December 10, 2012 
Industry professionals from over 60 countries are expected at opti 2013, the international trade show for optics & design, running from 25 to 27 January 2013 in Munich…
Many exhibitors are also reacting to the number of international visitors, which has been growing over the years, by greeting them at the stands in their own language.
From Spanish to English to Chinese, 15 languages will be spoken at the Rodenstock Group’s stand, according to Oliver Kastalio, CEO of the Rodenstock Group. “We wouldn’t miss opti for the world. It’s the best way to kick-start the new financial year.” The trade show is not only the ideal platform for unveiling new lenses and eyewear, but also for meeting international partners. “The German market still forms the crux of our business,” says Kastalio, “but we are also seeing huge potential in the emerging markets, in the Middle and Far East, in the Asia-Pacific region and in South America. Even the developed markets in Europe represent a real opportunity for further growth.”
At least five languages (German, English, French, Italian and Dutch) will be spoken at the Marchon stand. “We are expecting to see lots of international visitors at the trade show,” says MD Tony Klijn. Brand managers will be flying in from Italy for opti 2013 to offer brand training and to learn more about opticians’ needs. Klijn also believes that the trade show will be useful for exchanging information on an international level and discussing new strategies. “Our company’s top international managers from the USA, Italy and the Netherlands will be at opti, because we are all well aware of how important the German market is to our company at an international level.”
“We see opti as an important platform for making international contacts,” says Lunor chairman Ulrich Fux. Therefore, as well as German, English and French, Turkish and Portuguese will also be spoken at their stand at opti. “It’s important to us because we would like to build contacts with distributors in Turkey and Portugal.” The company currently has a presence in 37 countries and has plans for further growth. “Our employees’ language skills are therefore going to be useful beyond looking after our international customers at opti.”
In 2013, Eschenbach Optik will celebrate its centenary. The company, which is based in Nuremberg, has a presence through subsidiary companies in Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark, the Czech Republic, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, Japan and the USA, as well as having over 30 trade partners around the world. As a result, German and English will be spoken at the Eschenbach Optik stand at opti. The export department will also look after French, Italian and Spanish-speaking customers on the Friday and Saturday during the trade show, according to the company.
The OWP Brillen employees will be offering four languages at their stand, according to product manager Daniela Wenzl. The Passau-based company has branches and distribution partners in 48 countries around the world. “We will be able to present our new collections at opti in German, English, French and Polish. We are also delighted to be able to communicate with our distributors in the countries concerned.”
The employees at the Flair Modellbrillen opti stand will be speaking the company’s official three languages, namely German, English and French, but also Dutch and Spanish. “Our company has a presence in over 50 countries and therefore has a distinctly international flavour,” says Flair MD Gunter Fink. Flair will also use external interpreters at opti who speak other languages, such as Japanese. This will mean that Flair can communicate with distributors in their own language. This is important as the company is organizing a large-scale international meeting at opti 2013 with guests from 20 countries. “As a result, Flair will be contributing to and highlighting opti’s increasingly international status,” says Fink.
Whether in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Turkish, Dutch, Portuguese, Polish, Japanese or Chinese, between 25 and 27 January 2013 the 23,000 industry professionals from over 60 countries will mostly be talking about the same thing: opti and its exhibitors.
More information about opti: www.opti-munich.com