Photokina 2006
Official Press Release from http://www.photokina-cologne.com/
photokina 2006: The biggest photokina ever
Around 1,600 suppliers from 50 countries 160,000 visitors from 140 countries expected in Cologne Apple and CeWe Color to participate for the first time Many companies from the CE, IT and telecommunications industries to enlarge their trade fair presentations First photokina in the restructured Cologne exhibition center Imaging
is more - photokina is more: Starting on September 26, 2006, photokina
will once again be setting the standard as the global information and
communication platform of the imaging sector, with the latest
techniques, products, applications and services. It is the wide range
of products on show, which cover the entire scope of the complex
imaging market that makes photokina unique. At the same time, the
leading trade fair is presenting itself in a new light: The modified
concept of the "new photokina" and the premiere in the new Cologne
exhibition center ensure that even regular visitors to the show are
eagerly awaiting this year's event. It's already clear that
photokina will live up to its reputation as the global sector highlight
once again this year. The trade fair distinguishes itself in the
booming global imaging market by its unique competence in imaging -
expertise built up over decades. It is highly regarded by consumers and
professionals alike. The fair's popularity among renowned exhibitors is
correspondingly high. Around 1,600 suppliers from 50 countries will be
presenting at this year's "World of Imaging," with more than 60 percent
of them coming from outside Germany. Around 160,000 visitors from 140
countries - mostly professional users and dealers - are expected in
Cologne. photokina: focused on the image's development It
has long been the case that the target groups "Consumers" and
"Professionals" overlap: Products for semiprofessionals are interesting
and affordable for ever-increasing numbers of end consumers - and the
manufacturers are increasingly turning to professionals and private
users with an expanded product range. By transferring the imaging
workflow in its entirety to the Cologne trade fair halls, photokina is
documenting these changing market conditions with a new structure. As a
result, there will be areas dedicated to image Input, Image storage,
Image Processing, Image Output and Image Presentation. Additional there
will be areas Image accessories, equipments and consumables, which are
important for the workflow. "This dispenses with the outdated
separation of the consumer imaging and professional imaging areas,"
says Kuhrt. Exhibitors and visitors will profit equally from the new
concept. Thanks to the clearly structured topics and areas, orientation
will be clear and the companies can position themselves to generate
maximum attention in their respective segment. Added value in the supporting program New: Center of excellence for creative photographers and imaging professionals New: Lifestyle media at photokina Culture, too, will be on the agenda,
alongside additional top-class international conferences, public events
such as the Young Imaging Days or the fotocommunity activity stage.
Throughout the exhibition center, prominent artists and talented
amateurs will present impressive photography, which - as in previous
years -will confirm the creative possibilities offered by the medium of
photography. photokina premiere in the restructured Cologne exhibition center
Prominent new exhibitors enrich the product range
All
the leading companies of the global imaging sector will be represented,
as will large suppliers from the CE, IT and telecommunications areas.
Many of them - such as Epson, HP, Casio, Samsung and Panasonic - are
participating with considerably larger trade show presentations in 2006
than two years ago. Nokia, which presented their product range at
photokina for the first time in 2004, is also represented with a
considerably larger stand. Companies premiering at this year's trade
fair include top-class new exhibitors, including CeWe Color (Europe's
largest photofinisher) and the global player Apple. "We're happy and
proud to be welcoming Apple to Cologne. It's a company whose
innovative, lifestyle-oriented products have attracted a great deal of
attention in recent years," says Koelnmesse Executive Vice President
Oliver P. Kuhrt.
Trade
visitors from all over the world treasure photokina for its holistic
approach, which embraces every single aspect of the image, its
creation, processing and presentation. That's why the "new photokina"
is consistently oriented to the way of the image, turning it into the
narrative that guides the visitor through the various areas and halls.
With
all of the technical novelties, products and services, photokina is
much more than a simple presentation of the international imaging
sector. It's also a unique contact platform for professional exchanges
between exhibitors and visitors from around the world. True to the
motto "Imaging is more," the organizers have also conceived a
top-quality supporting program for this year - a program that offers
genuine added value to both the international trade dealers and imaging
professionals as well as private visitors with a passion for
photography. photokina 2006 awaits - with some new features.
Hall
1 will become a meeting place for imaging professionals from around the
world. The Visual Gallery and the areas "Meet the Professionals" and
"Academy meets photokina" will be accommodated here. For the third
time, the Visual Gallery will be the cultural highlight of photokina.
The best-known names at the Visual Gallery in 2006 will include the
collector Prof. L. Fritz Gruber, who passed away last year and whose
life work will be honored in a retrospective exhibition, the Magnum
photographer Martin Parr and the rock star Bryan Adams, whose photos of
the actor Mickey Rourke will be on show. Once again in 2006, "Meet the
Professionals" will serve as a contact forum for representatives of the
creative worlds of photography, advertising, press content services and
electronic media. User associations and organizations, and trade
publishers, will be holding information events and workshops on current
topics of interest here. At "Academy meets photokina," colleges and
academies from Germany and abroad will be presenting their latest
photographic and imaging projects, exhibitions and degree projects. It
is being held in close cooperation with the German Society for
Photography (DGPh), which will contribute a number of trade-specific
presentations. By combining events that are conceived for and staged by
imaging professionals, photokina 2006 will offer established
photographers and up-and-coming talents the unique opportunity to share
creative ideas, make new contacts and strike up new business
partnerships.
International Specialist Trade Center
Service,
information and convenience will be the main attractions of the
International Specialist Trade Center in Passage 2/4. The center will
be open exclusively to international trade dealers, the most important
target group of the World of Imaging. The International Specialist
Trade Center is supported by the Federal Association of the Technical
Retail Trade (BVT), which represents the interests of all specialist
trade groups that sell digital imaging products. The focal point will
be the BVT Business Lounge. Every morning, dealers can thoroughly
prepare here for an effective and efficient visit at the fair. The
services offered include detailed trade fair information, specific
product details, individual problem solving and access to special
databases. There will also be a spacious meeting area, where
participants can hold in-depth talks. Meanwhile, visitors can relax and
take some time out from the hectic fair in a quiet lounge. The
International Specialist Trade Center will be open daily from 9:00 a.m.
to 7:00 p.m., in other words, from one hour before the start of the
fair until one hour after it closes.
Taking
a holistic approach, the World of Imaging will be staging a special
presentation in Hall 9 to show how the convergence of information,
communication and entertainment technology might look in the home. The
image itself will be the focus of attention throughout. Meanwhile,
"Lifestyle media at photokina" places the focus squarely on hands-on
experience with complete system solutions and applications, and on
their practical use. Options for expert and efficient implementation of
these solutions will also be presented. Images will be at the heart of
all the solutions presented.
The
attractive venue for photokina 2006 is provided by Cologne's new
exhibition center, which has already generated a very positive response
from exhibitors and visitors at several large trade fairs. The area is
one of Europe's most modern trade fair locations and, thanks to its
short connecting paths and clear structure, it provides even better
conditions for fruitful exchanges and new contacts - in other words,
for successful business at the trade fair.
