Green, greener, GaLaBau 2016: a trade fair absolutely flourishing

• New: Garten[T]Räume (Garden of Dreams) in Hall 3 A presenting high-quality open space design

• Premiere: Landscape Gardener Cup moving to the Messepark (Exhibition Park)

• Encouraging: internationality continuing to increase

From 14 to 17 September 2016, they will be rolling out the green carpet once again at the exhibition centre Nuremberg. Then GaLaBau will be opening its doors for the 22nd time. Over 1,400 exhibitors along with more than 67,000 trade visitors are expected. For four days, in a total of 13 exhibition halls, international companies will be showing the complete range of products and services covering the planning, construction and maintenance of gardens, parks and green facilities. The honorary sponsor and founding father of GaLaBau is the Bundesverband für Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau (BGL, Federal Landscape Contractors Association). A highlight in 2016: the Garten[T]Räume (Garden of Dreams) feature integrated in the BGL fair stand, over 2,000 square metres in size and presenting fresh impulses from the area of exclusive open space design. The colourful supporting program with further special presentation areas, the practical GaLaBau forum “Planung und Wissen kompakt” (Compact planning and know-how), specialist conferences, award presentations and competitions make GaLaBau Europe’s most important meeting place for the green sector.

Stefan Dittrich, GaLaBau Director Exhibitions, is very satisfied with the fair preparations: “We are now in the middle of organizing the event and are already looking forward to September. Currently, on the exhibitors’ side, we are registering an increase in applications of around 4 percent compared to two years ago. Things are going smoothly also as far as the international development is concerned.” In particular, the exhibitor figures from France (2016: 26; 2014: 14; last update: June 2016), but in general the increase in space on an international level, are grounds for delight. “In addition, the visitors can expect pavilions from Italy, Great Britain and China. This shows us that our endeavours aimed at internationalization are bearing fruit”, Dittrich went on to add. Visitor delegations from France, Italy, Singapore and, for the first time, Great Britain and Scandinavia have also announced they will be participating.

New highlight at GaLaBau 2016: Garten[T]Räume (Garden of Dreams)

For the first time at GaLaBau 2014, the “Individueller Traumgarten” (Individual Dream Garden) special presentation was staged in Hall 3 A. At GaLaBau 2016 this will become the 2,350 square-metre Garten[T]Räume (Garden of Dreams) presentation. “Integrated in the BGL stand, the landscape gardeners’ profession is presenting itself with a large spectrum of its services. On this stand the visitors can also experience outdoor life in its entirety – everything is presented, from the urban look through to semi-public and commercial greenery concepts up to the domestic garden”, explains Karl Esser, Managing Director BGL. Here plants, one of the most important interior-shaping players in the garden, are provided with the corresponding framework ensuring the best possible presentation. A restaurant area is also integrated in the presentation.

New: GaLaBau goes app

At the end of July it will be time: The GaLaBau app will be launched. For all operating systems from iOS 8 and Android 4.0.3, the users can expect practical features for their visit planning. In this connection, for example, a personal watch-list for exhibitors, products and events is a must. Push notifications will provide information about any changes that may affect them. There is also a dynamic hall layout plan for effortless orientation around the exhibition centre. All the contents are available offline at all times and log-in is accessible worldwide – that is to say for web and app. For anyone, who after a long, successful fair day at GaLaBau, has completely forgotten where they have parked the car, help is at hand with the integrated GPS-supported car-finder. Thanks to regular updates, the app users are always right up to date.

Hall 1: playgrounds the focal point

The home of playground equipment and leisure facility manufacturers is once again Hall 1. Here, the approx. total of 100 expected exhibitors are not only showing new products and innovations. There will also again be a special show, organized by the Bundesverband der Spielplatzgeräte- und Freizeitanlagen-Hersteller (BSFH, Federal Association of Playground Equipment and Leisure Facility Manufacturers) on its stand. In 2016, the theme is “Bewegung im Park” (Exercise in the Park). Here, together with the supporting specialist presentations in the BSFH Forum on the second day of the fair, representatives from cities and local authorities will provide ideas and suggestions on the design of exercise areas in parks.

In 2016, the BSFH Forum is once again integrated in the GaLaBau practical forum. Here, on the first and third day of the fair, renowned landscape architects and employees of research institutes will be delivering short presentations and providing inspiration for discussions.

Everything for golf course managers and green keepers

Embedded in the exhibition halls at GaLaBau, greenkeepers, managers and golf course operators will find not only lawn-care machinery and equipment, but also grass seeds, substrates and innovative watering systems. The heart and central meeting place is once again the “Meeting Point Golf” in Hall 4A comprising around 20 exhibitors. Here, small and medium-sized companies along with newcomers, who are specialists in the construction, maintenance and management of golf courses, will be presenting themselves. In addition, all the German golf associations supporting this event are represented. An overview of all exhibitors and products connected with the golf theme is available on the Internet at www.galabau-messe.com/exhibitors-products. There will be sporting action at the Golf Business Cup, which will be held on 14 September 2016 at Lauterhofen Golf Club (www.gc-lauterhofen.de) in cooperation with German golf associations and NürnbergMesse GmbH. On 15 and 16 September, parallel to the fair, the Golf Congress will take place in the NCC Ost. It will attract numerous managers and golf course operators to Nuremberg. In addition to the specialist information, the focus will be on networking between the participants. The sector can also engage in optimum networking at the Get-together Golf on the second day of the fair from 18.00 (Meeting Point).

Presented for the fourth time: Baumpflege LIVE (Tree Care LIVE) in Hall 3A

In order to maintain healthy trees, specialist and thorough care is absolutely essential. Professional tree climbers along with those interested in this theme have also been catered for at GaLaBau. The Baumpflege LIVE (Tree Care LIVE presentation will be held on a larger scale in 2016 and is totally dedicated to the requirements of trees. Here, sector experts from various companies will be providing tips and suggestions in their specialist presentations, showing new products and innovations and be on hand to answer questions. In addition, the very practically-orientated special show sing a special frame or rig, serving as an artificial tree, will be presenting tried-and-tested work techniques. Visitors will have the opportunity to get actively involved themselves under professional guidance.

New: Landscape Gardener Cup now held in the open air

GaLaBau is not only a comprehensive product exhibition, it also offers diverse supporting programs organized by the BGL. In this context, a key component of the fair business and activities is the Landscape Gardener Cup. For the first time, the nationwide, vocational competition on 15 and 16 September will attract the best landscape gardening trainees from all the German federal states (Länder) to the Messepark (Exhibition Park) in circus-like tents with the aim of putting their specialist know-how to the test. They all want to become the “Deutsche Meisterteam” (German Master Team), which will then be eligible to participate in the 2017 World Championships in Abu Dhabi. In addition, the GaLaBau young talent will come together once again in 2016 at the GALABAU CAMP in Hall 3.

New: all award presentations in the BGL Forum in Hall 3 A

For the first time, all award presentations will be held on the newly designed BGL stand in Hall 3A. In addition to the Innovation Medal, the ELCA Trend Award and the Silver Pin of Honour, the presentation of the Husqvarna Award at GaLaBau 2016 will be celebrating its premiere. The award is bestowed in recognition of successful green concepts in cities and municipalities by “Die Grüne Stadt” (Green City) Foundation, Chairman Peter Menke. The preceding competition is aimed at publicizing attractive and sustainable concepts for green planning, maintenance and further development and at motivating local authorities and greenery managers to implement creative concepts.

The award presentations schedule in the BGL Forum:

Wed, 14.09.2016, 12:30: GaLaBau Innovation Medal

Wed, 14.09.2016, 13:30: ELCA Trend Award presentation

Thurs,15.09.2016, 12:00: Silver Pin of Honour

Fri, 16.09.2016, 13:15: Husqvarna Award presentation