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Glasstec, the international glass industry trade fair that began in 1970 with only 87 exhibitors, took place last week for the 25th time in Düsseldorf, Germany. A total of 1,280 exhibitors from 50 countries showcased their products in nine halls to more than 42,000 visitors from more than 120 nations. According to show organizers, exhibitors unanimously reported promising new contacts and solid business deals. More than 70 percent of show visitors traveled to glasstec from outside of Germany, including a strong number from North America.
Representatives from Tremco Inc.’s North American residential windows and insulating glass components business in the U.S. also took part in the show along with the German operations Tremco illbruck. According to Kevin Zuege, Tremco’s senior director, marketing and technical service, residential windows, this carries on a decades-old tradition of representing the Tremco global brand.
“Tremco supports glazing markets around the world with locally based organizations to address that area’s specific needs and requirements,” said Zuege. “Collaboration among these groups as well as shared resources and technical expertise allow Tremco to better serve our customers across the continents.
Pierre El-Hindi, Tremco general manager, added, “Our objective is to continue to build the Tremco global brand and support the glazing markets around the world with locally based organizations such as Tremco Construction Sealants and Waterproofing in the U.S. and Canada, Tremco illbruck in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Collaboration among these groups as well as leveraging resources and technical expertise, allows Tremco to execute on its value proposition and serve customers across the continents.”
Together at the show, Tremco illbruck and Tremco focused on the introduction of EnerEDGE IG spacer system, to gain feedback on interest and pathways to the broadly-based European, Middle East and all markets that attract glasstec visitors.
“New IG edgeseal sealant products from Tremco illbruck were presented, including the novel hybrid, JS-910,” added Zuege.
There were also U.S. companies exhibiting at the show for the first time, including Ergo Robotics of Queensbury, N.Y. Alan Nudi, director of sales and rentals, said that while they chose not to being any larger equipment this year, they were able to accomplish their goal of finding dealers to help them expand more into the European market. In fact, Nudi said he expects they will have a new partnership established by 2019 allowing for sales and rental of their handling and lifting equipment in Europe.
Alan Nudi (left) and Don Knotts with Ergo Robotics were first-time exhibitors at glasstec 2018.
“Most [people we talked to] had not heard of us and now they know who we are,” said Nudi. “I’m excited to return with our equipment in 2020.”
He added, “Our goal was to meet and finalize the potential for dealers in Europe and I feel confident we’ll be entering the European market.”
In addition to the exhibits, glasstec also included a number of seminars and educational programs. Likewise, the special show glass technology live was again a highlight. For the first time it as organized by four conceptual partners: the Technical Universities Darmstadt, Dresden, Delft and Dortmund. There was a strong focus on scientific glass research with emphasis on interactive façades and display glass, energy and performance, structural glass (solid, thin and hollow glass) as well as new technologies.
The glass technology live area at glasstec features unique displays that showcase the many features, benefits and capabilities of glass.
Finnglass was one of the many companies displaying in the glass technology live area. The company showcased electrically heated glass. The company made a cold wall simulator that compares electrically heated glass with double and triple glazing. It demonstrates how electrically heated glass prevents convection and cold wall effect, hence giving a pleasant and comfortable indoor environment while saving money and energy.
“You can feel with your own hands how different solutions deal with the chilling temperatures inside,” said Timo Saukko, CEO of Finnglass.
For the first time, the glasstec conference brought together the various conferences at one location under a common umbrella brand, linking theory closer to the exhibits in the halls while deepening the background knowledge of the participants. The conference included the technology conference function meets glass, the International Architecture Congress, and the scientific conference engineered transparency.
In addition, in the new Start-Up Zone in Hall 10, 15 young, international companies from ten countries (Norway, Finland, India, Italy, Switzerland, Lithuania, Austria, Netherlands, Germany and Taiwan) showcased their ideas.
“In the glass industry startups find it especially difficult to make contact with companies although these could clearly benefit from innovative technologies. The Start-Up-Zone has allowed us to obtain valuable feedback and take concrete steps for installations. This is exactly what the industry needs,” noted Daniel Valenzuela, business development manager at Actyx AG.
The next glasstec will take place October 20 – 23, 2020 in Düsseldorf, Germany. For information on visiting or exhibiting at glasstec 2020, visit http://www.glasstec-online.com/.
