Euro Trophex reviews from our 2008 show

BIEMANS TROPHY PRODUCTS B.V. from the Netherlands

Besides all of the conversations about the new products offered by exhibitors there was another important subject/question at the show this year:

Will the credit crunch affect the trophy industry and if yes, how?

The person who knows the exact answer to this question is assured of a good position after the dark clouds have gone away. But in general the exact answer is unpredictable. This is (amongst other things) impossible to determine because of the extreme fluctuations in the Euro/US dollar rate, the prices of raw materials and freight costs.

One thing is certain: during and after the credit crunch there will always be a lot of sport taking place and thus there will always be trophies sold and given out.

To conclude we herewith would like to thank Hill Media Ltd for a great and very successful Euro Trophex 2008!

The Biemans Team

Victory from the USA

I must admit that in the days, weeks and months leading up to Euro Trophex I did not have positive feelings that this was going to be a stellar show. The dire economic news coupled with conversations that I had with potential show visitors led me to believe that attendance would be down. Furthermore, I felt that those who would attend would not be in a buying mood.

I was wrong. Like any show, quality trumps quantity any time and there were more than enough quality buyers to make my visit very worthwhile. I was surprised by the amount of countries represented and by the new people I saw. This might not have been the best attended Euro Trophex in history, but I was able to cultivate and renew relationships. To me that is what differentiates a good show from an inferior one, and I definitely give this version of Euro Trophex solid grades for its diverse customer base, the eagerness of the customers to learn about and buy products, and their interest level and enthusiasm.

I have always been of the opinion that any show that provides the intangibles above is a show worth attending and for this reason I will be back. It was great seeing everyone again and kudos to Colin Gallimore and Kylie Gould for taking care of the exhibitors. Once again, Maastricht showed itself to be a beautiful and fun host city and the decent weather helped make it enjoyable. I look forward to attending the next Euro Trophex in 2010, and hope to see all of my friends there as well.