This year’s CONSTRUMA exhibition bouquet was successfully closed
This year’s CONSTRUMA exhibition bouquet was successfully closed at the HUNGEXPO Budapest Congress and Exhibition Center. The exhibition, which was postponed from spring to autumn due to the COVID-19 virus epidemic, with increased hygiene rules, was the most important business event in the industry this year. According to the Secretary of State for ITM, due to the changed circumstances, there is an even greater need for similar events than before. Due to the virus situation introduced new entry rules and new security standards which developed by the organizers were well examined.
After a forced break of more than six months caused by the COVID-19 virus, HUNGEXPO organized the 39th CONSTRUMA and 9th HOMEDesign exhibitions postponed from spring to 7-11th of October.
Almost 150 exhibitors participated in the exhibition, which was organized at an unusual time and under unusual conditions in HUNGEXPO’s largest hall, Pavilion A. The organizers pointed out that this year’s CONSTRUMA was a significant achievement in itself, given that several traditional European exhibitions with similar themes had been postponed indefinitely.
At the opening of the exhibition, Dr. Anita Boros, Secretary of State for Construction Economics, Infrastructure Environment and Sustainability of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, said, among others, that the coronavirus pandemic posed a challenge to countries in all areas. Keeping economies remaining on its feet is key. “We compete with neighboring countries, we also compete with European countries and the wider international market. We are therefore very pleased that these exhibitions, such professional forums, will take place despite the pandemic situation because we believe that the development of the whole sector can only take place if the related sectors and the various synergies can be utilized”, said the Secretary of State, adding that “this event is also a worthy example of how business events can be organized with adequate efficiency.”
Gábor Ganczer, CEO of HUNGEXPO, said that he and his colleagues, as exhibition organizers, still believe in personal presence and relationship building. “We are convinced that the business life, the economy has to run, and that requires events like this. The fact that this exhibition has opened proves that many of us believe in this”, the CEO said.
The central theme of this year’s exhibition was renewable energy. Visitors were able to meet a number of domestic and international distributors from the construction industry to home furnishings. The bouquet of the Construma exhibition has been the highly successful HOMEDesign exhibition for years, where visitors could learn about the latest trends in furnishings and interior design novelties. The traditional element of the exhibition is the Hungarian Design stand set up in the spirit of annual sustainability and environmental protection, which presented the current design trends through the unique offer of Hungarian designers. The stand was also a place for personal meetings, in addition, several Hungarian design brands, for example, the Shelfie was waiting for visitors at their own stand.
Despite the decreasing number of exhibitors and visitors due to the pandemic situation, the majority of participants were satisfied with the exhibition. The exhibitors mainly mentioned the increase in the number of serious inquirers. As they said, they were pleased to find that this time the visitors who arrived for a definite purpose were in the majority. Due to the focused interest and the discounts announced for the duration of the exhibition, several exhibitors reported a higher proportion of deals than before.
„The organization and design of the Construma exhibition was excellent and the crowd was surprising despite the virus. We will also take part in the exhibition in the spring. Thanks to the organizers” (Ferenc Antal, Managing Director – CEC Connector Bt.)
„The charm of the Construma, apart from the decline in the number of exhibitors, is unchanged in my opinion. As a positive effect of the virus situation, I would like to highlight that our stand was mainly visited by targeted visitors. Our message reached our visitors, which we were able to present in a worthy place” (Boglárka Varga, SW Umwelttechnik, Head of Building and Garden Construction).
“We’re glad we didn’t step back from the show because our exhibition did well in business as well. It is true that we had fewer visitors, but those who came were very serious. We will come next year too!” (Attila Pintér, Managing Director Nilan Kft.)
“The building engineering of a modern house is becoming increasingly complex and requires basic knowledge even at the user level, which will be harder by even stricter energy regulations from 2021 onwards. Consultation with professionals is essential even in the case of a home renovation. At VGF & HKL’s large boiler and heat pump selection booth, we were able to help hundreds of builders despite the strict health protocol! See you again at Construma next year!” (László Szilágyi, VGF & HKL)
Construma has once
again hosted serious professional programs this year. These include –
now traditionally – the professional training of building engineering in the
Budapest and Pest County Chamber of Engineers; ÉVOSZ roundtable discussion
“What is the resource for?” on high-value construction investments;
the event of the Association for Housing and Housing Renovation entitled Rental
Housing Program 2020; professional training of the Hungarian Chamber of
Architects for architects.
This year’s CONSTRUMA was also particularly important for the organizers, exhibitors, and visitors alike, because the event introduced for the first time the special epidemiological protocol of HUNGEXPO, which – according to the experience of the participants – passed the exam. With increased attention to the health safety of the participants, HUNGEXPO compiled a so-called POST COVID manual as well as new entry rules that minimized the risk of infection. In addition, the exhibitions were expanded with a virtual space where visitors and exhibitors could meet without the risk of personal contact. With the help of the virtual exhibition form, exhibitors and interested parties could also connect through a new platform; and the uploaded information was available not only during the opening hours of the exhibition but separately from it, 24 hours a day on the days of the physical exhibition. “In order to reach a wider range of visitors, we are testing this form with you as the first step towards a hybrid exhibition model”, said CEO Gábor Ganczer at the opening. “Based on feedback from exhibitors and visitors, we have gathered a lot of useful experience for organizing future exhibitions,” he added on the closing day of CONSTRUMA.
This year’s CONSTRUMA awards were handed over at the exhibition, with which the organizers of the exhibition recognized the best innovative products that took part in the spring competition.
2020 award-winning companies and products
- BACHL Thermal Insulation Manufacturer Ltd. (BACHL Extrapor HL)
- Horizont Global Ltd. (Nest house)
- Internorm Window Ltd. (Internorm KF520 plastic – plastic/aluminum window)
- Nilan Airtechnic Ltd. (Nilan Combi S 302 Polar Top)
- Solar Hero Innovation and Renewable Energy Ltd. (New generation cell-optimized solar module developed in Germany)
More information at sajto1@hungexpo.hu and on the websites www.construma.hu and www.otthon-design.hu.
More information at sajto1@hungexpo.hu and on the websites www.construma.hu/en and www.otthon-design.hu/en.