13.05.2010 IFFA with a large increase in the number of international visitors

58,000 decision makers at the world’s leading trade fair for the meat-processing sector

Machine manufacturers pleased by growth in global demand

“The results and the mood in the exhibition halls at IFFA 2010 leave no doubt that the crisis is over”, says Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. Over 58,000 trade visitors (2007: 61,328) from 130 countries came to see the range of products and services offered by 949 companies (2007: 908) at IFFA 2010, the world’s leading trade fair for the meat processing sector. The proportion of trade visitors from outside Germany rose significantly compared to the last event three years ago, from 47 to 59 percent – more than ever before. This means full order books for manufacturers of meat-processing and packaging machines and a sector distinguished by a much greater willingness to invest following a very difficult year. The drop in attendance is due entirely to a decline in the number of German visitors – the result of a powerful process of concentration that has been taking place in both the butchers’ trade and the industry over the last three years.

“IFFA is the unchallenged leading trade fair for the sector – worldwide. An increase of five percent in the number of exhibitors, more exhibition space sold and, at 59 percent, a higher proportion of international visitors than ever before provide impressive confirmation of the great importance of IFFA, especially in times of economic difficulty”, says Detlef Braun.

The role of IFFA as the foremost meeting place for the international meat-processing sector is also reflected by the top ten visitor nations, which were, apart from Germany, Russia, Italy, Spain, Poland, The Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, the USA, Belgium and Australia.

After the meat-processing industry, butchers formed one of the most important groups of visitors, accounting for approx. 12 percent. 94 percent of them – from both home and abroad – said they were very pleased with the range of products and services to be seen at the fair. Important subjects at this year’s IFFA were increased automation, safety, traceability and hygiene. The fields of additives, spices, aromas and packaging are growing in significance for meat and sausage production in the wake of increasing consumer expectations with regard to healthy food and convenience products.

This trend is also reflected by the results of the visitor poll conducted by Messe Frankfurt with regard to the most important product groups at the fair (multiple answers possible). In 2010, 32 percent of visitors said they came to the fair to see machines and equipment for processing and packaging meat products. This segment was followed by spices, additives and aromas for meat and sausage products (30 percent), products and services for butchers’ shops (26 percent) and slaughtering and dismembering equipment (22 percent). There was a noticeable increase in interest in automatic machinery and handling equipment. Almost a fifth of visitors said this was one of their main reasons for attending the fair.

Berthold Gassmann, Chairman of the Meat Processing Machines Department of the Federation of German Machine and Plant Manufacturers (Verband Deutscher Maschinen und Anlagenbau – VDMA) and of the IFFA Advisory Council, said, “IFFA 2010 has more than fulfilled our expectations. We are very pleased with the number and, in particular, the quality of trade visitors. Our customers were very impressed by the breadth of the spectrum to be seen, as well as the large variety of new products for automation, hygiene, process documentation and traceability. IFFA has impressively demonstrated its position as the leading international trade fair and the foremost event for the sector.”

Manfred Rycken, President of the German Butchers’ Association (Deutscher Fleischer-Verband – DFV), had absolutely no doubt about the results of the fair: “This year’s IFFA was a complete success for us. Besides the ‘Market Place for the Butchers’ Trade’, our international quality competitions once again exercised a great power of attraction on visitors. The quantity and high quality of the products entered from Germany and abroad represented unequivocal evidence of the excellent reputation enjoyed by German butchers around the world, as did the large number of international visitors who made their way to Frankfurt for the fair. Moreover, our special shows generated important impulses for the many visitors from the butchers’ trade.”

For visitors, ‘Trends in the Butcher's Shop’ and ‘Specialities from the Region’ special shows were a source of tips and ideas for new fields of business. The Meat Vision Conference, organised by the Deutscher Fachverlag publishing company and the German Institute for Food Technology (Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik), offered a wealth of information about the meat markets of the world and visions for meat processing in the coming decade. The ‘Robotik-Pack-Line’ provided an impressive demonstration of a fully-automatic packaging line especially for the food sector.

The next IFFA will be held in Frankfurt am Main from
4 to 9 May 2013.