Interzum comeback after four years

A very positive result for the industry as a whole, and specifically for the Interzum trade fair, held May 9 to 12, 2023, the return of the in-person event proved how important international personal exchange and a platform like Interzum are for the industry.

"It was great fun to present our new decors and products as well as our new trend concept, Freiraum, live and in person with our partners. To be able to receive immediate feedback capped off our successful return to Interzum," says Claudia Küchen, who was responsible for the trade fair appearance as Board Member for Design and Marketing.

Under the motto “One Source. Unlimited solutions.”, the international team had once again succeeded in building on the success of the last physical trade fair in 2019, even if, according to the Cologne Exhibition Center, it could not quite be matched in attendance numbers. According to the Schattdecor survey, the feedback from customers and trade fair participants was unanimous: The trade fair was worthwhile! Schattdecor also believes in Interzum as an industry meeting place in the future.

Innovative products from the surfaces area, such as the Fineflex and MFS-Touch, as well as new décors such as Riva, Acapulco, Sydney, and Salvador Oak, and bestsellers such as Karlstad Oak, received exemplary feedback.

The Schattdecor appearance was entirely under the motto of the new trend concept "Freiraum", which received equally positive approval from customers and international visitors. "Now everything is possible", the guiding claim of the new trend concept, makes it clear what is needed for the future; if it is not yet available, it can be initiated and developed through new technological possibilities, a rethinking in society, and a new generation of clever minds.

Keyword “material evolution”:  At Schattdecor, visitors flocked to the kitchen area to examine two new Fineflex collections shown in solid colors and with a metallic effect. The environmentally friendly PET furniture film was also exhibited in the above-mentioned versions as a 2D wrapping and 3D thermoforming film and as a thermoforming film with the Fineflex Nature effect in the trend color Pearl Bronze. A combination that, according to Schattdecor and Fine Decor, will soon be ready for the market. 

In the field of innovative surfaces, the MFS-Touch product was inspiring: velvety soft, super matte and scratch-resistant, the new surface offers an exciting option to current alternatives that are in high demand and fully on trend.

Speaking of trends: There was still no way around decors with a stripe-effect look, such as Omega Oak, as well as the perennial theme of oak. The top Schattdecor samples requested also revealed great interest in other wood species, such as the cherry wood decor Riva. Equally in demand were natural stone decors Acapulco and Sydney along with great interest shown for Salvador Oak and Karlstad Oak.

The joint customer project with the Spanish floor manufacturer Finsa received the Red Dot Award for 24 different digitally printed floorboards, pressed synchronously producing a particularly natural look and feel. "A unique project," as Dorothy Vreven, Iberian Peninsula sales at Schattdecor, points out.

Proflex 3D, Schattdecor’s "healthy flooring", also received a good reception at the trade fair. This topic has been promoted since 2017, and is now gaining new momentum in times of greater sustainability and environmental awareness.

 

 

 

There was consistently positive feedback for Interzum exhibitors and organizers, even if some of the more well-known competitors from the industry were missing from the overall picture. “A trade fair like Interzum thrives on new products and innovations, but also on competition. Unfortunately, the trade fair landscape this year was somewhat limited in this respect. However, after numerous personal discussions and such a successful impact, we are very confident that no one will want to miss Interzum in 2025," said Claudia Küchen after Interzum’s successful comeback in Cologne.