FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
09.09.2003

viscom setting records and sending out positive signals

The signmakers are looking confidently to the future. Over 60 percent of businesses are expecting the recovery to be "marked" or "very strong". This is the result of the representative trend barometer survey which was carried out during the viscom by an independent market research organisation. Only eight percent of the 300 companies surveyed were expecting business to worsen in 2004.

Business at Europe's leading trade fair for visual advertising techniques and signmaking was also influenced by the upbeat mood. Exhibitor and visitor numbers were up, the latter by five percent, meaning that the viscom registered record figures and the event was characterised by an overall increased willingness to invest. Almost two thirds (62.2%) of the total of 296 exhibitors from 30 countries (276 exhibitors from 19 countries at the last event) reported concluding "very good business deals" and a further 20 percent stated they had seen strong demand. Enjoying great popularity this time were the areas of digital and large format printing (72.2%), signmaking including neon and light advertising (48.2%) and screenprinting (34.5%).

Overall, the organisers, Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH, posted record numbers of trade visitors - roughly 8,900. 8,450 buyers attended the last three day event in Düsseldorf two years ago. The fair organisers saw the largest increases from abroad, especially from Asia and east Europe. The proportion of foreign visitors rose to just under 50 percent.

Reed Exibitions Deutschland GmbH
Völklinger Str. 4
Düsseldorf, Germany 40219
Phone: +49 (0) 211-90191191
Fax: +49 (0) 211-90191138
E-Mail: egeef@reedexpo.de
Website URL: www.viscom-messe.com