Working together and spreading the word: Remanexpo 2019 Day One

January 26, 2019

The annual Paperworld trade show, encompassing the Remanexpo product group, got off to a flying start in Frankfurt on Saturday.

The four-day event officially began this morning, with thousands of visitors pouring in to Hall 5.1 of Messe Frankfurt, Germany, to meet with, connect with, trade with and chat with the wide range of companies exhibiting at Remanexpo, from every corner of the industry and from all across the globe.

There was plenty of positivity in the room, where Remanexpo debutants such as IPA PrintService – Tech Intertrading rubbed shoulders with returning industry stalwarts like Apex Microelectronics, Turbon, Ninestar and Biuromax.

Charlie Ray, of Zhuhai, China-based company Gikar, was especially enthusiastic, telling The Recycler that the company had enjoyed “a good day,” with dozens of customers making their way to the remanufacturer’s booth. Ashley McCall, of England’s Trade Copiers, which is making its return to the show after its maiden appearance last year, also spoke glowingly of the first day, with plenty of interest in the company, whilst Apex’s Cindy Zhang was pleased with the opportunity to connect with “lots of people, lots of customers, and lots of old friends.”

Despite the opening day bustling with positivity, there was also opportunity for reflection, and on the changes that the industry has undergone within the twelve months since last year’s Remanexpo. Zhang stated that in 2018, “three large cartridge manufacturers in China have gone from producing 150-200,000 cartridges a month, to bankruptcy,” whilst Integral’s Jan Hagemann pinpointed one of the biggest changes of the past year was seeing “some established competitors leaving the market.”

“It’s perhaps not such a good sign for the industry,” Hagemann reflected, “but on the other hand, it shows us that we are clearly doing something right, to still be here.”

Apex’s Zhang endorsed this statement, insisting that “customer demand is still there. The companies who are disappearing are perhaps small, unhealthy companies; those that are well-managed and offer quality products are continuing.”

Clearly, the year just passed, and the year ahead, present familiar challenges to companies across the aftermarket industry, but there was plenty of appetite for optimism in Hall 5.1 too. As Jan Hagemann explained, even retaining a place in the industry was a positive sign, and many attendees’ thoughts on Saturday turned to the best way to keep that foothold. The answer: Collaboration.

Milan Banjac, CEO of Romanian company TIN Factory, who was attending the show as a visitor, spoke urgently to The Recycler about the need for companies of the aftermarket to learn from each other in the future: “We must make this an exchange of information,” he said of the Remanexpo show. “Networking is really important!”

“We hope for more networking with our colleagues in Europe,” Banjac continued. “We are not so much competitors, in our profession, as colleagues, and we all have the same technical programme, technical challenges, and challenges from the OEMs.”

“It’s never good to see your suppliers close their doors,” he added, echoing Hagemann’s earlier comments. “It’s a sign that your field is no longer so good.”

The importance and value of collaboration was also illustrated today during The Recycler Live Frankfurt Seminars, which opened with ETIRA President David Connett taking an in-depth look ‘Inside Remanufacturing’, and at the state of the industry in 2019.

Speaking to a packed audience, Connett examined the contrasting market shares for OEM cartridges compared to remanufactured and aftermarket cartridges, emphasising which direction companies should be looking in in order to increase their own slice of the market.

Collaboration and networking of a slightly different kind was also a popular topic throughout Day One’s seminars, with wta Carsten Weser’s Zoltan Matyas explaining the benefits of social media, digital marketing, and online value content. Looking at social media platforms large and small from all around the world, Matyas educated the audience in how to make the most of their web presence, and publicise their companies’ work.

The Recycler’s Owen Collins’ seminar dealt with similar themes, offering tips and advice on writing a press release that would make readers sit up and take notice, whilst Lightwords Director Peter Mayhew examined the possibilities of desktop market research, and how to take advantage of Google – and beyond – in accessing reams of information to help shape your business.

After such a positive first day, Sunday will see a continuation of both the upbeat atmosphere, and the seminar programme, with a line-up including ETIRA Secretary General Vincent Van Dijk, who will provide the latest update from the EU agenda and the European market in ‘The Brussels Beat’, and Delacamp COO Volker Kappius, examining the latest developments and trends in the world of toner technology. Day Two also sees IIMAK’s Hasan Bagli discuss the ‘Prospering Evolvement of Inkjet Technology’, with further talks also scheduled from David Connett and Owen Collins.

The second day concludes with the much-anticipated ceremony to reveal the winners of The Recycler Awards 2019, where multiple companies will go head-to-head to be crowned Remanufacturer of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Collector of the Year, and Reseller of the Year. Other awards will honour the aftermarket’s finest Rising Star, Customer Service, and Marketing Campaigns. Voting takes place here, and closes at midnight on Saturday, so if you’ve not yet had your say, you’d better be quick!

To stay up-to-date on all that is happening at Remanexpo and Paperworld, visit therecycler.com, or click here for a full seminar schedule, as well as exhibitor list, and speaker profiles.

 

Categories : World Focus

Tags : Messe Frankfurt Paperworld 2019 Remanexpo The Recycler Live Seminars