Competitions and presentation ceremonies at IPM Essen

From January 23 to 26, 2018, the international horticultural industry will congregate at Messe Essen in order to introduce their innovations and new products to the trade public. IPM Essen will once again be a platform for numerous presentation ceremonies. An overview of the most important competitions:

The IPM Innovation Showcase is a permanent fixture. The latest plant innovations will be exhibited and honoured for the eleventh time already. All the plant exhibitors at IPM Essen will have the possibility of presenting their innovations in Hall 1A in the "Bedding and Balcony Plants", "Tub Plants", "Flowering House Plants", "Cut Flowers", "Woody Plants" and "Shrubs" categories.

The visitors may be curious about what plant highlights will receive the coveted marks of distinction. The expert jury will assess the innovations on the day before the fair. On January 23, the winners will be announced during the opening ceremony. Furthermore, the visitors will once again be able to cast their votes for their favourites amongst the exhibited innovations. Registrations will be possible until December 12, 2017 via the IPM Essen website: www.ipm-essen.de.



The story behind the plant
Plants with significant values added and extraordinary stories will be distinguished by the Show Your Colours Award. Every IPM Essen exhibitor will still be able to submit a plant and its story until December 22, 2017.

During the period of the fair, the nominated plants will be exhibited in Hall 12. In addition to an expert jury, the visitors to the fair will be invited to cast their votes. Moreover, votes can be cast in advance online. The presentation ceremony will take place in Hall 12 on Thursday, January 25, 2018. The Show Your Colours Award 2018 is being made possible by Bizz Communications and Messe Essen.



INDEGA IPM Innovation Award
The invitation to take part in the international INDEGA IPM Innovation Award 2018 is concentrating on new products or technical innovations. This year, the award will focus, in particular, on the future subjects of digitalisation and automation. All the exhibitors at IPM ESSEN from the fields of horticultural technology, fertilisers and substrates will still be able to register their new products until December 21. The winner will be announced during the opening ceremony on the first day of the fair.

The registration documents can be found on the websites of IPM ESSEN (www.ipm-essen.de) and the Representation of interests of the German horticulture industry - INDEGA (www.indega.de). All the exhibitors at IPM ESSEN who are located in the Technology area and are showing their products at a fair in Germany for the first time are entitled to participate. The products must offer economic and ecological benefits, be marketable and be shown at the fair.

Cool Flowers for Cool People
Millennials are discovering the world of flowers and plants for themselves. In the social media, the young urban protagonists are showing to their public new flowery trends, innovative flower presentations and many stories relating to all aspects of house plants, too. Therefore, effective presentations for this target group are to be presented in the IPM Fair Cup 2018 with the subject of "Cool Flowers for Cool People".

Attention will centre on the spectrum of the achievements in floristry and gardening - combined with a large portion of creativity. The workpieces which implement the subject best of all with free designing will be honoured in the "Bouquet", "Decorative Pot Plant" and "Tub Planting" categories. No matter whether gardeners or florists - the participants in the competition will be given the chance to present their abilities and workpieces in Hall 1A at IPM ESSEN. Particularly for the up-and-coming generation, it will be worthwhile to enter the competition. Because the jury will also distinguish the best trainees in every category. Moreover, the multiple starter with the best points score in the combined competition will receive the coveted IPM Fair Cup.

The IPM Fair Cup is being jointly organised by the Trade Association of German Florists - North Rhine-Westphalia State Association (FDF NRW) and the Federal Association of Retail Gardeners (BVE) in the Central Horticultural Association and will be staged together with Messe Essen. The participation documents can be retrieved from www.bundesverband-einzelhandelsgaertner.de or www.floristik-nrw.de. Registration will be possible until January 11, 2018.