Besides Germany, the top exhibiting countries are Italy, China, Spain and Turkey. But there are also some exhibitors from France, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and South Korea. The format will be supplemented by hybrid fringe events that will be streamed digitally online on the R+T platform as well as held on site in Stuttgart. “With the R+T digital, we want to give our exhibitors and partners access to our worldwide visitor network, so that the new products developed for 2021 can be presented in detail within this framework. This is our overriding goal for the R+T digital. For this reason, the presentation of the R+T Innovation Award is at the heart of the event concept,” says Sebastian Schmid, Head of the Technology department at the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre. “Digital event formats will not and cannot replace live fairs. The R+T is and remains the highlight event in the RDS industry. With the R+T digital, we have developed a new format to complement the physical gathering at the R+T 2022 in Stuttgart, with the aim of bringing the industry together virtually as early as 2021.”
Photo: Stuttgart exhibition centre
Platform based on three pillars
Will everything be different or is much already known? The concept of the R+T remains the same: Exhibitors present their new products to the international trade fair visitors
while a varied programme of presentations will create knowledge transfer. In addition, the industry can exchange information and network online. The platform for the R+T digital is based precisely on these pillars:
The Expo Area is home to the exhibitor showroom, which is divided into different product categories. In the respective theme halls, visitors can get an overview of the diverse innovations and new products in the industry at virtual trade fair booths, for example with information materials available for download, detailed product videos or, in the case of premium participations, with their own workshops or live lectures. In addition, exhibitors can contact visitors directly via text or video chat.
Moreover, there will be an Exhibitor Forum on the platform. Here, exhibitors can post 15-minute web sessions in which visitors can find out about new products and the current global market situation.
In the Conference Area, specialist presentations will be broadcast live throughout the event with reference to current key topics in the industry (gastronomy, innovations, building trade, architecture), most of which will be implemented as hybrid events. This enables participants to follow the conference programme live from anywhere in the world – without necessarily having to be on site.
Even after the live event from 22 to 25 February 2021, the entire platform of the R+T digital, including the exhibitor booths and the programme of presentations, will be available for another year – until the R+T 2022.
Photo: Stuttgart exhibition centre
Extensive supporting programme for the R+T digital
In the live period of the R+T digital from 22 to 25 February 2021, visitors will be offered an extensive supporting programme. On each live day, visitors to the platform can watch interesting live presentations on the various key topics of gastronomy, innovations, building trade and architecture, and ask questions interactively via chat. Anyone who has missed a presentation can still access it afterwards as an on-demand video.
Gastronomy Day
The R+T digital starts on Monday, 22 February 2021, with the Gastronomy Day under the already proven motto “R+T meets INTERGASTRA”. This is where various representatives of the two leading trade fairs from the gastronomy, hotel and craft sectors come together. In a large panel discussion at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m., renowned experts will exchange views on the topic of “Great opportunities for outdoor gastronomy – concepts and solutions with sun and weather protection” regarding current challenges and trends in the outdoor gastronomy sector.
During the course of the first day of the event, representatives of leading manufacturer brands, such as Bahama, BikaTec, Corradi, HELLA, LEINER, markilux, Schirmherrschaft, SHADESIGN, TERRASSENPROFIS and WAREMA, will also present their sun and weather protection solutions and planning strategies to the R+T digital audience: From slatted roofs, pergolas, awnings, sun protection and sails to accessories such as wind protection or heaters, visitors will get a full overview of what makes outdoor catering as practical and comfortable as possible, whatever the weather.
Photo: Stuttgart exhibition centre
R+T Innovation Award 2021
In parallel to this, on 22 February 2021, both the final judging and the official award ceremony of the R+T Innovation Award will take place. In the morning, all 18 jury members will meet behind closed doors to choose the winners of the R+T Innovation Award 2021 from the 38 nominations from 10 countries. For the first time, the nominated products will be presented to the jury in the form of video presentations – and not live on site as before. The Innovation Award winners will be selected in a total of eleven categories. In addition, the jury can award various special prizes. This year, for the first time, the jury also has the option of awarding several prizes (gold, silver, bronze) per category. In the evening from 6:30 onwards, the official award ceremony of the R+T Innovation Award will take place, and will be broadcast live via the R+T digital platform. This means that, for the first time, visitors will also be able to watch the award ceremony.
Photo: Stuttgart exhibition centre
Photo: Corradi
Photo: ASO
Photo: Heroal
Photo: Deceuninck
Innovation Day
On the Day of Innovations (23 February 2021), all the winners of the R+T Innovation Award will be presented digitally throughout the day in the Conference Area of the R+T. Short presentations will give visitors an overview of the award-winning products in the eleven categories. In addition, you will find all the nominated and award-winning exhibitors of the R+T Innovation Award gathered together in the Innovations Theme Hall. The winners will be identified there accordingly.
Building Trade Day - Torforum for gates
On Wednesday, 24 February 2021, during the morning (from 9until about 2p.m., the Torforum for gates, which has already proven its worth at the R+T, will take place. For this edition, the associations BVT – Gates Association, Federal Association for Drive and Control Technology. Gates (BAS.T), the Professional Association for Door Automation (FTA) and ift Rosenheim will jointly organise the programme of preparations at the R+T digital. In short presentations and discussion rounds, association representatives and experts dealt with current trends and technical developments in the industry. This forum offers valuable and versatile insights into the topic of gates and automatic doors.
Building Trade Day – Smart Home Forum
The R+T Smart Home Forum is already familiar from the previous physical edition of the world’s leading trade fair in Stuttgart. At the R+T digital, this will now be held on the Building Trade Day. Exciting presentations and discussion rounds on this day will enable visitors to gain a comprehensive overview of the many possibilities and advantages of Smart Home. This year’s Smart Home Forum partners are BECKER, Cherubini, elero (Sun Shading Solutions), HELLA, Rademacher, Somfy and WAREMA. Between the presentations of the partners, there will also be a podium discussion at 230 p.m. and 5p.m. with interesting experts on the topic of “Connected life, living and working – opportunities for the building trade”.
Architecture Day
On the Architecture Day (25 February 2021), the ARCHIKON – State Congress for Architecture and Urban Development – will be broadcast live as a full-day online congress on the R+T digital platform. This is organised by the Institute for Further Education in the Building Trade of the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Architects in cooperation with the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre. Under the title “Rethinking our country”, various representatives from the fields of architecture, urban planning, politics and business will meet and exchange views on current topics, mainly in the field of land use planning. The ARCHIKON will be opened in the morning at 10:00 p.m.with a political debate involving the top candidates for the upcoming state elections in Baden-Württemberg. This will be broadcast live on the R+T digital platform in the Conference Area. “We are pleased to have competent partners at our side in the Baden-Württemberg Chamber of Architects and the Institute for Further Education in the Building Trade (IFBau), who will support us with their expertise and networking,” says Sebastian Schmid.
R+T Alliance Forum
In addition, an English-language conference programme will be broadcast live over all four days at the R+T Alliance booth, which is prominently located in the R+T digital foyer. Here, the current trends, developments and challenges that the international R+T markets are continuously facing will be presented and discussed. On 23 February 2021, for example, the “Discover Italy Forum” invites German architects and specialist dealers to discover the latest developments from a total of 54 Italian exhibitors. The Stuttgart Exhibition Centre is supported in this by long-standing, international partner associations from the sun protection and door industry. In addition, detailed information on the R+T Alliance trade fairs is available at this booth: R+T Asia, R+T Turkey, APAExpo by R+T, Sun Shading Expo North America, OUTDOOR. AMBIENTE. LIVING. and the R+T in Stuttgart.
Opinions on the R+T digital
Dr. Theresa Schöne, Marketing Manager at heroal, confirms the concept of the R+T digital: “Participation in the R+T – whether as a face-to-face event or in digital form – was never out of the question for us. As an important industry get-together, the R+T offers us the ideal opportunity to present new approaches with regard to our product portfolio and our range of services. As a solution provider in the field of sun protection, we are looking forward to presenting innovative new products from this product area in February 2021 and to exchanging ideas with our customers and interested parties on this subject.”
Helmut Friedrich, Managing Director of ASO GmbH Antriebs- und Steuerungstechnik, is also convinced by the R+T digital: “From our point of view as a component manufacturer, the importance of the R+T is also high on a digital level, which is why taking part represents a no-brainer question for ASO Safety Solutions. People should not be kept waiting long for a real-time perception of current market movements and equally that of our innovations.” Christian Dietl, Head of Technology for the German speaking countries (DACH) at Deceuninck Germany, shares this view: “Our new PROtex 2.0 product is now available. Therefore
we don’t want to wait until the R+T 2022 to present it to a wide audience. We want to show a digital presence at R+T and cultivate regular customer relationships, but we also clearly want to make new contacts.”
Sully Briskomatis, Marketing & Communication Manager at the Italian outdoor manufacturer Corradi, also emphasises the importance of the world’s leading trade fair: “The R+T has always been one of the most important international trade fairs and we
trust that the digital edition will also give us new inspirations. The past year has presented us all with new challenges and made us rethink, so we believe that people are ready for a digital fair and can benefit from the many opportunities offered by new technologies.”
About the R+T digital
The R+T digital will take place from 22 to 25 February 2021 for the first time. On the platform www.rt-expo.digital, the industry can network in virtual space and present product innovations to a worldwide trade audience. The centrepiece is the R+T Innovation Award. In addition, other key topics such as gastronomy, innovations, the building trade and architecture will be addressed. After the R+T digital, the presented contents will be available online for 365 days until the next R+T.
