IFFA 2013 to add new halls, feature gala event

IFFA 2013, a major trade fair for the meat industry, will add new halls (11.0 and 11.1) for exhibitors from the packaging technology and measuring and weighing technology to present their innovations. Through the integration of Hall 11, the complete range of machines and equipment will be concentrated in the western sector of the Exhibition Centre. For visitors, this means greater transparency and shorter walking distances. Moreover, Hall 11 is the latest and most modern exhibition hall at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre. Together with the impressive ‘Portalhaus’ building, it also represents a new main entrance for IFFA visitors. Some exhibitors have also taken advantage of the opportunity offered by the inclusion of Hall 11 to expand their exhibition stands. The manufacturers exhibiting in Hall 11 include Bizerba, CSB-System, Ishida, Multivac, Sealpac, Tipper Tie, Treif, ULMA and VC999

New: International Meat Vision Congress with gala evening
The International Meat Vision Congress with gala evening and awards ceremony is another new feature scheduled on the eve of the fair. It will be an opportunity for participants to hold discussions and make their first contacts at IFFA 2013. The event is organised by the Deutscher Fachverlag publishing company and its two trade magazines for the sector, ‘FLEISCHWIRTSCHAFT’ and ‘afz - allgemeine fleischer zeitung’, in cooperation with the German Butchers’ Association (Deutscher Fleischer-Verband – DFV), the Federation of German Machine and Plant Manufacturers (Verband Deutscher Maschinen und Anlagenbau – VDMA) and Messe Frankfurt.

Trends
New automatic machines that increase efficiency remain one of the leading trends in the meat-processing and packaging industry. The focus is on energy-efficient processing plants and machinery that are designed to meet market demand and increase productivity. One of the important issues to be tackled at the show is traceability along the meat-processing chain since it is vital for safety and quality management. In packaging, the emphasis is on hygiene. Additionally, the on-going consumer trend towards convenience products is increasing demand for individual and need-oriented packaging.

IFFA 2013 is scheduled on May 4 to 9 at the Frankfurt am Main. Organiser Messe Frankfurt expects some 950 exhibitors from 47 countries to join the show. An important innovation platform for investment goods for the meat-processing sector, IFFA will feature products and technologies for the entire meat-processing chain – from slaughtering and dismembering, via processing, to packaging and sales – in seven exhibition halls spanning 100,000 m3. More than 58,000 visitors are expected.

“IFFA underscores its position as the leading event for the sector through the participation of all market leaders who target the development of new products to IFFA and launch them there. IFFA is a must for the meat-processing industry, the trade and the butchers’ trade,” says Wolfgang Marzin, president and CEO of Messe Frankfurt.

Richard Clemens, director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association, the conceptual partner of IFFA adds, “Given the highly dynamic development of the export market in 2010 and 2011, we expect further growth in the number of international visitors from rapidly expanding markets, such as China, Russia and India, at the coming IFFA.”

About 55 percent of suppliers and 59 percent of trade buyers coming to the show are from outside Germany. The top ten exhibitor nations are Germany, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, USA, France, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Poland. After Germany, the most important visitor nations are the Russian Federation, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, the USA and Australia.