For the first time since 2018, the International Suppliers Fair (IZB) took place. From 11 to 13 October 2022 the IZB was held with soft trim making its first visit. The development partner for seat technology from Dresden presented its range of products and services to a specialised audience while, at the same time, took the opportunity to gather new impressions of the developments and trends in the automotive supply industry.

The exhibition stand has been packed up, many discussions were held, and ideas shared. A first assessment after weeks of preparation and the three days of the trade fair is positive. For exhibitors like soft trim, after the pandemic years, the fundamental question arose as to what significance in-person trade fairs still have.

“First of all, it is a positive sign that trade fairs of this kind are not a thing of the past. This event was the first of its kind since the Corona lockdowns. It shows that the visitors come. And their willingness to network in the old familiar way and to take a close look at products is still there,” says Olaf Hofmann, Head of Production and Development at soft trim.

In addition to the idea of networking, a trade fair is always a reflection of the industry and a stage for news and trends in the respective areas. This was used as a source of inspiration. “It was therefore also important for us to think outside the box. We especially looked at the new concepts and developments. Now we are summarising all the impressions, strengthen the relationships with new contacts and let the inspiration flow into our work in meaningful ways,” summarises commercial manager Kai Rudolph.

It became clear that hardly any other topic dominated this year’s IZB as much as the sustainable use of resources and the reduction of pollutant emissions in production. “No matter where we look, one theme runs through everything: sustainability. This affects a wide variety of application areas. For us as a developer of seating technology, for example, the new developments in fabrics and materials are very interesting,” explains Olaf Hofmann.

Two paths would be taken here: first, established materials are improved to make them more sustainable. Second, conventional materials are being replaced by more sustainable, e.g., recycled or renewable products. “It is very interesting to see which alternatives are available here. We see great progress here, especially with the upholstery fabrics and foams, which we are very open to,” adds Olaf Hofmann.

In business, those involved constantly question how their own company is perceived from the outside. A trade fair of this kind provides information about this in many respects. After all, it’s where many industry insiders meet. “It’s enough to say ‘Oh, you’re here too!’ to get a feeling for it,” says Kai Rudolph, commercial manager. “And the nice thing about the IZB was that it also had surprises in store. In over 20 years of soft trim, we have met many people. At the trade fair we also saw faces that you would not have expected at all.”

From one trade fair to the next. The next highlight and get-together of the industry is already scheduled for 8 to 10 November at the Automotive Interiors Expo 2022 at Messe Stuttgart. Here, too, the seating specialists can be found – not as exhibitors, but as visitors. This again offers the opportunity to have a casual conversation with soft trim. Appointments for this are gladly made as part of the trade fair. Make an appointment now at: info@soft-trim.de