From January 28 to 31, 2020, the international horticultural sector will meet up at IPM Essen. In addition to an extensive range available from the exhibitors, the fair will once more offer an exclusive and informative supporting program. No matter whether competitions such as the Show Your Colors Award, the Future Congress of Horticultors and Landscapers, trendy live shows in the FDF World or the Innovation Showcase - trade visitors will learn a lot worth knowing in order to make themselves and their businesses fit for the future and will be able to establish new contacts at the same time.
The best of the best will compete against each other at IPM Essen: The Innovation Showcase will choose innovative plant novelties in the following categories: Bedding and Balcony Plants, Spring-Flowering Plants, Flowering House Plants, Green House Plants, Woody Plants, Perennial Plants and Tub Plants. All the plant exhibitors at IPM Essen will be called upon to submit their creations. The winners will be announced during the official opening ceremony on the first day of the fair. All the submissions will be exhibited in Hall 1A throughout the period of the fair.
Attention-grabbing storytelling will be subject of the Show Your Colors Award which will be jointly staged by BIZZ Communications and Messe Essen. Marks of distinction will go to perennial plants and woody plants with the most ingenious marketing ideas. The prizes will be handed over at 3:00 p.m. on January 30.
In 2020, the floristry competitions will bear the motto "I Live This Way - It Doesn't Get Greener!“ Florists and trainees will be called upon to give free rein to their imaginations and, with their workpieces, to express their love for diverse and flourishing nature. The coveted IPM Trade Fair Cup will be presented at 12.00 noon on January 31.
The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) will once more distinguish the world's best plant breeders with the "Grower of the Year Awards". The festive gala will take place on the evening of the first day of the fair.
Focus on nurseries
The nurseries will be assigned a special role at the next edition of the fair. The current climate discussion is confronting municipalities with the task of creating green areas in cities using plants which can withstand even extreme weather conditions. For this purpose, the Federation of German Nurseries will offer a seminar on the subject of "Organizing Sustainability in the Municipality - Reports from Free Space Planning" on January 29 within the framework of the cross-border project entitled "Green Cities for a Sustainable Europe". The European Nurserystock Association (ENA) which, as is tradition, will also meet up at the fair at 5:30 p.m. on January 29 will speak about where the path is heading for the community of states. Furthermore, the foundation called "The Green City" is planning special info tours about climate trees.
Prospects for horticulture and landscaping
The North Rhine-Westphalia Association for Horticulture, Landscaping and Sports Field Construction will once more stage its Future Congress during IPM Essen, i.e. on the Thursday of the fair. The subject will be: "Paths into the Future - Organizing the Company Succession Successfully". The speakers will include Univ. Prof. Dr. Heiko Kleve, sociologist and social educationalist as well as adviser and coach for entrepreneurial families, Prof. Dr. Peter May, lawyer, honorary professor and management consultant, as well as Lencke Steiner, Member of the Federal Executive Committee of the FDP political party and a former jury member in German version of the TV show called "Dragon's Den".
Speakers' Corner in the IPM Discovery Center
The IPM Discovery Center will concentrate on the marketing of green products and services. There, participating companies will be presented as "heroes" in their sector. In 2020, lectures will again be delivered in the Speakers' Corner, too. The Tuesday of the fair will be totally characterized by the florists: In cooperation with the trade journals gestalten & verkaufen ("design & sell") and Bloom's as well as the Trade Association of German Florists, the participants will discuss the latest trends and new technologies. Moreover, creative ideas will await the visitors in workshops. On the Wednesday, everything will then revolve around POS concepts for garden centers. On the Thursday and the Friday, the IPM Discovery Center will take up the subject of fruit and vegetables. The Haymarket Media publishing house will be the partner here.
International top florists demonstrate their ability
The Trade Association of German Florists will offer a strong flowery line-up to its guests in the FDF World, in the Green City in Hall 1A. The international Floristry Show with artists from the Floral Fundamentals Family will stand for extraordinary and innovative flower designs. On the stage, it will be possible to see Laura Leong from the UK, Dominique Herold from Germany, Hans Zijlstra from the Netherlands, Timo Bolte from Austria and Stefan van Berlo from Belgium. The performers on the FLOOS floristry teaching platform will show how the latest trends can be translated into contemporary floral design. On this occasion, the following international greats in the floristry world will be expected in Essen: Alex Segura (Spain), Johan Obendrauf (Austria), Nicu Bocancea (Romania), Britta Ohlrogge (Germany), Jürgen Herold (Germany), Max Hurtaud (France), Roman Steinhauer (Russia) and Pirjo Koppi (Finland). At IPM Essen 2020, the Flower Battles will go into the third round with the motto "Flowers, Fun & Action". Within just a few minutes, the participants will, live before the eyes of the spectators, have to select their materials from a material pool and create spontaneous flowery arrangements from them. The public will decide which candidates will progress until the best ones face each other in the final.
Horticultural Info Center
The green associations will present themselves in the Horticultural Info Center in the Green City in Hall 1A and will make themselves available to their members for consultation discussions. In 2020, the teaching show entitled "Boundaries Are Getting Blurred - A Sector in a State of Change" will refer to the prevailing upheaval in horticulture in relation to the training, the type of cultivation as well as the subdivision of horticultural products.
The Green Career begins at IPM Essen
At 10.00 a.m. on January 29, the green associations will invite pupils in Classes 7 to 10 to IPM Essen in order to obtain information about green occupations such as gardeners and florists and to gather initial practical experiences. Furthermore, the booth of the young gardeners will be a competent contact point for job starters. In cooperation with the German Garden Industry Association (IVG), the Ulmer publishing house will offer the Occupation + Future Forum on January 30. Any interested people will be able to find current job vacancies and requests on the "Green Careers Wall" in Hall 1A.
For more information:
IPM Essen
www.ipm-essen.de