URBIS INVEST
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Between 23^rd- 26^th April, the Brno exhibition centre hosted the traditional Building Fairs IBF, the International Fair for Furniture and Interior Design, MOBITEX and the  DSB – Timber Construction Fair Brno. The visitors could get an overview of new technologies, building materials and current trends in interior furnishing. Three trade fairs URBIS INVEST, URBIS TECHNOLOGIES and ENVIBRNO expanded the presented topics by the fields of public administration, investment opportunities offer, municipal technologies and environmental protection.

This year, the fairs lasted only four days during which a total of 43,223 people visited 674 exhibitors coming from 20 countries and occupying a net exhibition space covering 20,411 m2. „The Building Fairs IBF gave a positive signal of a turn for the better after the long lasting slump in the building industry. This is a promise for the next fair’s edition“ said the Managing Director of BVV Trade Fair Brno, Jiří Kuliš.

The exhibitors‘ offer was complemented by a specialist supporting programme, which was, for example, dedicated to  changes in housing requirements, energy savings and current subsidies. The State Environmental Fund and the Ministry of Environment introduced the new Green Savings scheme and the current grants offered by the Operational Programme Environment.

As part of the supporting programme, pro-growth government programmes related to transport infrastructure and export support were introduced. The roundtable was attended by the Minister of Industry and Trade, Jan Mládek, Managing Director of the Association of Building Entrepreneurs of the Czech Republic, Miloslav Mašek, Vice Minister of  Industry and Trade, Jiří Koliba and Vice Minister of Transport, Kamil Rudolecký. The roundtable was moderated by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Regional Chamber of Commerce of the South Moravian Region, Michal Štefl. 

According to the Minister of Industry and Trade, Jan Mládek, the importance of the state also consists in providing jobs at bad times and it should also, to a certain extent, soften the impacts of  the business cycle. The objective of these measures should be to make sure that the slump in the building industry is not so dramatic and employees are not laid off. However, the previous governments failed to do that. „We are ready to change the situation and support linear construction. The government has now taken a step that should at least help land purchasing,“ said the Minister of Industry and Trade, Jan Mládek.

The fairs also offered the sought-after professional consulting centres providing free of charge consulting services for all fields of the building industry, interior furnishing, as well as Garden. This year, various types of gardens presenting garden architecture were introduced on more than 1,500 square meters.

What was said about the fairs

Eva Dutková, Marketing Communication Manager, ABB s.r.o., Elektro-Praga:
We are satisfied with our presentation at the fair, we were visited by a number of people. As always, we used this fair to hold a series of business meetings, strengthen the contacts and start new ones. Brno is a good opportunity to introduce innovations, this year we introduced home audio and video telephones and new switches and sockets with various design and replaceable covers. The fair shows that these will be in great demand as they offer a modern design at a reasonable price.

Pavel Vašek, Doors Sales Manager, Šimbera:
Our exhibition stand was visited by a large number of people, which was a nice surprise. The company takes part in the fair in Brno every year and we are satisfied with it – I can only speak highly of it. We also used the fair for discussions with our business partners, to whom we introduced various types of doors with new surface treatment. I can say that our products enjoyed great interest.

Petra Trefilová, marketing, Tondach Česká republika s.r.o.:
Besides other things, the fair is also a social event and therefore we invited a number of our business partners. This year, our exhibition stand was visited by lots of end users. It seems that the fair shows that the building industry starts picking up, although this situation was mainly caused by warm weather. Naturally, the fair was a good opportunity to introduce our innovation – Figaro 11. In fact, it is a roof tile which is flat and this type was previously imported only from Austria. It was in high demand and therefore the company developed a similar product and will launch its sale in the second half of the year.

Pavel Šimek, designing, DOMY D.N.E.S.:
We were satisfied, services and facilities were perfect as usual, the fair was a benefit for us. We establish a number of contacts with end users, the outcomes of discussions will only be evaluated at a later date. The interest in timber-frame structures is generally on the rise , which was also shown in Brno. It also proves that people are still not able to find their way through the offer.

Veronika Šimková, HK-DŘESTAV:
Our stand was visited by a large number of people, we are satisfied with our participation at the IBF fair. This was probably affected by the perfect location where we had our stand constructed. We were satisfied throughout the fair, as our timber-frame structures enjoyed great interest of the visitors. We have business representation throughout the country and therefore we were happy to invite our colleagues from our branch offices to Brno.

Břetislav Lacina, executive, VARIO VILA s.r.o.:
In Brno, we established promising contacts with end customers. We introduced a new insulation material in the CR, it is loose cellulose wadding insulation (blown insulation), Thermofloc, that was in high demand in  Brno. It is also applied in the reconstruction of prefabricated and residential houses. The fair was successful for the company.

Radek Brychta, Chairman of the Cluster of Czech Furniture Makers:
The fair was beneficial both for the cluster and for our members. We opened a consulting and advisory centre at our stand where anyone interested could get information about Czech furniture manufactures, get to know the products of our members and find out how to choose quality furniture.  The cluster companies must always present themselves at such prestigious events.

Jaroslav Frantál, Business Manager, BÖHM:
The company is satisfied with Mobitex every year, we are the only exhibitor attending every single edition. We always get ready for this event, and therefore we are also satisfied after this fair. This is about establishing a good approach to the customers and organising all kinds of fair events and presenting innovations there.  Of course, we also invited our business partners here to discuss future steps of product sales. We are happy that we could introduce our new product ELASTIC in practice. 

René Cígler, representation for the CR and SR, Kuchyně Schmidt:
As usual, we used the fair to successfully introduce our innovations. It was mainly kitchens will built in appliances - new hobs, built-in dryers and washing machines, refrigerators and kitchen sinks. The advantage of the kitchens is that the cupboards can be standardised to suit the customer’s requirements. Visitors were also interested in kitchen delivery as we make their designs for free. Services at the fair were excellent, as usual. We invited many business partners to Brno as well as our long-term customers.