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| GaLaBau sets new standards  GaLaBau 2008 in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 17-20 September made history with exactly 61,929 trade visitors. More visitors than ever before came to Europe's biggest exhibition for landscaping. The number of visitors increased again by some 17 per cent compared with the last GaLaBau (2006: 53,179) two years ago. It is the major event for the construction of green and open spaces in Europe and this year's event was even bigger: with appreciably more exhibitors, more space and a rise in the number of visitors that makes history. GaLaBau 2008 started with a new record number of 983 exhibitors (2006: 904). The green exhibition also grew in terms of space and occupied eleven exhibition halls for the first time, which were filled by 61,929 trade visitors on the four days of the event.The German trade visitors came mainly from Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse. Many experts from the neighbouring countries were also inspired by the good mood in Germany. The altogether eight per cent international visitors travelled to Nürnberg from countries such as Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Belgium or Spain, with especially strong contingents from landscape contractors, municipal and county authorities and landscape architects. Some 90 per cent of the visitors are involved in procurement decisions according to the results of the survey conducted by an independent institute. The range of products and services on display was exactly right for more than 95 per cent of the GaLaBau visitors. The reasons for visiting are headed by obtaining information about new products, followed by training, market orientation, exchanging views and information, cultivating existing business contacts and paving the way for new ones, or preparing for investment decisions. The product groups at the exhibition that interested the visitors most are still construction machinery and equipment (48 per cent), construction materials (44 per cent), plants (40 per cent) and maintenance machinery and equipment (33 per cent). The urban design and PLAYGROUND segments and the German Golf Course Conference were also very well attended. Every fourth visitor was interested – according to his own information – in the product segment "playgrounds, leisure grounds and sports grounds" and every fifth visitor in urban design products (e.g. benches, tables, street lights). The exhibitors were especially pleased about the good quality of the trade visitors: 98 per cent of the exhibitors said they had reached their most important target groups at GaLaBau. 88 per cent of the exhibitors expect noticeable follow-up business. Three out of four exhibitors had already decided by the last day of the exhibition to be there again at the next GaLaBau in two years. At the official opening ceremony, Bernd A. Diederichs, Managing Director of NürnbergMesse, handed over a cheque for 10,000 euros to BGL President Hanns-Jürgen Redeker. The donation is for the Foundation Chair of Landscape and Vegetation initiated by BGL at the University of Kassel. The opening ceremony also provided the setting for the presentation of the "Silver Landscape", which was awarded to the "Lebendige Stadt" Foundation for its outstanding services to the green environment. Gerhard Fuchs, Member of the Board of the "Lebendige Stadt" Foundation, accepted the BGL's highest award, which he regarded as impressive confirmation of the work of the foundation and promised "that the foundation would continue to promote green projects." BGL presented the "GaLaBau Innovation Medal 2008" to altogether 13 important technical innovations (from 98 entries). This award is presented as recognition of successful developments and progressive solutions to problems with products or processes for the construction and maintenance of landscaped areas. The European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) has awarded two International Awards for Ecological Construction & Landscaping this year. The developers, landscape architects and landscape gardeners of two equally valuable French projects have been honoured for their successful cooperation: The Wissous authorities and Agence Foncière et Technique de la Région Parisienne as client and consultant landscape architects Outside Architectes paysagistes Agentur of Orsay and landscape contractor Pettre Espaces Verts of Le Tremblay sur Mauldre have received the award for the landscaping of an industrial park (mainly water management) in the town of Wissous, near Paris. The company SARL Belmonte as client and consultant landscape architect and landscape contractor Angle Vert of Montpellier have received the award for their successful cooperation in the innovative design of the green outdoor areas at the SARL Belmonte headquarters in the town of Baillargues. The BGL’s varied supporting programme at GaLaBau received an excellent response from the many participants. The programme focused mainly on the conferences, including an event on “Shrubs in Public Areas” and another event with useful information on the popular natural swimming ponds. In view of the demographic development, attention was also focused on a conference on “Gardens for the Elderly”. Last but not least, the “Fit Outdoors – Swimming and Golfing” excursion directed the participants’ interest to innovative green projects in Nürnberg and the surrounding area. The winners of the “Landscape Gardener Cup 2008” received their prize during the “GaLaBau Nach(t)tisch”, a social get-together. The “German masters team”, the trainee landscape gardeners Tobias Bohnert (OTL Ortenauer Tief- und Landschaftsbau GmbH of Oberkirch) and Andreas Waldvogel (Team Grün Furtner GmbH Garten- und Landschaftsbau of Buchenbach) from the Verband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau Baden-Württemberg e. V., qualified as winning team for the World Championship in Calgary (Canada) in 2009. The next GaLaBau takes place in the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg in two years’ time from 15-18 September 2010. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Construction News :: home page |