Holiday Traditions in Germany: Happy Holidays From DOMOTEX!

Santa! I know him!

If you have seen the movie “Elf” then you will certainly understand the reference above. I was recently in NYC on my way to the Hannover Fairs USA corporate office in Princeton, NJ when I literally ran into a mob of Santas on their way to the next pub during the 2010 Santa Pub Crawl NYC.

Every culture and/or religion has their own way of celebrating this time of year and these celebrations could last a day, a week or even a month as happens in Germany.

For Germans, Christmas is a month long celebration that includes Christmas markets in cities like Munich, Cologne, Berlin and Dresden which is the oldest Christmas market in Germany dating back to 1434. At any one of these markets you will find traditional gifts, music, food and typical beverages like Glühwein, hot mulled red wine. If you get a chance to visit the Christmas markets in Germany and order Glühwein, make sure and try the Glühwein mit Schuss (with a shot of brandy).

[See Hannover Holiday Traditions for additional German holiday traditions.]

Advent marks the beginning of the holiday season with a wreath of evergreens and red candles that are placed in the home; one candle is lit on each Sunday before Christmas.

For most, the real start to the German holiday season is Nikolaustag or St. Nicholas Feast’s Day on December 6th, when children leave a shoe or boot outside their bedroom door the night before. The idea is that St. Nikolaus will appear overnight and put little gifts into their boots if they have been `good` throughout the year. `Bad` kids will only receive a bunch of twigs (a birch).

The Christmas tree, originating in Germany, is also an integral part of the German Christmas tradition and Christmas day is typically a day of gathering with family members.

Whatever your holiday tradition might be, all of us here at DOMOTEX wish you a very happy and safe holiday season. We look forward to a prosperous New Year in the floor covering industry and to seeing you at DOMOTEX 2011!

~ Katherine


Katherine León
Director of Sales - DOMOTEX

Hannover Fairs USA
1170 Howell Mill Road, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: 404.214.0432

Top 10 DOMOTEX FAQs From Katherine Leon

In this post, I share with you what I unofficially refer to as Katherine’s Top 10 FAQs for DOMOTEX. These are the most frequently asked questions that those interested in attending and/or exhibiting at Domotex Hannover have.

1. Who will be exhibiting at DOMOTEX?

Approximately 1400 manufacturers/producers from all over the world will be displaying their latest innovations and products in the floor covering industry. Products categories include carpets, handmade rugs, laminate, hardwood, linoleum, flooring tools, cleaning products and many more.

A quick and easy way to find out who will be exhibiting is to use the Exhibitor and Product search now available on the DOMOTEX website [see link at the bottom of the Domotex home page]. Here you will be able to search by company name or product category. This tool will provide you with booth numbers, floor plan and contact information for the product or services you are looking to find.

2. Who will be attending DOMOTEX?

Simply stated there will be approximately 40,000 decision makers with buying power from all over the world who come together for 4 days in Hannover to evaluate prospective vendors, products and services in the floor covering sector. They come to network, be educated on the latest trends in the market and most importantly meet face to face with industry peers.

3. I am interested in exhibiting at DOMOTEX who do I contact?

Well that’s an easy one… Call me, Katherine Leon, at (404) 214 – 0432 or email kleon@hfusa.com.

4. I am interested in attending DOMOTEX in Hannover. How do I purchase tickets and what is the cost?

Unlike most trade fairs in the US, tickets must be purchased to attend DOMOTEX and can be done so in advance by clicking on this link to the DOMOTEX website.  There will be no lanyards or name badges given out onsite so don’t forget your tickets each day. The cost is as follows:

• Full Event Access – 41 euro
• 1 Day Pass – 23 Euro (16 Euro for Students onsite)

5. Do I need to purchase a separate ticket to enter CONTRACTWORLD?

No. The same ticket for DOMOTEX will give you access to CONTRACTWORLD.

6. Does my DOMOTEX attendee ticket include a show guide?

Show guides or catalogues, however you prefer to call them, are available for purchase on the DOMOTEX website as well. Click on this link to order a DOMOTEX show guide.  Last year’s edition is also available if you so desire.

7. What are the DOMOTEX show hours and dates?

January 15 – 18, 2011 from 9:00am to 6:00pm daily.

8. Are there still hotel rooms available in Hannover?

Yes, but hurry up! You may of course feel free to use travel sites such as http://www.booking.com/, http://www.expedia.com/ or http://www.travelocity.com/, but DOMOTEX does offer its own hotel services and the contact information is below:

Hannover Marketing & Tourismus GmbH
Phone: +49 (0) 511 12345-55
Fax: +49 (0) 511 12345-556

9. How do I get to the DOMOTEX fairground from my hotel?

It all depends on where you are staying, but the rail system in Hannover is fantastic. Your entrance ticket to DOMOTEX will serve as your train pass and will allow you to ride the train for free to and from the fair grounds.

10. Will there ever be a shortage of beer at DOMOTEX?

Absolutely not! What a silly question! Unlike US trade shows, DOMOTEX happy hour does not have a start time. Most exhibitors have refreshments available at their booth space and are always happy to pour you some delicious German brew.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I look forward to seeing you in Hannover at DOMOTEX!

~ Katherine

Katherine León
Director of Sales - DOMOTEX

Hannover Fairs USA
1170 Howell Mill Road, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: 404.214.0432

TalkFloor Discusses DOMOTEX 2011 with Leon & Gould

Last week, Jim Gould and I spent time with Dave Foster from TalkFloor Radio discussing DOMOTEX 2011.

Our conversation became a two part interview which aired on Monday and Tuesday, December 13th and 14th, 2010 on TalkFloor Radio.  It's also available on TalkFloor.com.

Jim, Dave and I spoke about several of the special events that will be taking place at DOMOTEX 2011- which takes place January 15 through 18 - including the VIP Retail Tour on Monday, January 17th, CONTRACTWORLD, Souk Deluxe and FloorForum.

Here is how Dave Foster describes the interview on TalkFloor.com:

Katherine Leon, Jim Gould on Domotex Hannover 2011

Katherine Leon, Director of Sales, Hannover Fairs USA and Jim Gould, President, Floor Covering Institute preview Domotex 2011, scheduled for Jan 15-18, 2011 in Hannover, Germany looking at the number of exhibitors and the expected turnout for the show, contractworld, retail tour and other special events planned for the show.

Each segment lasts approximately 13 minutes.

To access the recordings, click on Katherine Leon, Jim Gould on Domotex Hannover 2011.

In case  you'd like more information on the programs that Jim and I mention in our interview with Dave Foster, here are additional links:

• DOMOTEX Carpet Design Awards 2011
• Souk Deluxe at DOMOTEX 2010, Hall 20
• VIP Retail Flooring Tour at DOMOTEX: January 17, 2011
• ContractWorld 2011
• Domotex: First Time Travel Tips

Thank you, Dave, for a terrific opportunity to talk about DOMOTEX 2011. We are excited about a great event next month and hope to see you there.

~ Katherine

Katherine León
Director of Sales - DOMOTEX

Hannover Fairs USA
1170 Howell Mill Road, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: 404.214.0432

AFA at DOMOTEX 2011

Here is the latest news concerning AFA, the American Floorcovering Alliance, at DOMOTEX 2011!

We are very pleased to welcome once again AFA members in the AFA Pavillion at DOMOTEX 2011.

The AFA has been around since 1979 educating and promoting the US floor covering industry.  They are also a proud supporter of DOMOTEX and will be returning in January 2011 to Hall 5 in space number B26 at DOMOTEX in Hannover, Germany.

[You might enjoy reading about AFA's Wanda Ellis Urging Companies to Consider Going Global at DOMOTEX.]

New to DOMOTEX and AFA, but not new to the industry, is Lexmark Carpet Mills. As a leading manufacturer of carpets for the hospitality segment we are excited to have them on board.

Lexmark describes itself as follows:

Lexmark Carpet Mills, headquartered in Dalton, Georgia, is a leading manufacturer of carpets for the hospitality segment of the commercial market. Founded in 1993, Lexmark supplies carpeting to both mid-tier and high-end hotels for use in public areas and guestrooms. Lexmark’s fully integrated manufacturing capabilities, state-of–the-art equipment and unsurpassed customer service have enabled Lexmark to rapidly gain market share. Lexmark was ranked as the 12th largest specified carpet manufacturer by Floor Focus magazine which includes the corporate, retail, hospitality, healthcare, education, and government segments within the specified commercial sector. Within the hospitality sector, Lexmark is the largest producer of guest room carpets.

You can view two videos about them on their Lexmark Carpet Mills Vimeo Channel.

Joining Lexmark at the AFA Pavillion at Domotex 2011 are:

A.B. Carter
Card Monroe
DuPont
Perpetual Machine Company
Pharr Yarns LLC
TUFTCO International
VRW – USA

Be sure to stop by and say hello to Wanda Ellis and her AFA members in Hannover!

~ Katherine

Katherine León
Director of Sales - DOMOTEX
Hannover Fairs USA
1170 Howell Mill Road, Suite 300
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: 404.214.0432