Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM FEBRUARY 2026 22 T he feedback on the quality of the conversations and contacts was positive overall, with participants commenting that many concrete business prospects and even signed deals resulted from the productive discussions. The companies attending the event on the visitor side included names such as ALDI, Alliance Verband, Amazon, BDSK Handel, Einrichtungshaus Ostermann, Einrichtungs-partnerring VME, Europa Möbel Verbund, GARANT Holding, Hans Segmüller Polstermöbelfabrik, IKEA, IMG Group, Krieger Gruppe, Möbel Boss, Next, POCO, porta, Westwing, XXXLutz und Zurbrüggen Wohn-Zentrum. The largest visitor groups in Europe came from Belgium, France, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. "Cologne is the ideal location for a trade fair for us: excellent transport connections and an attractive venue for our global customers. Deciding to participate in imm cologne in 2026 was definitely the right move for us: We've established valuable new international business contacts," said Fritz Bleilinger, sales manager for the German-speaking region at Man Wah. Nermin Terzic, sales director at Rattan Sedia, added: "We're very satisfied with the visitor numbers and the excellent responses from buyers. We hope that Bosnian-made products will continue to expand their presence and successfully establish themselves on the international market on a sustainable footing." MARKET-READY FURNITURE FROM 28 COUNTRIES imm cologne 2026 was deliberately designed to respond to current market realities: Changes in supplier relationships, revised sourcing strategies, and the growing importance of international procurement markets are currently shaping the industry landscape. According to the official German foreign trade statistics, imports now account for approximately 60 per cent of the German furniture market. Particularly rapid growth has been recorded in imports from China, which rose to 2.4 billion euros between January and September 2025. Around 30 per cent of German furniture imports now come from China. The line-up of exhibitors at imm cologne reflected these developments with a strong international presence: companies from 28 countries, including manufacturers, distributors, and OEM specialists, presented market-ready solutions covering price points from the entry level to the mid-range segment. Suppliers from Asia were particularly well represented, with China emerging as the clear leader with 252 exhibitors. To further broaden the spectrum of offerings, country pavilions presented joint appearances by national brands from Bosnia- Herzegovina, Brazil, Japan, Romania, Taiwan, and Turkey. A FORUM FOR NETWORKING Alongside its clear B2B focus, imm cologne also fostered conversations and exchanges of ideas. On the first day of the trade fair, exhibitors, trade IMM COLOGNE 2026

• Cover