NEWS Trade Show News
The fair of the future? A business networking venue At Expo Riva Schuh, new developments for the trade fair industry
Markets are experiencing a wavering trend,
domestic consumption is in trouble, and companies are seeking new opportunities and new strategies. And the trade fairs? They certainly aren’t sitting back and watching, that’s for sure; especially Expo Riva Schuh, the Riva del Garda event dedicated to high volume footwear.
This is an assertion backed up by the latest
numbers, with the June edition seeing more than 10,600 visitors, a clear confirmation the fair is in excellent health. Even American and Japanese buyers have returned to the Riva event, interested in the collections of the more than 1200 exhibitors who filled the pavilions at the 78th edition.
What is the recipe for success? Above all, Expo
Riva Schuh has expanded its offering, involving new countries and dealers from different sectors, and welcoming operators from the entire production and distribution chains. This means buyers have an extremely wide range of strategies
to choose from, ranging from the more traditional to the more innovative and aggressive. These days, anticipating which way the market is heading and responding quickly to changes is fundamental for navigating the uncertainties of the market.
Above all though, the concept of a “trade fair”
understood as simply renting exhibition spaces is no longer enough: in the age of the Internet and virtual reality, trade fairs have to become real “gateways”, venues that put companies in touch with the international market. Expo Riva Schuh has re-tooled itself along these lines; its role is to facilitate large-scale business networking and enable companies to build and cultivate business contacts both with their “existing” customer base as well as new ones.
The Expo Riva Schuh Visitor Observatory
(OVERS) data confirms the importance of providing spaces for meeting and discussion as well as for conducting business, with more than
60% of visitors attending Expo Riva Schuh to meet with the suppliers they already work with. This means that the event is not just a promotional tool for attracting new customers; it is also a very effective communication tool for staying in touch with existing ones. Not that there is any lack of new customers: nearly 17% of visitors reported never having attended Expo Riva Schuh before, or having attended less than 5 editions. In addition to the “extremely loyal event-goers”, there is also a significant percentage of visitors who have started coming to the fair in recent years, remained satisfied, and continue to attend.
By focussing on a diverse offering, increasing
internationalisation, and high quality services, Expo Riva Schuh has managed to not only win the loyalty of a new target audience, but also retain the loyalty of its existing customer base. Not an easy task, especially in these difficult times facing all European events in the sector.
Chatham Marine wins highly acclaimed DAME award for its innovative sail cloth deck shoes
have been recognised with this prestigious award, which we consider to be the most important in the marine industry. The recognition of this award further establishes our position as an innovative deck shoe designer and manufacturer.” Considered to be the most prestigious design
T op right – Willem Van Der Heide, Philip Marsh and John Oldfield (all from Chatham Marine) Leading UK deck shoe brand, Chatham Marine
has beaten stiff competition to win the highly acclaimed Design Award for Marine Equipment (DAME) in the Crew and Clothing Accessories category with its revolutionary sail cloth deck shoes – the first ever British engineered sail cloth deck shoe for the European market. Commenting on the win, Chatham’s Managing Director, Philip Marsh, said, “We are delighted to
10 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012
competition for new marine equipment and accessories in the world, the DAME awards recognise excellence and innovation in design, and take place each year at the Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) in Amsterdam. This year 115 entries from 25 countries across the globe were received. Chatham launched its new sail cloth G2
Professional deck shoes for summer 2013 at METs. Chatham has designed four styles using Contender sail cloth - Fibrecon and Contender for men, and Elysse and Beam for women. As a tough compound that handles well, sail cloth is an exceptionally lightweight, water resistant and durable material, making it the perfect textile for use in deck shoes. All styles are built on the sole kit used for Chatham’s successful Schooner G2 and Sloop G2 deck shoes launched last year.
Chatham chose to use Contender because it’s
the world leading sail cloth maker and its woven sail cloth uses only the highest quality Dacron and polyester yarns, which have been carefully selected for their strength, UV resistance and flex characteristics. Designed for durability and featuring Chatham’s unique two year guarantee, the Fibrecon G2 is a men’s deck shoe with a modern twist - a lower profile and a more ‘sneaker’ style look available in white and navy - and the Contender G2 is a more traditionally styled men’s deck shoe in navy. Both are lace-ups. For women there’s Elysse G2, a traditional lace up deck shoe and Beam G2, a feminine ballet pump boat shoe. Chatham’s sail cloth deck shoes feature razor
cut, non-marking soles and innovative suction pads, which ensures exceptional on-deck grip. The padded foam foot-beds provide unparalleled comfort from day one.
Chatham footwear is available from John Lewis, Debenhams, chandleries,
independent retailers nationwide and online at:
www.chatham-marine.co.uk
www.footweartoday.co.uk
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