Official Daily News
Official Daily News Source f or International Visitors at IFA News I FA international IFA International is a CLEVERDIS Publication 65 avenue Jules Cantini - Tour Méditerranée – 13006 Marseille, France Tel: + 33 442 77 46 00 Fax: + 33 442 77 46 01 SARL capitalised at e128,250 VAT FR 95413604471 RCS Marseille 413 604 471 info@cleverdis.com www.cleverdis.com During IFA: Press Center – Hall 6.3 – Room 401 Tel: +49 (0)30 3038 81136 Fax: +49 (0)30 3038 81146 info@ifa-international.org www.ifa-international.org • Publisher: Gérard Lefebvre • Publishing Director: Jean-Guy Bienfait • Project Manager: Bettina Badon • Editor-in-Chief: Richard Barnes • Head of Editorial Team: Jean-Robert Bournelle • Desk Editor: Bob Snyder • Editorial Coordination: Sophie Layer • Editorial team: Stuart Braun, Neil Crossley, Marc Dezzani, Max Leonard, Julian Newby, Gary Smith, Jo Stephens • Photos: Didier Baverel • Art Director: Hélène Beunat • Design & Page Setting: Guillaume Kaercher, Valentina Russo, Guillaume Vinrich • Webmaster: Benjamin Ras • Marketing Manager: Jean-François Pieri • With the participation of: Sichao Guo, Masha Polshinskaya, Marjorie Sanch To contact them : first name.last name@ifa-international.org • Cover: © Photo Messe Berlin GmbH © CLEVERDIS 2012 - Registration of Copyright August 2012 Information presented in this publication is purely indicative in order to illustrate subjects contained therein. 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If any of these risks or uncertainties materialises or any of these assumptions proves incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the expectations outlined in these statements. Cleverdis assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements during the period of publication. Photo Credits and Copyright: All Rights Reserved. Let the Show Begin IFA 2012 opens its doors to a world hungry for innovation Product innovations drive IFA growth, market trends remain positive, and the event opens to a wide-ranging list of entertainment events and supporting programme. Dr Rainer Hecker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of gfu, opened a packed IFA press conference with words of encouragement in a tough economic climate: “Despite the difficult market situation, the early signs are that IFA 2012 will be a success,” he said. Dr Hecker summarised the global CE marketplace, citing overall growth of 2%, double that in Germany, a stable market in Europe, and for the first time, a higher turnover in Asia than in Western Europe. “Only innovative products can generate growth today and in the future,” he said, and the numbers for 2012 reinforced that point. While unit growth for standard TVs is 2%, smart TVs are up by 48%, 3D TVs by 100%, tablets by 68%, and smartphones by over 60%. Online distribution is not a threat for specialised dealers,” he said. “All innovations that capture the spirit of the time include the Internet,” he said. And e-commerce represents an additional distribution channel. “In many cases, search for information takes place online before a purchase,” he said. “For example in Germany, 30% of customers look for information online, but they buy only after consulting at the classic retail store. But only 3% of customers who shop online collect information at a classic store before they buy.” The TV experience is changing, meanwhile, not only through connectivity but also as a result of the use of second screens. “Tablets and smartphones are generating higher demand for TV content,” he said. “The use of second screens makes TV social and interactive. The new TV experience creates a culture of content recommendation via social media.” But the merging of traditional broadcast services and new Internet-based services necessitates extended rules for neutrality of networks and platforms, transparency of search engines, and data security. “While on the one hand we see the new recordbreaking figures for IFA 2012, other hand we have to adapt to the fact that everything in our market and environment is changing rapidly,” Dr Hecker said. “New services will bring new players into the market, creating additional competition. Recent developments ask for launching the right product at the right time. That is essential for a company’s market position.” IFA statistics released at the start of the opening press conference showed overall growth for the show. Exhibition space now totals 142,200 sq m, a 1.4% increase on 2011 — a record-breaking year. IFA 2012 is hosting 1,439 exhibitors. IFA is something Dr Rainer Hecker Chairman of the Supervisory Board of gfu like a unique melting pot of innovation,” Dr Hecker said. “We are a little bit proud of what has been created here as a result of enormous effort over many years.” “Only innovative products can generate growth today and in the future” Photo archive IFA 2011 6
News Household Appliances Add Value at IFA Industry leader promises sustained growth through efficiency innovations Dr Reinhard Zinkann, Chairman of the Household Appliances Division, ZVEI (the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association) told the audience at the opening press conference that the home appliance market rose almost 8% globally in 2011 “Emerging markets have been the driving force behind the global growth” on the back of sustained Asian demand. With home appliances forming a core part of IFA for five years, Dr Zinkann promised that an increased focus on lifecycle sustainability will continue to make the sector an essential component of IFA into the future. Resource efficiency, especially in terms of energy and water usage, has become both a “challenge and an opportunity” for the home appliance sector, said Dr Zinkann. More than 50% of major household appliances in Western Europe are now rated a super-efficient energy class A+++ or A++, and this fastgrowing segment promises continued growth. “This is a striking example of the progress made so far,” he said. The “cradle-to-grave” Dr Reinhard Zinkann Chairman of the Household Appliances Division, ZVEI lifecycle of white goods needs also to improve through more sustainable production, especially in terms of recyclability, said Dr Zinkann. But consumers will demand high performance in addition to efficiency, he added. “Energy savings alone do not sell.” “The public debate about resource efficiency is also about durability”, Dr Zinkann said. A Managing Partner at German appliance maker Miele – his grandfather co-founded the company – Dr Zinkann also defended the sector against claims that contemporary white goods have a shorter lifespan than in the past. “This is definitely not the case,” he said, explaining that the average primary use time of a washing machine stands at 12 years. With 8 billion worth of major household appliances sold in 2011, Dr Zinkann said that growth in Asia and Latin America has compensated for flat sales across Europe and the US. “Emerging markets have been the driving force behind the global growth… domestic appliances are not perceived as luxuries any more but as indispensible household items.” Dr Zinkann predicts that global sales trends in the sector will, in line with broader economic pressures, be subdued for the rest of 2012. “Yet, I remain positive,” he said, adding that home appliance exhibitors at IFA will show off innovations that offer ongoing growth potential. The opening press conference was closed in an upbeat manner by Messe Berlin COO, Dr Christian Göke – see our exclusive interview, page 9 Not to Be Missed EVENTS at IFA • IFA DisplaySearch Business Conference: This event (on Monday Sept. 3 rd ) will explore the trends in tablets, smart phones, and smart TVs while examining the many ways to enhance TV-viewing experiences through companion screens. • For technical enthusiasts visiting IFA and for journalists, experts and decision-makers from the industry and trade Hall 11.1 is a mustsee stop on their tour of the fair: this is where IFA TecWatch displays the technologies and applications for the markets of today and tomorrow. One of the highlights at IFA TecWatch is a special show featuring the E-Haus, a model of a fully networked home environment. • Media policy and network policy issues have become firmly established topics at IFA. The International Media Conference Berlin, medienwoche@IFA and medienpolitik@ IFA target visitors to IFA and delegates at the International Media Conference alike and span a bridge between the consumer electronics industry, the media industry and media politics. • Under the heading of Future 3.0 the TEDxBerlin Conference will provide an overview of the various developments in the digital society. Speakers will present their ideas for a society of the future, whether they are feasible, and the opportunities and risks involved with innovative forms of communication. www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Friday 31 st August 2012 7
