Cologne Promotional Products Event Targets Asian and Eastern European Suppliers

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 9/5/2005

The Tarsus Group plans to launch the pro-dimex Intl. Direct Import Exhibition for Promotional Products Jan. 19–21, 2006, at Expocentre in Cologne, Germany. Tarsus hopes to attract Asian and Eastern European suppliers of promotional products and services who are interested in reaching the Western European market.

Tarsus expects 150 exhibitors and 3,000 attendees, said Cordelia Hime, the company's public relations manager . Buyers will come from industrial or service companies, wholesalers, advertising agencies, as well as organizations and associations that use promotional products and gift items.

Conference topics will include import regulations (laws, customs rules, insurance, etc.), logistics (via air or sea), payment (pre-payment, letter of credit), failure management and international declarations.

Tarsus said the promotional products industry in Western Europe is worth more than •3 billion ($3.7 billion) each year, and is expected to increase further.

Although pro-dimex may be carving out a niche for itself with its focus on Asian and Eastern European suppliers, it will be entering a crowded European field with no less than 34 annual advertising and marketing exhibitions in Germany alone, according to the m+a Expo-DataBase. These include Messe Duesseldorf's PSI Intl. Exhibition for Advertising Specialties, to be held Jan. 11–13, 2006, a week before pro-dimex.