Lightweight construction an opportunity for furniture industry
interzum is famous as a leading international fair where new trends are set. The new developments presented in Cologne affect the entire furniture and interior design industry right across the globe. Particularly on the “Boulevard of Innovations”, the coming interzum clusters many exciting new themes – such as the joint booth entitled “The Lightness of Design”, which is totally dedicated to lightweight furniture and sponsored by the North Rhine-Westphalian Department of Trade and Industry. Visitors can look forward to a special presentation of innovative lightweight solutions for the kitchen, living room and bedroom.

One thing is certain: lightweight construction offers the furniture industry numerous and crucial advantages. That doesn’t just mean the reduced weight, which has a positive impact on the transport and delivery of the products, but above all the possibilities that lightweight construction opens up in terms of integrated electronics. First and foremost, that means built-in lighting, but ultimately there is no limit to the potential. And the first prototypes show that, in future, electronic pads in desktops could replace keyboards, monitors could be built into shapely furniture and even speakers or other electronic elements could disappear from view entirely.

On the other hand, the lightness opens up totally new possibilities in terms of design. And from the producers’ perspective, one of the main motivations for considering the potential inherent in lightweight furniture construction is the chance of lowering the material costs. That also helps conserve resources and ensures more intelligent handling of scarce commodities.

Lightweight components economical to produce

The fact that attractive and functional lightweight furniture is now economical and thus not beyond the scope of production possibilities plays an extremely important role. With their presence at interzum 2011, those participating in the joint booth want to show that intelligent lightweight construction in the furniture and interior design sector is not just technically and economically viable but totally convincing in visual terms as well.

“As the organisers of interzum we try to present current issues from the sector in an appropriate setting. With the ‘Boulevard of Innovations’ and the ‘Lightness of Design’ booth, we can do so at the most prominent location in the exhibition centre,” explains Frank Haubold, product manager of interzum.

But lightweight construction isn’t the only field that will be enjoying special status at this year’s interzum. Function enhancement for textile materials will also play an important role, as will lighting and innovative materials in architecture and design – the “innovation of interior” project.

SOURCE: interzum
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