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Klimainfisso 2013 is the first specialized tradeshow dedicated exclusively to the production chain of windows and doors, conceived by the Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center.  This first edition is scheduled for Bolzano, Italy from March 7 to 9, 2013.  It enjoys the backing of important national and international partners in the sectors of fixtures, handicraft, and glass, in addition to having won the trust of the major stakeholders in the production chain of windows and doors. 

Since 2005, the Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center has been a leading force in a renewed culture of sustainable living.  Located at the very heart of South Tyrol, a region that has always been at the forefront of ecological topics and very receptive to new international influences on environmental protection, the Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center has positioned itself as a cultural bridge between Italy and the rest of Europe for the spreading of a green consciousness.

For years now, international attention directed at energy topics has been a subject of great interest: the higher and higher costs of the primary source of energy, petroleum, and appeals for greater environmental protection have spurred numerous agencies and private citizens to invest in the green economy and make provisions for facing future needs.

The Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center was the precursor of this trend in Italy.  For more than sixty years, it has been center of tradeshow and conference activity in South Tyrol with the organization and development exhibitions and conventions.  It has provided a voice in a concrete manner to the more and more significant demands from a vast number of players in the Italian economic system.  The first edition of Klimahouse goes back to 2005.  It embarked upon an informative path marked by a new green culture and it quickly became a reference point in the sector, with 459 exhibiting companies and 40,000 visitors from all over Italy, including 80% from outside of the province.  With its strengths in know-how and a degree of experience that is typical of South Tyrol, the Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center set into motion a course of growth, fueling the attention to this market more and more.  The great commitment to the building of a culture of energy that is an alternative to that of petroleum and the great success experienced by Klimahouse were the impetus for the Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center to “export” this winning formula to Central and Southern Italy with two traveling editions: one in Bastia Umbra and the other in Bari.  It was also the inspiration to initiate additional important projects, such as Klimaenergy, the international tradeshow on renewable energy for commercial and public use, the fifth edition of which was held this year, and Klimamobility, the exhibition dedicated to sustainable mobility. 

So it is specifically within the “Klima” family that the Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center will launch Klimainfisso in March 2013.  This tradeshow will be dedicated to the production chain of windows, doors, and façades without including the finished product.  It is designed for visitors such as window and door installers, carpenters, dealers, retailers, metal processing companies, heating and cooling system designers, engineers, and architects.  The product sectors that are dealt with include: mouldings for façades, windows, and doors; semifinished products, construction materials and support, ventilation and shade technologies, glass, steel, aluminum, wood, PVC, and other plastic materials; iron works and hardware, fastening technologies, safety technologies, and machinery, equipment, and tools for processing.  Some fifty companies have already registered, among which are the major stakeholders of the production chain who have demonstrated their interest in Klimainfisso in Bolzano having already reserved around 3,000 square meters (32,000 square feet) of floor space.

The territory and the regional context which is the home to the Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center will play a fundamental role in the growth and the success of the events.  South Tyrol in fact represents the region in Italy that is most at the cutting edge with regard to the topic of ecology, and for many years now, it has been committed at the very forefront of environmental protection.  The collaboration with the main local institutions and the bodies that are associated with the Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center in the same “mission” have made its roll even more authoritative.  Among those having confirmed their support of Klimainfisso are the CasaClima agency, which is committed to promoting sustainable construction and which has been active since 2005 with a system of energy certification of buildings; Legno Legno – the consortium of window and door installers; Assovetro – the Italian national association of glass manufacturers; the UCCT – the union of technical fastener builders; the CNA – the national confederation of handicraft and of small and medium-sized businesses.  In addition, as testimony to its function as a bridge between the advanced technologies of Northern and Southern Europe, the Bolzano/Bozen Exhibition Center is proud of its partnership with the IFT of Rosenheim, Germany, the authoritative Germany supplier of technical services for producers of windows, doors, façades, glass, and gates, as well as all of the accessories, and with the Bundesverband Flachglas, the association for more than two hundred glass industries in the area of Cologne and Bonn. 

The press conference for the presentation of the Klimainfisso 2013 event will be held on May 22, 2012 at 11:00 A.M. in Milan at the Casa dell’Energia, located at Piazza Po, 3.  It will be directed toward the domestic press, partners and associations within the field, and companies in the sector. 

The Trentino Alto Adige region has a worldwide reputation for great skiing, cutting-edge snow equipment, and a level of know-how that makes it such an ideal location for the Alpitec and Prowinter shows. Bringing the winter sports season to a satisfying end for visitors and exhibitors alike, these winter sport and technology festivals recorded 9,300 visitors over three days, packed with workshops, award ceremonies, and opportunities to meet up, aimed at the entire industry. 

"Once again, combining the two events proved a winning move, as confirmed by visitors’ surveys. As far as Alpitec is concerned, we are confident that the event has become one of the most important occasions for the Italian market. Over 70% of the national cableway operators attended the fair, including companies from the south and particularly from the field of cable installations and snow spraying, and the ANEF corporation even used the occasion to hold their annual meeting." says Reinhold Marsoner, Manager of the Bolzano Exhibition Centre. "What is more, the traditional Skiareatest award ceremony attracted the managements of major international and national ski districts, making Alpitec 2012 a success for all the companies in the industry," he concludes. A survey performed by Bolzano Exhibition Centre on a sample of 300 visitors also showed that traders came mainly from the winter sports equipment hire and maintenance sector, followed by ski and snowboard schools, ski clubs, and manufacturers and distributors of sports gear. 24.3% of respondents came from Alto Adige, 23.3% from Trentino, almost 50% from other regions of Italy (46.1%) and 6.3% came from abroad. Prowinter was also appreciated, with the traders interviewed expressing almost 100% positive opinions, ranging from "good" (51.1%) or "very good" (40.3%) to "satisfactory" (7.8%). Only 0.7% did not express a positive view. Alpitec was also appreciated, with the visitors interviewed expressing almost 98% positive opinions, ranging from "good" (39.1%) or "very good" (39.1%), to "satisfactory" (19.6%). Only 2.2% did not express a positive view. 90% of the visitors at Prowinter and 97% of visitors at Alpitec said they would be back next year. Prowinter is scheduled for 17th to 19th April 2013 on its own, while in April 2014 it will be held in conjunction with Alpitec again.

This year Prowinter was also accompanied by the Ski Touring Show, for fans of this particular realm of skiing. Around 45 exhibitors showcased specialist products for this niche sport, which - together with a full program of events dedicated to ski touring enthusiasts - proved popular with all those who attended.

The exhibitors were also very positive about the event:

Christian Thaler, General Manager of Wintersteiger Italia. "Prowinter is an essential date on our corporate calendar because it gives us the chance to meet up with all our customers and show off the full range of items in production, especially given the amount of space we need. It is also an important platform because the timing of the event, i.e. just after the season’s end, means our guests are in a quiet period and so they take the time to get a closer look at and try out the machines and tools we offer. The type of visitors attending is absolutely in line with our target market, from hire companies to ski schools, through to specialist stores. We have had opportunity to meet up with a number of Italian customers over these few days, as well as international visitors, including Swiss, Austrians, and Germans. It was a strategic event that our company simply could not miss, and undoubtedly one of the most important nationally".

Alberto Nencetti, Marketing Director at Rossignol. "The fair recorded a very good turnout for all days. A very positive sign, especially considering current times. It means the event offers everything dealers are looking for, at a time when the market is under pressure and the tendency is to optimise purchasing and improve product quality. Prowinter is unquestionably the most important platform for the Italian market, an established date on the calendar at which exhibitors can meet up with the most suitable customers for our target market, virtually the entire spectrum of customers on the Italian market".

Markus Prinoth, owner of Halti-Komperdell. "Prowinter is a key happening for our market as it offers opportunities to meet visitors from a very specific target, namely ski clubs, ski schools, retailers, and store owners. It’s an excellent occasion for placing orders for gear because, with the winter season over, there is plenty of time to spend on buying for the upcoming season. We did really well throughout the fair, gathering a significant number of leads. It is an event not to miss and undoubtedly one of the most important dates on the national trade calendar". 

Alex Placker, representative of Leki Italia. Prowinter is the leading trade fair, which rounds off the winter season. It is the perfect time to formalise recent contracts, establish production orders, and meet up with customers. We recorded a very good turnout during the fair, especially from the different categories of professionals (rental, retail, ski schools, etc.), from all over Italy, but also from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Slovenia. A positive sign which reflects a general optimism, despite the economic hardships felt throughout the season - Prowinter’s best result this year”.