Primulas, tulips, flower bulbs and roses from Ecuador: IPM Essen remains an important international stage for the ornamental horticulture sector. At the same time, discussion about the role and format of the fair is becoming increasingly prominent. This was evident both on the exhibition floor and in the reflections of participants and collective organizations.
Decorum was visible in several locations and placed a strong emphasis on inspiration and concept-driven thinking. On the IPM Flower Stage, the brand opened the show series with Pure Perfection Passion. Floral artists Stefan van Berlo, Joseph Massie and Yulia Medvedyeva offered "an exclusive glimpse into their creative process," with technique and storytelling taking center stage. The interactive character generated strong audience engagement.
In Hall 8, Decorum presented new brands and concepts responding to changing consumer needs. Oxygen focuses on scientifically substantiated air-purifying plants, while Green & Easy addresses the growing demand for convenience. The introduction of new presentation methods underlined that the market is increasingly moving toward concepts and experiences rather than standalone products. Decorum also attracted attention at the main entrance with novelties and new combinations of plant, pot and presentation.
© Mirthe Walpot | FloralDaily.com
Romeo Sommers in "his" Discovery Center; Joan Petermeijer of Decorum; Marco van den Koppel of Horti Experience; Dennis van Veldhoven and Henny van de Wetering of Wetering Potlilium
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Critical voices
At the same time, more critical voices were also heard. Marco van den Koppel of Horti Experience speaks of "a valuable edition," but notes that participation in IPM Essen is no longer self-evident. "Within the membership there are concerns about rising participation costs, limited communication and insufficient room for substantive input from exhibitors," the organization states. According to Marco, it is important not only to look at numbers, but above all at the quality of the trade fair visit, which was experienced as good, especially in the first days. That participation among Dutch companies is no longer a given was reflected in the number of exhibitors, which was significantly lower than last year.
Nevertheless, especially on the first day of the fair, there were very large numbers of Dutch visitors on the exhibition floor, including companies that still had a stand last year but deliberately skipped participation this year.
Spring flowers
In flowers, the focus was clearly on spring, with many tulips and primulas. The cultivation of Ecuadorian roses was also discussed and, according to trading partners, is progressing well. Demand toward Valentine's Day is strong, despite earlier doubts related to the fact that the day falls on a Saturday this year.
© Elvira Oosterbaan | FloralDaily.com
Meilin Beirer, Luca Zunino and Cipriano de Vito of Zunino; Alina Genent, Mark Ledwig and Wolfgang Maas of Veiling Rhein-Maas; Stefanie Williams, Kate Porter and Tracey Duffy of David Austin Roses; More Danish flowers! Peter Theisen, Visti Egelund and Thomas Rohr of DanBlumen
Discovery Centre
In the Discovery Centre, Romeo Sommers created the ideal garden center. Research by Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland shows that women make most of the purchasing decisions in a garden center, so the layout should be optimized accordingly. Plants, flowers and gift packaging are brought together to influence consumers and help them make the right choices. Air-purifying plants from Air so Pure also had a place in the garden center of the future.
Less technology, more substrates
On the exhibition floor, it was noticeable that technology was once again less prominently represented, while substrates continue to gain ground. Substrate prices were frequently discussed: they have risen sharply, but are now considered normalized by many parties. The overall market sentiment was cautiously positive. Many companies indicated that the first quarter is performing better than last year, although with appropriate nuance.
Marco van den Koppel sees room for innovation and advocates more interaction, knowledge sharing and a clear positioning of exhibitors. "Continuity, cooperation and mutual trust are decisive for a stable and attractive trade fair offering."
As Marco puts it, IPM Essen therefore remains "a class apart," but according to many it is also a fair that must continue to evolve in order to maintain its international relevance.
