Eurobike is on the move and going trade only to secure its relevancy to the market.
The 2017 event will still take place at the end of August but the following year it will start on Sunday, July 8, and focus entirely on trade visitors.
Whether Eurobike 2018 runs for three or four days at Lake Constance will be decided nearer the time.
Klaus Wellmann, CEO Messe Friedrichshafen, said: “By taking place earlier in the year Eurobike will be even more relevant and strengthen its position as the leading trade show for new trends and innovations. The new dates and schedule have the backing of a large number of industry players and require sufficient advance notice to ensure secure planning for all parties.”
Head of Eurobike, Stefan Reisinger added: “Numerous conversations with manufacturers, including both exhibitors and non-exhibitors, retailers and the media have made it increasingly clear that further defragmentation of the industry into separate in-house exhibitions and order shows is neither long-term, nor sustainable.”
Backing the move, Claudio Marra, FSA Managing Director said: “We strongly believe that it is necessary to bring the show forward to an earlier date. September is too late for our business timetable.
“New bikes and components are already available or have been covered by other events and media. As a result, we miss out on the original nature of the Eurobike, to present new product innovations. We are a big fan of the new changes and are only too happy to support them.”
Eurobike intends to be the main event where all relevant brands first present their innovations to industry, retail and media representatives.
As a result, Eurobike will have an exclusively B2B focus, so there will be no addressing end consumers from 2018.
Bernhard Lange, Managing Director of Paul Lange & Co. OHG: “Of course, the fall in visitor numbers, especially trade visitors, cannot be ignored. We should analyse this very carefully. We feel that it’s important to look at how we can reverse this trend, rather than calling the whole trade show into question.
“Moving towards an increasingly B2B orientation is the right way to go.”
In order to overcome the present challenges, the VDZ, the German bicycle retail association (Verband des Deutschen Zweiradhandels) has called to bring together the industry’s forces at one location.
Dietmar Knust, Chairman of the board, said: “There seems to be an unending flow of trade shows for retailers. From July through to September, retailers can literally spend the entire time travelling the length and breadth of Germany, visiting dozens of these in-house shows which are generally more like events. Few retailers have the time – let alone the personnel – to do this during the season.
“The large number of in-house shows and Eurobike absentees is damaging the industry as a whole. Other industries are only too envious of our central, major trade show. This is why the VDZ is unequivocally in favour of bringing together the industry’s forces at the Eurobike. Having one show location guarantees a full overview of the industry’s new products.”
