Added content a key ingredient of The Tire Cologne

Trade fairs as we’ve known them belong “in the past” now. This was the comment made by Gerald Böse, who, as president and chief executive officer of Koelnmesse, is the man behind a new trade show that intends to break from the traditional format. Speaking yesterday at a press conference in the city where a new show will debut next year, Böse outlined how The Tire Cologne will be different to past tyre exhibitions, and shared the means by which it will address current needs within the industry.

In Böse’s point of view, modern trade fairs can be viewed as a “mix of business and emotional events that create additional points of attraction, provide impulses and move markets.” He considers the latter qualities to have been “missing from the respective tyre trade fairs of the past,” an opinion he adds was also shared by the industry. Böse’s comments are almost certainly directed towards Reifen, the former king of European tyre shows that took place in Essen, Germany for over half a century until 2016. Reifen, now scheduled to be held within a single hall at next September’s Automechanika Frankfurt, has struggled to maintain its profile since long-time partner the BRV (German Tyre Retail and Vulcanisation Trades Association) found a new love in the form of Koelnmesse three years ago.

Whereas Reifen will be contained within a single, 33,600 square metre hall, the Cologne-based newcomer will sprawl across the entire northern grounds of the Koelnmesse site when it opens next May, occupying four halls and offering 70,000 square metres of exhibition space. Three halls (6, 7 and 8) have been earmarked for tyre manufacturers, wholesalers and rim manufacturers, and the last of these will also house companies offering automotive and workshop-related products and services. The fourth hall (hall 9) is to be dedicated to the tyre retreading, end of life tyre and tyre disposal segments.

The planned occupants of hall 9 belong to an area of the industry that Böse considers neglected by previous shows (again, he doesn’t actually name Reifen), or as he puts it, they represent a theme that was “dealt with inadequately.” The intent is for this to change when The Tire Cologne debuts. Retreading, recycling and tyre disposal represents, in Böse and Koelnmesse’s opinion, a subject that is “decisive” for the further development of the tyre industry as a whole. Böse singles out retreading, thermal and material recycling as areas of particular interest.

Added-value events

In addition to a dedicated hall, complete with an informative ‘Recycling Forum’ floorspace at its centre, The Tire Cologne will address the issue of retreading via the Global Retreading Conference, an event jointly organised by Koelnmesse and European retreader association Bipaver. The conference will provide, says the Koelnmesse president and chief executive officer, both a “one-time opportunity to take a global look at the decisive trends and developments of the industry” and a chance for participants to “meet the most important players of the industry at one place.”

Returning to the key point that The Tire Cologne is being promoted as something different from your father’s tyre show, Koelnmesse intends to emphasise certain themes it views as essential for the industry moving forwards. One of these is digitalisation. Koelnmesse’s own digital strategy is said to cover “all aspects of digitalisation that are or might become relevant” for it and for the wider trade fair business, and the show organiser is implementing this digital strategy at The Tire Cologne through a series of lectures that will be held in a dedicated ‘Digital Reality’ area. Presentations will be made here by “renowned experts from around the world,” and topics to be covered include internet-based commerce through data management in the networked workshop and driving assistance systems to the exciting possibilities of digital sales support. These presentations will be live streamed.

“The addressing and engagement of new visitor target groups is also at the very top of our “to-do list,” comments Böse. One such group being targeted is fleet and motor pool managers – they’ll get their own forum at The Tire Cologne. In partnership with German commercial vehicle sector publishing house ETM Verlag, Koelnmesse is hosting the Tire Fleet Lounge, a forum oriented towards the needs of fleet managers. Through a series of lectures, discussion panels and networking opportunities, the Tire Fleet Lounge aims to offer fleet managers technical know-how, expert tips and trends as well as practical seminars.

A third forum scheduled for show days is the Recycling Forum. Organised by trade journals Retreading Business and Tyre & Rubber Recycling, each day the forum will feature either two or three sessions, with three “renowned speakers” on site to answer questions. Products made from recycled tyres will also be on display.

600 visitors – including the ‘top 20’

It is now only half a year before The Tire Cologne opens its doors for the first time. Providing an update on show preparations, Böse shares that almost 95 per cent of planned hall area space has already been booked. He adds: “We expect a total of around 600 exhibiting companies from 40 countries, and the 20 companies of the current ‘tyre world ranking list‘ in terms of sales will be in Cologne, in some cases with larger presentation areas.”

The inaugural The Tire Cologne will be held between 29 May and 1 June 2018; Gerald Böse confirms Koelnmesse’s intention of thereafter organising the show in a biennial rhythm.