January 28, 2013 
Fresh impetus for the optics industry…
opti is the event that kick starts the year for the international optics industry. At this year’s event in Munich, over 23,200 industry professionals from over 70 countries came to discover the exhibitors’ latest products and trends, experience numerous world premieres and soak up the great atmosphere.
Even before the doors opened, opti 2013 looked set to be yet another success story. The number of exhibitors compared to the previous year rose again, as did the range of countries that they were from. “opti is becoming more and more important at international level,” said Dieter Dohr, CEO and President of GHM (Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH). “More and more companies are seeing the Munich event as an opportunity to expand their international clientele base. Of course, opticians also benefit from this, because the bigger the selection of products on offer, the more choice you have for putting together your own range.” Industry professionals from more than 70 countries were wowed by the extensive range of products offered by the 491 exhibitors in the four sold-out halls.
Visitors awarded the trade show top marks yet again. Over 90% of respondents rated opti 2013 as “good to very good”. According to the results of the visitor survey, a crucial factor in this success was the comprehensive and broad range of products on offer and the fact that there were so many new products on display. “opti has established itself as the platform for launching new products at the beginning of the year,” explained Dohr. “The timing of opti is perfect for this.” That’s why more and more companies are using the trade show to showcase their latest products for the coming season. Prescription frames and sunglasses for the summer, sports glasses and ski goggles for the 2013/2014 season were all launched at opti 2013. The range of products on display attracts buyers from all over the world. More than three quarters of survey respondents said that they place orders at opti. What’s more many of the visitors to opti are decision makers from specialist optical businesses.
“opti 2013 was very well attended,” said Thomas Truckenbrod, President of the Central Association of ophthalmic Opticians and Optometrists (ZVA). “The trade show in Munich is becoming the most important event for our industry. The combination of extensive information, new products and technologies and the chance to meet other industry professionals is why the trade show is so successful,” said the ZVA President. “opti 2013 once again managed to offer all this in impressive style.”
The reaction from Josef May, Chairman of SPECTARIS German Association of Optical Industries, was also very positive: “Once again, it was really great! The event was fully booked, with aisles and stands full of people and incoming orders, so the exhibitors were very happy. Instead of a downturn, the optics industry looks set to enjoy fresh impetus again this year,” he said. “We hope that our customers also travelled home with a spring in their step and that decent growth over and above the retail average will be reported for the optics industry in 2013. This year looks set to be the year of contact lenses and multiple frame purchases. I’d like to congratulate the GHM team on their excellent, customer-focused, smooth organisation and strategic development of opti, yet again.”
As well as German and international opticians, more and more apprentices and students are using opti to get a detailed overview of the market. They visited the trade show to get information on careers and advanced training opportunities in the industry and gained an insight into the future of the optics industry. They also got to soak up the incredible atmosphere at opti 2013. The next opti will be held from 10 to 12 January 2014.
Contact information:
GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH
Willy-Brandt-Allee 1, 81829 München
T +49 (0)89 9 49 55-161 , F +49 (0)89 9 49 55-169,
schmidt@ghm.de, www.opti-munich.com
Management:
Dieter Dohr (CEO and president), Klaus Plaschka, Klaus Dittrich
Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender:
Heinrich Traublinger, MdL a.D.
Commercial register Munich HR 40217