Germany - Even in times of crisis, anyone who is seeking access to the lucrative German domestic furniture market must plan on attending the ZOW supplier trade show for the furniture industry & interior design. While Interzum regards itself as the leading international trade show, each year the ZOW offers decision-makers in the industry an exclusive and concentrated supplier platform. Precisely when the furniture industry is placing its orders, the ZOW exhibitors present their professional audience with new products, materials and process ideas for furniture production right in the middle of Europe's largest furniture cluster East Westphalia Lippe.

For the upcoming show, the organiser Clarion Events Deutschland anticipates approximately 13,500 trade professionals and approximately 490 regional, national and international exhibitors from all across the furniture supply industry. These include producers of semi-finished products such as Westag & Getalit, exhibitors of handles and frontages such as Karl W. Niemann, specialists in built-in components and systems such as the Hailo-Werk and accessory manufacturers such as the Italian company Airforce Spa. The current list of exhibitors can be called up online at any time at www.zow.de.

In 2013, the ZOW will return to its event date in the middle of February. It is therefore possible to satisfy the industry's desire to straighten out the dense trade show calendar at the beginning of the year. For ZOW exhibitors and visitors, this means more relaxation in the planning, organisation and execution of the activities surrounding this B2B event.

East Westphalia Lippe: Bundled economic and innovation power

East Westphalia Lippe is one of the most significant supplier locations for the international furniture industry: 40% of all supplier parts manufactured in Germany are produced here. The ZOW is firmly anchored in this furniture cluster and profits from its immediate proximity to the core market and its actors in industry, associations and institutions of higher education. International leading manufacturers in the furniture and kitchen industry are headquartered in the region; according to their figures, a total of eight professional associations for the wood and furniture industry organise approximately 500 companies with sales of EUR 6.65 billion per year and more than 35,000 employees from the East Westphalian town of Herford.

Also under the umbrella of the furniture associations are the Interessengemeinschaft Leichtbau e.V. (igeL) promoting lightweight furniture construction and the Daten Competence Center e.V. (DCC) as industry service provider for the expansion of electronic data communications. The crowning touch on this furniture region's spectrum of expertise and service, which are unique in Europe, is the courses of study in wood technology at the University of Applied Sciences East Westphalia-Lippe. In its Lemgo location, the research project "Lightweight design drive OWL" supports research and development work for innovative lightweight furniture concepts, and the university also has an endowed professorial chair for design management in the kitchen industry.

Meeting Place ZOW: direct entry into Europe's leading furniture market

Right in the middle of this high-density area centred around the furniture and kitchen furniture industries, the ZOW functions as a concentrated networking and order exchange. From here, it is possible to tap into the German furniture market directly, confirms ZOW advisor Holger Dzeia, Managing Director of the exhibitor Interprint: "For us, the ZOW is the most important trade show for the Western European market. This is where we meet customers from the region East Westphalia Lippe, but also a lot of international guests“. And for the development of the trade show, he adds: "The ZOW is changing – away from pure product presentation towards more communication and networking – but its significance as a supplier platform for the furniture and interior design industry in the East Westphalia Lippe region will remain. The slogan of the ZOW 2013 puts it in a nutshell: "ZOW – your key to the market“.

Source: Clarion Events Deutschland GmbH