Up on orders, up on visitors and up on popularity, opti 2016 was a surplus of positivity from the optical trade community. With over 27,500 visitors and purchase orders amounting to over €152.9m, opti 2016 just made an outstanding start to the year
Where: Munich, Germany
When: Jan 15-17, 2016
Opti 2016 concluded three days of surpassing success of previous editions from 15th to 17th of January, 2016 in Munich, Germany. The international trade fair had over 27,500 visitors attending from 81 countries and the final footfalls from both visitors and exhibitors stood at 95.3 percent and 91.7 percent respectively. Another highlight was the amount of orders that were registered in the trade fair. The amount of orders stood at €152.9m from overall visitors.
“opti rocks the sector. With its fast pace, it brings a lot of momentum to the new business year. This event that is put on every year for the optical industry wins over everyone with its focus on quality, creative spirit and incomparably family-like atmosphere. opti triggers new trends, as the trade fair is flexible in meeting the needs of the market, and setting off new impulses,” says Dieter Dohr, CEO and President of GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH.
The new additions to the trade-fair portfolio met with a very positive reception from the audience. More than two thirds of visitors gave top grades to the focus topic ‘digital optometry’ and for the premiere of the new !HOT area in Hall C1. This area, with over 60 firms alongside the 120 independent and fashion labels in the YES area, formed the opti-Design Chamber, which was one of the highlights of the exhibition.
Over the years, the platform of opti has grown considerably. This year too, the international development of opti was prominent as it was used as a European stage to exchange market figures, developments and regulatory topics. The platform emerged as an excellent networking opportunity for optical traders from all over the world.
For instance, the European industrial association EUROM came to opti for the first time this year. Members of the European umbrella organisation for optometrists and opticians, the European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO), were also present at the event.
As a result of the expansion of the Munich Exhibition Centre, upcoming editions of the event are expected to see two more halls added to their layout. The new halls will be available for opti 2019. As for next year’s schedule, opti 2017 will now be taking place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday – from 28th to 30th January, 2017 – in Munich.
