcoming season.
One last note: the third edition – which will take place from 19th to 22nd October 2011 – has started out under a good omen. Before Sicam 2010 shut up shop a substantial number of exhibitors confirmed and completed their presence at next year’s edition, in addition to the numerous new requests to participate received.
