Top Ten Visitor tips for the K 2010 exhibition Dusseldorf
25 January, 2010
The K 2010 exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany this autumn will be the event for the international plastics industry. K stands for Kunststoffe – the German word for plastics – and since the 1960’s this particular show – always in Dusseldorf every three years – has dominated the world stage. It my opinion it still leads the way in terms of plastics technology and plastics innovations. If you’re into plastics you should visit – without a doubt. Most materials and equipment companies exhibiting there will have been holding back their innovative best for that week by the Rhine and we at Ceramicx will be joining them – with our range of infrared heat in manufacturing for plastics thermoforming heating and many other infrared heating applications besides including our popular infrared bulb.
At Ceramicx we offer the following short survival guide for visitors to the K 2010 experience. Like everything else – things goes a lot better when you enjoy them – so please make sure that you do! Ceramicx looks forward to greeting you in Hall 11 – Stand A01 – please don’t delay in contacting us for your appointment there this Autumn. Top Ten Visitor tips for the K 2010 exhibition, Dusseldorf, Oct 27-Nov 3, 2010 1. Be prepared. ‘To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail,’ as the saying goes. So this is the rule that governs all others. Prepare your travel, accomodation and itinerary, all well in advance so that these details are sorted at effective cost – and you can then forget about them and focus on the important stuff. 2. Stay in Dusseldorf - if you can. 
Book your accommodation now. This is always a sell out show – whatever the economic climate. Exhibitors and visitors failing to properly plan their accommodation must every day face a time-consuming commute from outlying towns such as Essen or Duisburg – or even cities such as Cologne. This is routine behaviour and – unlucky for some – it happens with every K exhibition. So make sure that you don’t face 2/3 hours of your day commuting in and out of Dusseldorf. With just over nine months to go you may yet be lucky in finding accommodation in the city. If you are travelling alone or in a small party there are some great private accommodation deals – eg networks of landladies – on offer. 3. Book exhibitor appointments ahead Exhibitors, needless to say, love it when you book appointments with them on their stand. They love it even more when you keep those appointments. So make sure to do both and phone up to make your essential K 2010 appointments well before the show opens - and with the people you really need to see. This alone will help your K 2010 time management no end.
4. Learn a little German. I know, I know. English is increasingly the ‘international language of business’. Nonetheless, your day in Dusseldorf, Germany, won’t be all business – and a little German – excuse me, please and thank you – can go a very long way to making your time go smoothly. So just invest a little time with a phrase book and get the benefit. 5. Be comfortable. Above all this means wearing the right kind of shoes. K 2010 has 17 exhibition halls
. If you’re planning to review a number of technologies and meet a number of people, the chances are that you’ll be walking at least a mile a day – probably two. So make sure that your can – that you’re as comfortable, fed and watered as you need to be for your business. 6. Be social. 
Networking is the new marketing. Period. So if you want to stay in the mainstream of the plastics industry world at K 2010 you’ll probably need to put some evening time in the streets of Düsseldorf's Altstadt. The Altstadt (literally “old town”) is known as the longest bar in the world since it has more than 300 bars within its reach. Try the local beer, Altbier, and stay in the general swim of events. 7. Be focused. 
Put the Altstadt to one side the next morning. A very high degree of concentration is needed to get the most out of the K experience. Remember that – for everyone – buyers and sellers – this is a marketplace that only arrives but for one week - every three years. Make sure that you capture all the data you can. Download the exhibitor catalogue at the earliest opportunity and plan who you need to see and what for. Make a realistic time plan for each of your days at the show. Have a note book and pen about you – collect cards – and give yours out – and take the opportunity to record all the information you can – including your own thoughts and impressions which will be valuable to you in the weeks and months after the show. 8. Be succinct and friendly 
What are you there for? What do you need the exhibitor for? It will pay you to be able to state your business in a friendly, compelling and succinct way. Exhibitions are notorious for inducing attention-span fatigue – so your introduction – to yourself and your needs - has to work against that and has to be as crisp and positive as it can be. If you haven’t made an appointment, be prepared to manage your time realistically and to return to that particular stand if the right individual isn’t there. (NB. Selling goods or services to exhibitors is generally a real no-no (that’s what they’re there for). If there’s a sales opportunity, remember that that will be best achieved at a later date.) Please don’t forget your thank you’s when leaving. It sounds like nannying, but as anyone who works in retail will tell you – the smiling and appreciative customer can make all the difference to a day of grumpiness and complaints. If you want to be remembered and make the right impression, please remember to thank the exhibitor for his/her time when leaving your business card. 9. Be realistic with your time. It’s inevitable that at some points in the show you will be frustrated at your busted schedule and your lack of time. The wise thing to do is to simply acknowledge it and move on – and not to let that frustration colour your ongoing business with other people. Remember the opportunities and interest about you and refocus your time management on the practical here and now. 10. Follow through So many exhibitions – for exhibitors and visitors alike - suffer from a lack of decent follow through. Set yourself a decent system and a regular schedule for achieving all the follow through that you need. This may be difficult once the hurly burly of everyday life business sets in again – but make it a discipline to see through all the necessary details. Remember that you’ll have to wait another three years before those opportunities come again. Frank Wilson, Ceramicx, January 2010 Follow Ceramicx 
25 January, 2010
The K 2010 exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany this autumn will be the event for the international plastics industry. K stands for Kunststoffe – the German word for plastics – and since the 1960’s this particular show – always in Dusseldorf every three years – has dominated the world stage. It my opinion it still leads the way in terms of plastics technology and plastics innovations. If you’re into plastics you should visit – without a doubt. Most materials and equipment companies exhibiting there will have been holding back their innovative best for that week by the Rhine and we at Ceramicx will be joining them – with our range of infrared heat in manufacturing for plastics thermoforming heating and many other infrared heating applications besides including our popular infrared bulb.
At Ceramicx we offer the following short survival guide for visitors to the K 2010 experience. Like everything else – things goes a lot better when you enjoy them – so please make sure that you do! Ceramicx looks forward to greeting you in Hall 11 – Stand A01 – please don’t delay in contacting us for your appointment there this Autumn. Top Ten Visitor tips for the K 2010 exhibition, Dusseldorf, Oct 27-Nov 3, 2010 1. Be prepared. ‘To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail,’ as the saying goes. So this is the rule that governs all others. Prepare your travel, accomodation and itinerary, all well in advance so that these details are sorted at effective cost – and you can then forget about them and focus on the important stuff. 2. Stay in Dusseldorf - if you can. Book your accommodation now. This is always a sell out show – whatever the economic climate. Exhibitors and visitors failing to properly plan their accommodation must every day face a time-consuming commute from outlying towns such as Essen or Duisburg – or even cities such as Cologne. This is routine behaviour and – unlucky for some – it happens with every K exhibition. So make sure that you don’t face 2/3 hours of your day commuting in and out of Dusseldorf. With just over nine months to go you may yet be lucky in finding accommodation in the city. If you are travelling alone or in a small party there are some great private accommodation deals – eg networks of landladies – on offer. 3. Book exhibitor appointments ahead Exhibitors, needless to say, love it when you book appointments with them on their stand. They love it even more when you keep those appointments. So make sure to do both and phone up to make your essential K 2010 appointments well before the show opens - and with the people you really need to see. This alone will help your K 2010 time management no end.
4. Learn a little German. I know, I know. English is increasingly the ‘international language of business’. Nonetheless, your day in Dusseldorf, Germany, won’t be all business – and a little German – excuse me, please and thank you – can go a very long way to making your time go smoothly. So just invest a little time with a phrase book and get the benefit. 5. Be comfortable. Above all this means wearing the right kind of shoes. K 2010 has 17 exhibition halls
. If you’re planning to review a number of technologies and meet a number of people, the chances are that you’ll be walking at least a mile a day – probably two. So make sure that your can – that you’re as comfortable, fed and watered as you need to be for your business. 6. Be social. 
Networking is the new marketing. Period. So if you want to stay in the mainstream of the plastics industry world at K 2010 you’ll probably need to put some evening time in the streets of Düsseldorf's Altstadt. The Altstadt (literally “old town”) is known as the longest bar in the world since it has more than 300 bars within its reach. Try the local beer, Altbier, and stay in the general swim of events. 7. Be focused. 
Put the Altstadt to one side the next morning. A very high degree of concentration is needed to get the most out of the K experience. Remember that – for everyone – buyers and sellers – this is a marketplace that only arrives but for one week - every three years. Make sure that you capture all the data you can. Download the exhibitor catalogue at the earliest opportunity and plan who you need to see and what for. Make a realistic time plan for each of your days at the show. Have a note book and pen about you – collect cards – and give yours out – and take the opportunity to record all the information you can – including your own thoughts and impressions which will be valuable to you in the weeks and months after the show. 8. Be succinct and friendly What are you there for? What do you need the exhibitor for? It will pay you to be able to state your business in a friendly, compelling and succinct way. Exhibitions are notorious for inducing attention-span fatigue – so your introduction – to yourself and your needs - has to work against that and has to be as crisp and positive as it can be. If you haven’t made an appointment, be prepared to manage your time realistically and to return to that particular stand if the right individual isn’t there. (NB. Selling goods or services to exhibitors is generally a real no-no (that’s what they’re there for). If there’s a sales opportunity, remember that that will be best achieved at a later date.) Please don’t forget your thank you’s when leaving. It sounds like nannying, but as anyone who works in retail will tell you – the smiling and appreciative customer can make all the difference to a day of grumpiness and complaints. If you want to be remembered and make the right impression, please remember to thank the exhibitor for his/her time when leaving your business card. 9. Be realistic with your time. It’s inevitable that at some points in the show you will be frustrated at your busted schedule and your lack of time. The wise thing to do is to simply acknowledge it and move on – and not to let that frustration colour your ongoing business with other people. Remember the opportunities and interest about you and refocus your time management on the practical here and now. 10. Follow through So many exhibitions – for exhibitors and visitors alike - suffer from a lack of decent follow through. Set yourself a decent system and a regular schedule for achieving all the follow through that you need. This may be difficult once the hurly burly of everyday life business sets in again – but make it a discipline to see through all the necessary details. Remember that you’ll have to wait another three years before those opportunities come again. Frank Wilson, Ceramicx, January 2010 Follow Ceramicx
