Rumours on 2009 IFMA Dates Denied

COLOGNE, Germany – At yesterdays ZIV press conference, Cologne Messe officially denied all rumours on changing the dates for the 2009 IFMA. Show Manager Metin Ergül said here that also in 2009 the IFMA will take place in September.

The rumours and discussions on the IFMA 2009 dates were mounting after Messe Cologne announced to have obtained the GamesCom show. That trade show for the computer-gaming industry is to take place in from 9 to 13 September 2009 and is with these dates close to the ones for IFMA. However, IFMA Show Manager Metin Ergül said yesterday: “This new show will not interfere with IFMA because we can easily host both shows at the same time in the Koelnmesse exhibition centre. Next to that we are flexible with the IFMA dates.”

About this year’s IFMA, Ergül said that the show will focus in particular on e-Bikes. “IFMA Cologne 2008 will be the platform for Light Electric Vehicles. It features a significantly expanded exhibition area, a large test track and a new conference programme, including dealer training sessions.”       

IFMA Cologne 2008 will again take place in the new Northern halls of the Koelnmesse from 18 to 21 September. Around 650 exhibitors from 35 countries are expected. The first two days the show is only open for trade visitors. The 2008 IFMA will take place in three halls; 7 and 8 as pure exhibition halls while hall 6 is primarily a location for testing and events.

IFMA’s supporting programme will take place in hall 6 and also for the first time between halls 7 and 8. Four test tracks will feature on this year’s IFMA; an outdoor one for the majority of bikes; as well as one for special bikes. Of course there’s a special test track for LEV’s while there’s also one specially made for kids.

IFMA’s comprehensive supporting programme again features the Bicycle Traffic Conference on the opening day of the fair which is highly popular under mobility officials throughout Germany. Looking at the current bike mobility trend in Europe and on other continents, this Conference will surely again be very busy. And with that success, there’s talk that IFMA should consider to turn this into an International Bicycle Traffic Conference.