Hausmesse | SHOW REVIEW
Hausmesse is an annual commit ment in our new product development cycle and we look ahead positively to 2021
Richard Turner, national sales manager UK and Ireland, Pronorm
Pronorm
Pronorm launched 26 new door colours and finishes at its open house. The designs came in a variety of styles, including wood, terrazzo and brushed steel. Richard Turner, national sales manager for the UK
and Ireland, says: “Although this has been a year dominated by the Covid pandemic, we have used this time creatively to assess the design, practical and psychological trends in play to launch products that will provide elegant furniture solutions for consumers as they adapt their homes.” Pronorm saw that as a good opportunity to offer a
creative mix of materials, such as combining Terrazzo Brown and a wood-grain, as in the picture (left). There is a mix of darker and warmer tones to lighter pastels and pale greys that add light to a kitchen design. Seven of the new colours are in its popular matt anti-fingerprint finish. The new doors take a lot of their inspiration from the current trend of living and working from home. Turner continues: “This has been a year like no
other, but Pronorm remains strongly committed to the markets in the UK and Ireland and our role as a business partner supporting our retailers. Haus- messe is always the focal point for our new products and we wanted to maintain that normality, while adapting to current circumstances. “We are confident that the virtual showroom experience, together with the online and in-person product training and sales support that is available ongoing, will help our retailers continue to feel included and empowered for business ahead.”
This year attendance was, of course, lower than usual, which we expected. We had around 40% attendance compared with a ‘normal’ year. Nonetheless, customers came from all our main European markets of Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Austria, but none this time from other markets such as France, Spain and Taiwan, where Pronorm are present. Many companies elected not to go ahead with their events. We did, making the decision that we could adapt our ‘house’ to the circumstances with full Covid-compliance and an appointment-only basis for visitors. Unlike an exhibition, when you can decide to pull out and not build your stand, Hausmesse is different. It is part and parcel of our annual business cycle for new product development, so that they are design-relevant and inspiring all year round to visitors. This year, we launched 26 new door finishes, coloured carcasses and a new cabinet size giving more storage.
November 2020 · Virtual tour
Pronorm was open throughout UK lockdown and we implemented our showroom plans and presented our new products as normal, while observing social distancing. Anyone who has been to our spacious showroom knows that’s not a problem. We also produced for the first time a virtual tour of the showroom, as if you were walking round it, allowing you to view it in plan, look at each specific kitchen set, measure them and find out the technical spec. It’s available for anyone to view on our website and has already proved a great success, enabling us to operate a blended approach of virtual and real-time selling and product training to retailers. Not all retailers can make it over
every year to see the new products, and so being able to view everything in detail on a virtual journey still delivers the Pronorm experience, but saves time and provides a visual and technical resource for them 24/7. They can also cascade this
information to other members of their business. It’s fair to say that the virtual tour is a positive outcome of Covid and something we are now committed to updating every year to deliver a new user experience.
Visitors who came were under- standably a little nervous of the procedure, but were still looking forward to the event and gave positive feedback. UK customers came with a purpose and that was to select products to update their showrooms. And feedback suggests they are optimistic that business is showing healthy signs, as consumers have decided when working from home that they want to upgrade and refresh their kitchen or bathroom, or move.
Social
Of course, the social side of things wasn’t the same. It’s unheard-of in Hausmesse time to be able to walk into a restaurant and get a table without it having been booked weeks in advance. That said, the bonhomie that Hausmesse
is noted for, among suppliers, competitors and customers, was still very evident, masks notwithstanding. So what of next year? There is a mixed picture on the German exhibition scene at the moment. The live ISH event has been cancelled, while Living Kitchen in January, and Interzum in May, are currently going ahead. We will be holding Hausmesse as usual, even if we are still in Covid times and I think more companies will open their ‘house’ too next year. This year, everyone is shell-shocked and learning to cope, but by next year I feel people will be less worried about travel and more attuned to living with Covid as they go about their personal and professional lives.
Hausmesse is an annual commit- ment in our new product development cycle and that process of discussion, market research, evaluation of com - petitors and trends has already started as we look ahead positively to 2021, while maintaining our focus of strong support for our retail partners.
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