“Smooth start” to Spoga+Gafa

Larger and more international than ever before - that's how Stefan Lohrberg, director of Spoga+Gafa, had announced this year's fair. The influx of visitors at the opening of the gates yesterday, Sunday, 18 June, was to prove him right: "The start went smoothly and we had 20 per cent more visitors compared with Sunday 2022," Lohrberg was pleased to say. In many places, the manufacturers - who are presenting their products to the trade for the first time in 14 halls - are complaining about the "difficult start to the year", but with a view to the trade fair, there are reports of a "quiet, but qualitatively good" first day of the fair. Numerous exhibitors from Europe, but also from outside Europe, have found their way to Cologne again, including returning exhibitors who had skipped last year.

Trade representatives are expected with a great air of anticipation today, Monday. "Whether the fair is a success will largely be decided in the course of today," is the opinion of the exhibitors. Both last year and before the pandemic, Monday was always the strongest day of the fair.

Companies and associations have also taken advantage of the opportunity to meet up. Yesterday, for example, the Association of German Garden Centres presented awards for "Social Gardening" to the specialist garden centres, in keeping with the motto of the fair. Later today, logistics provider Dachser will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Dachser DIY Logistics with a stand party, before the Industrieverband Garten (IVG) brings the second day of the fair to a close with its traditional garden party.