Messe Frankfurt and nmedia Launch Nextrade
Furniture World News Desk on
6/28/2019
Nextrade is a new digital ordering and data management system for suppliers and retailers.
Messe Frankfurt rand nmedia ecently announced that the pilot version of Nextrade, the digital marketplace for the consumer goods industry in the B2B sector, is now online. It is due to go live for retailers in the coming weeks. Suppliers using the system include brands already in the nmedia portfolio, such as Asa, Blomus, Gefu, Koziol, Leonardo and Robbe & Berking, as well as many well-known new customers – with major players such as Berghoff, Butlers, Gilde, Hoff, Kaheku, Städter and Wenko also onboard. “Since announcing Nextrade in February 2019, this launch is the first major milestone in establishing a central ordering platform for the German and international Home & Living sector. Within just a few months, and thanks to close cooperation with our shareholders, we have already convinced a large number of existing and new customers to join Nextrade and actively integrated them into our system. With 60,000 articles currently available in the system, we are well on track – and that within just three months of starting the project”, says Nicolaus Gedat, CEO of nmedia, market leader in the EDI Home & Living sector.
Year-round forum for retailers and suppliers
Messe Frankfurt is a marketing partner for national and international sales. With this platform, the largest player in the German trade fair industry is launching a format that creates new channels for matching supply and demand at a time of enormous consolidation in the retail sector. For retailers, it eliminates the need to manually place orders with individual suppliers – saving time, money and resources. “Digital alternatives offer users even greater freedom to dedicate their trade fair meetings to developing strong networks and identifying new products that enhance their product range. Extending the window for time-consuming order processes to any time of the day or night is extremely helpful here. The launch of this platform makes us the first trade fair organiser to tap this potential and we are working together with strong partners to shape the digital transformation of the industry,” says Philipp Ferger, Group Show Director of Tendence and Nordstil, and Managing Director of nmedia.
Suppliers: Unique look & feel on a standard platform
Each supplier is free to design their own shop to reflect the look & feel of their brand with independent rights management and price setting – including upload of product images, videos, product descriptions and other marketing documents. “With Nextrade, we have finally found the concept that enables us to use the opportunities of digitisation for our brand”, says Oliver Kleine, Managing Director of Leonardo. In addition, the marketplace can integrate trading partners who are difficult to contact via trade fairs or distribution partners. “Nextrade is making our world more integrated. The platform is a great opportunity for our brand”, says Philip C. Köllner, Managing Director of the manufacturer Wenko, which operates in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry and living sector. By setting up their own brand shop, suppliers can also integrate retailers via a central interface and organise pooled sales for greater efficiency and lower costs with just a few clicks. “We needed to find a faster way to present our innovations at the POS – Nextrade is the solution,” says Florian Berger, owner of Donkey Products.
About Messe Frankfurt: Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With more than 2,500 employees at 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €718 million. We have close ties with our industry sectors and serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of the Group’s key USPs is its closely knit global sales network, which extends throughout the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent). For more information, visit www.messefrankfurt.com.