Heimtextil Traffic Up

Jennifer Marks -- Home Textiles Today, 1/24/2011 12:41:45 AM

FRANKFURT, GERMANY - Heimtextil's 2011 show last week turned out what appeared to be slightly better traffic than in the past two recent years.
Exhibitors at Heimtextil reported an uptick in traffic at this year’s edition.     "It's been a lot heavier in traffic," said Lexi Schlanden-hauffen, vp of marketing and design for 1888 Mills.
     "We've seen a lot of people coming through, which is a positive for us. You know at 1888 we've expanded our booth to really attract that global customer. And we're seeing a lot of the really important global customers."
     The final tally will not be available until the German governmental agency that verifies Messe attendance figures signs off on the numbers. But most exhibitors who spoke with HTT said customers have come to grips with higher prices.
     Stan Fradin, president, Rockland Mills - a longtime Heimtextil exhibitor - said he came into the fair with trepidation, but was leaving feeling positive.
     "Everyone has come to the realization whatever forces are happening in terms of price increases, they're not happening to any individual company. They're not happening to any individual buyer," said Fradin. "So with this kind of understanding by the mass group, both the sellers and the buyers, there's this understanding that it is what it is."
     Reflective of the international fair's positioning as the largest home textiles show in the world, Heimtextil 2011 featured exhibitors from 64 countries.

     The primary home textiles producing nations continue to grow in representation, with China offering 425 exhibitors (up from 417 last), India with 391 and Pakistan with 212.
     German exhibitors retained the strongest presence among Europeans, with 341 companies showing, followed by Italy with 103. There were 34 U.S. exhibitors this year, which included fabric and finished textiles manufactures, companies allied to the trade as well as design firms, fiber producers and packaging manufacturers.