ZOW - the concept for efficiency
It started with a vision: An exhibition like a marketplace, an interface of supply and demand, the forum for face-to-face discussions. Away from the glitter of the usual large trade-fairs, away from everything which might blur the vision, ZOW encourages concentration on the essential. Inspired by the ideas and suggestions from leading furniture component suppliers SURVEY Marketing + Consulting developed the ZOW concept:
- uniform display stands
- only a few different display modules
- complete facilities for the stands with power supply, lighting, carpeting
- free entry, free food and drink, free parking
- competent marketing and PR at fixed, calculable all inclusive prices
In 1995 the first ZOW - the exhibition for suppliers to the furniture industry in the German region of East Westphalia, the heart of the European kitchen furniture industry and of the German carcass furniture industry, took place with just 49 exhibitors and 1400 trade visitors. Year by year, the enthusiasm for this B2B event has risen steadily, so that today, those figures have increased more than tenfold in Germany.
From the beginning, the key to its success was the unusual concept behind this most individual exhibition platform, which has given rise to successful international expansion with ZOW in Pordenone (Italy) in 2001 and ZOW in Madrid in 2002. 2004, the first ZOW in Moscow (Russia) took place as well as the first ZOW in Shanghai (China). These will be followed by the sixth event of this kind that will debut in Istanbul (Turkey) in 2008.
ZOW: Visitors' and Exhibitors' Growth worldwide
ZOW Germany
| Year |
Exhibitors |
Foreign Country |
Trade Visitors |
Area (sqm) |
| 1995 |
49 |
11 |
1.400 |
2.000 |
| 1996 |
96 |
32 |
2.400 |
3.400 |
| 1997 |
141 |
47 |
3.200 |
5.600 |
| 1998 |
250 |
81 |
4.900 |
11.000 |
| 1999 |
361 |
144 |
5.800 |
16.000 |
| 2000 |
435 |
193 |
8.200 |
20.000 |
| 2001 |
446 |
209 |
9.560 |
20.000 |
| 2002 |
580 |
287 |
12.500 |
28.000 |
| 20031) |
556 |
258 |
13.000 |
28.000 |
| 20041) |
550 |
262 |
13.250 |
28.000 |
| 2005 |
566 |
291 |
14.000 |
28.000 |
| 2006 |
710 |
386 |
16.000 |
41.000 |
| 2007 |
682 |
336 |
16.000 |
41.000 |
1) Larger stands by constant fair area lead to a reduced number of exhibitors
in the years 2003 and 2004.
ZOW Italy
| Year |
Exhibitors |
Foreign Country |
Trade Visitors |
Area (sqm) |
| 2001 |
277 |
59 |
6.900 |
9.000 |
| 2002 |
403 |
75 |
9.700 |
13.000 |
| 2003 |
500 |
102 |
13.107 |
18.000 |
| 2004 |
600 |
150 |
16.450 |
20.000 |
| 2005 |
625 |
185 |
18.000 |
30.000 |
| 2006 |
681 |
170 |
19.650 |
30.000 |
| 2007 |
712 |
144 |
20.695 |
30.000 |
ZOW Spain
| Year |
Exhibitors |
Foreign Country |
Trade Visitors |
Area (sqm) |
| 2002 |
153 |
58 |
3.550 |
5.060 |
| 2003 |
158 |
74 |
3.870 |
6.000 |
| 2004 |
206 |
88 |
5.100 |
10.000 |
| 2005 |
260 |
105 |
6.000 |
10.000 |
| 2006 |
300 |
145 |
8.000 |
16.000 |
| 2007 |
304 |
125 |
10.000 |
16.000 |
ZOW Russia
| Year |
Exhibitors |
Foreign Country |
Trade Visitors |
Area (sqm) |
| 2004 |
150 |
110 |
3.760 |
5.500 |
| 2005 |
160 |
117 |
4.500 |
6.000 |
| 2006 |
160 |
- |
5.000 |
6.000 |
| 2007 |
110 |
71 |
9.800 |
6.000 |
ZOW China (Shanghai)
| Year |
Exhibitors |
Foreign Country |
Trade Visitors |
Area (sqm) |
| 2004 |
24 |
- |
5.000 |
2.400 |
| 2005 |
131 |
90 |
11.500 |
6.000 |
| 2006 |
160 |
88 |
12.000 |
6.000 |
| 2007 |
165 |
74 |
12.000 |
6.000 |
ZOW Turkey
| Year |
Exhibitors |
Foreign Country |
Trade Visitors |
Area (sqm) |
| 2007 |
180 |
52 |
13.000 |
6.500 |
