COLOGNE, Germany: Global dental companies are showing significant interest in participating in the 2013 International Dental Show (IDS). More than 1,250 companies from over 50 countries have already registered, the organisers announced this week. This means a 13 per cent rise compared with the same period before the previous event.

Preparations for the 35^th IDS are already in full swing nine months before the event. More enquiries and registrations are coming in every day, and national and international interest is higher than it was two years ago. In comparison, currently 18 per cent more foreign and 8 per cent more domestic companies have registered. The halls at the Cologne exhibition centre, with a gross exhibition space of around 145,000 m², are already filling up.

Altogether, more than 1,900 companies from all over the world, including all of the international market leaders, are expected to exhibit their latest products in Cologne from 12 to 16 March 2013.

“This excellent intermediate result already strongly suggests that the International Dental Show’s success story will continue. It impressively underscores the position of IDS as the leading international business and communication platform for the entire dental world. We are especially pleased to note that the trade fair is becoming so well known internationally, considering the difficult economic situation and the euro crisis,” the organisers stated.

The high international interest is evident in the participation of numerous companies from Brazil, China, France, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the USA. The number of exhibitors from France, Italy and Korea has grown particularly. First-time exhibitors from all over the world will also be participating.

By autumn, IDS visitors will be able to obtain information about what will be on show at the event in order to plan their trade fair visit. The online exhibitor search will be accessible on the IDS website, and via an IDS app for iPhone, BlackBerry and other smartphones and tablet computers. The free app will contain the catalogue and guide visitors through the trade fair halls using a navigation system.

By using the Business Matchmaking 365, a communications and business platform, visitors and exhibitors will be able to contact each other directly even before the IDS begins. In the run-up to the event, visitors will be able to use the online schedule planner to send appointment enquiries to exhibitors via e-mail, as well as the online route planner to create an individual plan for their visit.