The following transcript of the article: Co-owner of the Expo, IGC Group Bohumil Bochňбkem and Miroslav Sykora we talked about the crisis in the field of exhibitions. The next year, apparently we do not expect a big rebound. Your company offers the creation of exhibition stands. What are the architectural trends in this field?
MS: Before two or three years ago, authorities raced exhibitions, and globally, as in the abstract architecture requirements for exposure to the materials. Unfortunately for business exhibitions, this time I mean gone. Later this year, a sharp break. Who visited the motor show in Brno For Arch to be in Prague, so he knew the difference. Entering exhibitors transferred from the initial "I want the best and highest quality materials" through "I want the best, but cheap" to "Yes, I, but on a smaller area and as cheaply as possible" - that is the current standard. We can not but say that business has merely just a basic exposure. If the fair go, certainly would like atypical, but are looking for a way to get it as cheaply as possible. They do not want any expensive materials, no large-screen wall, no neon, no monuments. The exhibition is aimed at presenting a simple product without additional effects and accompanying programs. The economic crisis has affected quite substantially exhibitions. Changed behavior of firms, some of them failed. How would you describe the current situation and how to estimate the development of the field?
MS: Participation in trade fairs, unfortunately, canceled or at least significantly reduce the companies that still thrive, sell and do not need saving. But even they will say: 'Look, do not competitors, but a couple of fairs also omitted. Loss of significant contracts really feel like all our colleagues in the industry. Therefore, companies must focus on new activities. Towers, however, that no exhibitions or can not do business in the future. Even television advertising or Internet contact with a product or service does not allow. The revival next year but still comes around. You could tell which segment is most slashed, who exhibited at least?
BB: The crisis is really about the automotive industry most affected. Our company is a longtime supplier of large-scale exhibitions such as Iveco, Renault and Volvo in Europe. All of these automakers, but significantly reduced participation in trade fairs. Automobile manufacturers move their advertising activities more to their dealers. And they can see and test products, the trader can pay more, and there's virtually nothing. On the other hand, are still subject for exhibitions that are of vital importance, such as food. Specialised food trade fairs in Europe have not experienced such a radical drop in automobile fairs as exhibitors. Food products are still a must-try ...
| How can you think the current situation "stand for?
BB: It is similar in other sectors. They stop the extra expenses, such as sponsorship, contributions to employee recreation, corporate social events, accesses to the reinforced monitoring of energy consumption, fuel and so on. Slowed down investment in production and administration, and stop the nelukrativnн operations. Redundancies have not spared our society. We had to streamline and especially zproduktivnit some plants, particularly in warehousing and exhibition base. In any event, we believe that the alpha and omega of survival vэstavбřskэch companies today is their "health". If the company does not have debt, paying off loans and leases disproportionate, taking in their own buildings and have a good and solid reputation, then surely the weather the crisis. Changed in the last year of any fundamental relationship between the companies in your industry?
BB: It's not all that much would have changed the relationship between vэstavбři. Still it is similar, with one contract, the others are competing and collaborating, our market is small and everyone we know. In principle, however, changed the approach to solicit orders. Today's trade in this industry is far more fierce and aggressive. This is obviously related to a radical decline in orders. Many firms shifted their interest in the field of government procurement, where there is still some money and are trying to influence contract awards. That this one succeeds, it is evident from the fact that sometimes proposals to win the full retail mockery, or that a contract worth several million winning company without corporate history, with only two employees, who resides in the garage or a prefab home. Recently, he appeared a vice, which significantly complicates the implementation of public procurement, and it's appeal. It has never been in the past so many schedules, as it is today. This company won the contract to block its implementation and its winners. In many cases, it must be time to all events canceled. It is the small Czech approach "when I did not, so he neither". Here we see even a kind of hole in the law, when state institutions such as the sponsor can not do absolutely anything with a notorious "revocation" to the formal site selection procedures and through the bad designs, but each failure provides immediate appeal. And what the cartel - Did you encounter something similar in your area?
BB: I must say that in the distant past, some attempts to agree a limit price for 1m І of such standard works of exposure among some companies in our market was. But never, at least what I know, that did not happen, because the rivalry in this field has always big enough. The U.S. is not that much, because we specialize in atypical exhibition, where each realization has a specific price. However, I can openly say that certain agreements between friendly firm. For example, someone has a lot of action already in progress and represents a key contract for him, then the decent relations of the competition should not take part at all. |
