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31/08/2006
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Ofitec 2006: Promoting innovation and quality appeal
A total of 10,726 visiting professionals attended this edition.
The fair boosted its international dimension with the presence of some 1,631 buyers from 46 countries.
The eighth edition of OFITEC, the International Trade Exhibition of Office and Contract Furniture and Equipment, closed its doors last 24th February at FERIA DE MADRID after presenting the largest showcase for new ideas and products within the industry. This edition was characterised by an exhibition featuring high levels of quality and innovation, as well as carefully-designed product presentation, achieving some excellent results. On this occasion, OFITEC brought together the products and services of some 229 exhibiting companies and recorded a total of 10,726 visiting professionals, which represents an increase of 28% compared to the previous edition.
We might also highlight the strong international dimension of this fair, which featured the participation of some 56 companies from Germany, Italy, the United States, Sweden, Turkey, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Switzerland, France, Norway, Taiwan, Bulgaria, the Philippines, Japan and Denmark. The fair was also visited by 1,631 buyers from 46 different countries. Among these buyers, we might highlight the strong attendance of visitors from Portugal (34.70% of the total), France (17.90%), Italy (16.68%), the United Kingdom (5.09%) and Belgium (3.07%).
With regard to visitors from Spain itself, we might mention the fact that OFITEC 2006 attracted professionals from further afield, with almost half of all visitors attending the fair from outside Madrid. In this respect, professionals from Catalonia represented 11.1% of the total figure, whilst those from Andalusia represented 9.8%, those from Valencia represented 9.1%, and professionals from the Basque Country accounted for 7.7%.
Furthermore, this edition was strengthened by the incorporation of new trade sectors such as lighting, technical ceilings, screens and floors, as well as by the organisation of activities and conferences that involved numerous professionals from the fields of human resources and architecture.
The excellent results achieved at the fair testify to the high level of penetration achieved by this edition within the industry, based on a prestigious image that not only focused on the exhibition contents, new features and conferences, but also on the shared drive undertaken by the organizers of OFITEC and the exhibiting companies to enhance the presentation of products at the event, especially in terms of stand architecture and design. In this respect, we might also highlight the SIDI Area, the International Interior Design Selection, which presented a number of cutting-edge companies and products, enhancing the design dimension and modern appeal of the fair. In short, both exhibitors and visitors coincided in highlighting the high stature and quality of the fair and its overall exhibition of equipment for offices and group concerns.
The Value of Ephemeral Architecture on Show
In order to highlight the value of ephemeral architecture at fairgrounds, IFEMA and COAM organised a Stand Design Competition to mark the staging of OFITEC 2006. This initiative also enabled the organizers to highlight the importance of equipment within the working environment, as well as promoting the products on show and creating a presentational setting of considerable appeal and high quality.
This Competition featured the participation of both the exhibiting companies and a group of architects. Together, they developed a diverse range of projects for different exhibition areas, all of which were characterised by their high levels of ingenuity and creativity. The winning stands corresponded to the companies BIPLAX, OFITA, AKABA, FAMO, FEGEMU, GRUPO FORMA 5 and VILAGRASA, all of which provided a veritable point of reference for visitors to OFITEC.
An Extensive Programme of Activities and Conferences
Coinciding with the trade exhibition itself, OFITEC also provided the setting for
an interesting programme of activities and conferences, which tackled themes such as the influence of Feng Shui and Kansei techniques in enhancing working environments. Other papers focused on the impact of employee well-being and comfort on productivity, whilst a roundtable conference was organised on the technical and symbolic value of ephemeral architecture.
The activities programme was completed by an exhibition entitled ´Next: The Office of the Future´. This exhibition looked back over the 1970´s, 1980´s and 1990´s in order to speculate as to the form the office might take in the future. The awards for the competition entitled ´Dreams: Ideas Regarding the Future of the Working Environment´ were also presented within the framework of the fair. Organised by COAM and IFEMA, the aim of this event was to highlight the importance of new technologies and the sustainability of the office of the future.
In conclusion, the International Trade Exhibition of Office and Contract Furniture and Equipment provided a comprehensive showcase of ideas aimed at enhancing the working environment. The fair was characterised by the high quality of the products on show and the excellent presentation of all the exhibits. OFITEC received a highly positive rating on the part of the industry, not only due to the new features in office equipment that were presented at the event, but also based on the fair´s spectacular architectural design.
Organized by IFEMA, in collaboration with FAMO, OFITEC 2006 was inaugurated on the morning of 21st March by the Head of the Madrid Regional Government, Esperanza Aguirre.
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(Fonte de informação: Ifema)
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