News of the first Domotex USA, set for Atlanta in February 2019, has people talking. COVER Editor Lucy Upward finds out more from the man in charge, Raymond Bianchi.
While it was back on 6 January 2018 that Hannover Fairs USA announced that the first Domotex USA will take place on 28 February-2 March 2019 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, we can now confirm that COVER will be collaborating with Domotex USA to create an integrated experience for the handmade hall. The details for this are still at an early stage and will be announced later this year.
There has been a lot of speculation about the event, particularly concerning how it will affect other flooring shows— Americasmart Atlanta, Surfaces in Las Vegas, The Rug Show New York and Domotex Hannover. The new USA event is bound to have an effect on the status quo of the market but at this stage—until the final format of the show with exhibitor list and more detailed information is available—it is hard to assess how it might change the travel plans of buyers.
Speaking to Raymond Bianchi, the Vice President of Events & Business Development at Hannover Fairs USA, he confirmed that 40% of the show space is now sold and that a list of exhibitors will soon be released to the public. The line-up will include international brands as well as US companies, in an approximate 50/50 split. Beyond the US, companies from Germany, France, Turkey and India have all shown interest thus far.
I ask Bianchi why a brand might be drawn to exhibiting at Domotex USA. He explains that, as well as the show being held in the home of flooring, Atlanta, the booth and general fair cost will be kept relatively low, and there will be a big focus on drawing in the right attendees for the brands on show. Bianchi is keen to point out that for companies already signed up ‘Domotex is a real draw’ and many brands have been pleased to be able to market another show at the start of the year, using the Jan-Feb-March timing as a marketing story or ‘hat-trick’. Bianchi explains that the market needs a good show focusing on flooring products.
The size of the show will be around 8,300 square metres, and as the online floor plan demonstrates, this will be divided into all various flooring subcategories with handmade being allowed around 1000 square metres. This is the space which COVER will be helping to develop alongside Bianchi and his team.
Follow our social media platforms and cover-magazine.com for the latest news on the Atlanta show and further details of the COVER/Domotex USA collaboration.
