Take-off in Cologne

Today, Sunday 5 March, has seen the International Hardware Fair/Practical World 2006 open for business with the participation of 3 488 exhibitors. Present at the event are companies from 58 countries; 797 of these firms come from Germany. The next largest groups of exhibitors by far are provided by China (625) and Taiwan (530). The largest contingent of European exhibitors comes from Italy (342).
Exhibiting in the builders' and DIY products segment of the fair are around 1 100 companies, of whom 840 are suppliers in the hardware and fixings category alone. There are about 2 000 exhibitors in the tools section, and security systems, locks and fittings have attracted around 350 suppliers.