Clearview National January 2019 - Issue 206 | Page 38

PROUD SPONSOR OF DOORS & WINDOWS
DOORS&WINDOWS
Best in show
With 26 years at the helm of Wintech
Testing & Certification, MD Gailord Orlaf
Nepp has been to his fair share of trade
shows, expos, and exhibitions. But, one
event held in Munich this month, will
always be his favourite, and even though
it started three years before he was born,
here he explains exclusively to Clearview
why BAU is always best for him…
Clearview: Could you give
a brief explanation of BAU
for anyone who hasn’t heard
of it or been to it before?
Gailord: BAU, Europe’s
Leading Trade Fair for
Architecture, Materials and
Systems, sets standards and
is generally considered to be
the industry’s most important
gathering. The show is held every
two years in Munich, Germany
and is now a six day event. The
first exhibition was in 1964, three
years before I was born.
Why are you looking
forward to this show?
It’s a chance to speak to most
of our customers and potential
customers in one place; great
for business and networking.
Whether its Curtain Walling
Systems, Window & Door
Systems or Rainscreen and
Cladding Systems Wintech’s ‘fit’
with the show is perfect both in
terms of Testing & Certification
services we offer.
What other shows and
expos do you go to and
how do they compare?
In terms of size and range
of exhibitors there isn’t really a
comparable show in the UK. The
FIT show has given the industry
a real boost since its inception.
UK Construction Week and the
Roofing, Cladding & Insulation
(RCI) Show at the Ricoh Arena
are also becoming more relevant
to Wintech and the industry as a
whole.
Why do you think expos
and shows are important
in this industry?
Shows and exhibitions are
great platforms for companies
to launch new and innovative
products; which will always
require testing and certification
to ensure they are fit for purpose
prior to public viewing. From a
Wintech perspective the build-up
period to the larger shows and
exhibitions can lead to an increase
in business vis-à-vis this vital
testing and certification.
Have shows changed over
the years and if so how
(for better or worse)?
Without question shows and
exhibitions have changed over
the years; digital media and
technology has made a huge
difference to the products, the
venues and the exhibition stands
themselves. Graphic design and
lighting have changed immensely
just in the last few years and
the build up to shows and
exhibitions on forums such as
LinkedIn and Twitter make you
want to feel a part of the buzz
they help create.
38 » JAN 2019 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
‘liaison and
communication
with our customer
base in the months
prior to exhibitions
is critical’
How does being a
visitor compare to
being an exhibitor?
Although Wintech will be
exhibiting at the FIT Show this
May (Stand H3), from my own
perspective, I prefer to be a visitor,
I call it ‘walking the grid’ and use
the opportunity to speak to as
many people as I can about what
Wintech Testing & Certification
can offer the industry. It’s great
for renewing old acquaintances
and meeting new contacts; and
my coffee consumption goes up
tenfold.
What will you most be
interested in seeing at
BAU in January 2019?
As British adopted German
National, I have lived in the UK
for over 25 years now, so I will be
looking forward to German beer
and Bratwurst!
How much of an influence
do shows - BAU in
particular - have on your
business decisions?
2019 is going to be a busy year
for shows and exhibitions with
BAU 2019, the RCI Exhibition
and the FIT Show to name a few.
I have to make sure that my diary
is up-to-date without any clashes
so I can make the most them,
especially those with international
travel. From a business perspective
liaison and communication
with our customer base in the
months prior to exhibitions is
critical, often the research and
development phases prior to the
exhibitions is when Wintech can
be of the most assistance.
What’s the best thing
you’ve seen at a show/
best decision you’ve made
after being at a show?
I touched on this briefly before,
but purely from my own – just
being there – seems to work for
me personally. I understand that
as a company Wintech Testing &
Certification does need the right
type of exposure, hence the reason
we’ll be at FIT, but even there
I will ‘walk the grid’; using our
stand at H3 as a base.