Light + Building 2018 exceeds expectations of the OBO Bettermann Group
Leading manufacturer of electrical installation material looks back at a successful trade fair
Frankfurt/Menden. Months of preparation work, countless helping hands, boxes and trucks to be packed and transported to Frankfurt. The entire OBO team prepared for this special week and was pleased when it actually started – the leading international trade fair for light and building technology in Frankfurt. Once again, Light + Building brought people together and thrilled them.
The 2,714 exhibitors from 55 countries presented their brand new products, including OBO with a trade fair stand that exceeded the dimensions of recent years. A total of 220,000 trade visitors from 177 countries journeyed to the Frankfurt trade fair to learn about new products, solutions and trends in the fields of light and electrical technology, as well as house and building automation. For the international team from OBO, this meant using six days to impress people with their wide range of products. The leader in innovation from the Sauerland region more than achieved this. Not just due to the many digital innovations, which the OBO Bettermann Group used to present it and its products.
All in all, this year's Light + Building was characterised by increasing digitalisation and networking. Some of the products at the OBO stand were displayed in the form of a virtual reality application. This meant that visitors could put on VR glasses and see how the products look when in situ.
The OBO team took another step towards digitalisation through the use of a new app, which was installed on the on-site staff's mobile phones. This meant that they could provide customers with the desired information at the conclusion of a conversation. The global player recorded more than 2,500 discussions and follow-ups. "This number simply bowled us over. And not just because – for the first time – we were able to record exactly how many contacts we reached personally. The number also describes the interest our products awaken," explains Klaus Obersdorf, Head of Marketing Service International.
Particularly striking was the excellent presentation of some underfloor products, which used start-of-the-art holograms to illustrate how the products work. In addition, several touchpoints were also available around the stand, inviting visitors to explore further.
The Managing Director, Andreas Bettermann, drew a completely positive summary of the trade fair week. "At our stand, we were able to present our broad product range. Our new concept of not presenting our products independently of each other, but related to applications, was a complete success. The visitors were thrilled by the range of OBO products and the connected opportunities. But this is not a reason to rest on one's laurels. We are already considering how we can excite people again at Light + Building 2020."
A particular highlight at the OBO stand was certainly the competition for the "AND DONE" promotion, which was created by the connection and fastening systems division. There was also a competition organised by the fire protection systems division, offering the chance to win a trip to New York.
According to the motto of "Building Connections", the OBO trainees at the stand in the workshop area in Hall 9.2 created connections to interested young people and adults. Here, they could try things out – and talk to trainees and employees.