The upcoming DOMOTEX will be geared more strongly than ever to the latest flooring industry trends. A special highlight will consist of the new “Innovations@DOMOTEX” initiative, designed to put novel products at center stage.

“The new format represents a targeted investment in the quality of the event,” commented Dr. Jochen Köckler, Member of the Deutsche Messe Managing Board – the company which produces DOMOTEX. He added that advance publicity for the show would consist of focusing extra attention on the latest mega-trends in the carpet and floor coverings industry.

“We have taken this step because a prime motivation of our visitors at DOMOTEX is to engage with creative products and ideas which will help shape the future of the places and spaces we live in. We’re looking forward to an exciting DOMOTEX 2014, a show that will further consolidate its position as the world’s leading event for its sector,” stated Köckler. DOMOTEX 2014 runs from January 11 to 14 in Hannover, Germany.

Innovations@DOMOTEX will put the spotlight on product innovations in the Fitted Carpets, Resilient Floor Coverings, Parquet and Laminate Flooring and Modern Hand-made Carpets product categories. The initiative will be spearheaded by special display zones – the “Innovations@DOMOTEX Areas” – in halls 6, 9 and 17. These special zones are designed to give visitors looking for fresh ideas and inspiration an initial overview of the latest innovations.

Established special displays such as Souk Deluxe in Hall 17, with its focus on modern luxury carpets and rugs, will be closely aligned with the new innovation format. Similarly, the Innovations@DOMOTEX Area in Hall 9 will be integrated into the Wood Flooring Summit showcase for the parquet and laminate flooring sector.

Innovations@DOMOTEX will be a thread running through all DOMOTEX communications before, during and after the fair, and the innovations selected for Innovations@DOMOTEX will feature prominently in an extensive visitor recruitment and PR campaign. This will be supported by a printed Innovations@DOMOTEX Guide which will provide useful pre-fair coverage of the featured innovations. The brochure will also serve as a visitor guidebook during the fair.

In addition, targeted content will be posted on the DOMOTEX website during the run-up to the fair to generate interest in the featured innovations among potential customers. “By running a full-scale campaign to promote these innovations, we will enable the participating exhibitors to differentiate themselves from the competition and get more out of their DOMOTEX showcase,” said Köckler. “It will also be a plus for visitors, who will be able research key trends before the fair and plan their visit accordingly. The new format will appeal particularly to architects, interior designers and planners, focusing their attention on floor coverings, innovative trends and new materials for the contract flooring sector.”

DOMOTEX exhibitors who wish to participate in the Innovations@DOMOTEX format can apply free of charge through the beginning of October 2013. An independent panel of experts will then evaluate and select the ultimate participants on the basis of set criteria.

A further highlight at the upcoming DOMOTEX consists of the 1st Rug Avenue display. Housed on around 5,380 square feet of display space and staged as a stylized suburb, 1st Rug Avenue profiles classic rugs as the perfect accompaniment to chic interior design. Eight homes will demonstrate how oriental rugs can transform living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms into eye-catching masterpieces of style. The message here is that quality classic rugs complement modern interior décor and add personality and ambience. 1st Rug Avenue is an initiative by a select group of resourceful European rug importers and will be staged in partnership with Deutsche Messe.

The “earlybird” lifestyle trade fair will now be staged alongside DOMOTEX from January 11 to 13, 2014 at the Hannover Exhibition Center. earlybird will field around 900 exhibitors and complement the DOMOTEX theme mix with its extensive array of lifestyle and designer products for retailers involved in home products, giftware and accessories. Previously located in Hamburg, earlybird will be held twice yearly – in January and July – in Hannover. The event is organized by HWD Hanseatische Wirtschaftsdienste. HWD’s decision to relocate the lifestyle show comes as a result of the event’s steady growth over the past few years.