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Statements from the exhibitors of OutdoorClassics 2024

IWA OutdoorClassics Newsroom

17 April 2024 // NürnbergMesse

Exhibitor and expert opinions on the IWA OutdoorClassics 2024

The anniversary edition of IWA OutdoorClassics was a success across the board. The participating companies were particularly positive about the large number of visitors, the high level of internationality and the inspiring atmosphere for dialogue. Read some of the comments from experts and exhibitors at IWA OutdoorClassics 2024 below.

Thomas Kind-Lundt, Management Assistant at AKAH

"We can draw a positive conclusion from IWA OutdoorClassics 2024. We were delighted to register a larger number of visitors to our stand. Although we are still noticing a reluctance to buy, especially in the export business, our worst fears have not materialised. For next year, we are currently toying with the idea of significantly enlarging our stand so that we can present even more of our representatives to the trade public."

Rudolf Alberts, Management Manfred Alberts

"It was once again a great pleasure for us to take part in the leading European exhibition for our industry. Despite all the prophecies of doom in the run-up, the 50th IWA was a complete success! We focussed on the German specialist retail trade. This was confirmed not only by the personal exchange and transfer of information, but also by very good sales. We would like to thank our customers for their numerous visits. Internationally, many of our distributor colleagues also confirmed that IWA is the world's leading exhibition with the best dialogue atmosphere."

Thorsten Kortemeier, Management Noblex E-Optics

"We experienced a significant increase in visitor frequency at the Noblex E-Optics stand compared to previous years. Our expanded product range met with great interest and we are delighted with the positive feedback we received from visitors. We also had the opportunity to hold numerous international meetings with dealers and representatives. The positive atmosphere at the exhibition was palpable, which is good for the industry."

Ralf Müller, Head of Marketing & Sales Krieghoff

"Despite some changes over the last five decades, IWA remains invaluable to Krieghoff. It allows us to meet face-to-face with our long-standing international business partners and maintain relationships. Our participation in the 50th IWA - and we have exhibited at every one - was extremely successful and once again emphasised the importance of this event for our company. Through intensive discussions and productive meetings, we were able to strengthen our partnerships and forge new ones. IWA remains an important cornerstone of our business strategy and we are already looking forward to the coming years of collaboration on this important platform."

Hendrik Ayrus, Management PUMA Knives

"IWA 2024 was a great success for PUMA. We were able to win new international customers and present our products to a wide audience. It was particularly pleasing to win the IWA KNIFE AWARD 2024 for first place in the "Classic" category with our legendary PUMA "White Hunter". It was impressive to see the knifemakers from Solingen jointly dominate the podium in this category and continue the long tradition of quality "made in Solingen". I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Otter-Messer on their second place and Windmühlenmesser on their third place!
We are proud to have been honoured by the IWA as an exhibitor pioneer, as we have been continuously represented at the exhibition for 50 years. In addition to this milestone, we are celebrating our own 255th company anniversary this year, with many surprises. This year's IWA was definitely more than worthy of its 50th anniversary and impressed us with an unprecedented exhibitor party. We look forward to future innovations and partnerships at the upcoming IWA!"

Christopher Mijal, Management Waimex

"After four successful days at IWA OutdoorClassics 2024, we can draw a positive conclusion. In this special year, in which IWA is celebrating its 50th anniversary, the trade fair has once again proven to be an indispensable platform and the beating heart of the hunting and sporting firearms industry. We absolutely cannot understand the recurring discussion as to whether an IWA is still up-to-date. Our stand attracted an impressive number of visitors, which not only underlines the continuing fascination and passion for hunting, shooting sports, optics and outdoor accessories, but also the high level of interest in our latest products and innovations. The response we received was consistently positive and reflects the importance of the IWA as the leading exhibition for our industry."

Bodo Berger, Management Brenneke

"Brenneke congratulates IWA on its 50th anniversary and praises the successful organisation of the world's largest hunting and target sports exhibition. Despite initial scepticism due to the change of location from Hall 7 to Hall 3, participation proved to be successful, with many visitors and new contacts. The trade fair serves Brenneke as a platform for customer interaction and business initiation, right on the doorstep. Although the trade fair costs are high, Brenneke sees the benefits as justified. (...) Despite economic challenges, the company senses positive signals at the IWA, which gives confidence for the future."

Ingo Meinhard, Management Verband Deutscher Büchsenmacher und Waffenfachhändler e.V.

"For the VDB, IWA OutdoorClassics 2024 was one of the best and most successful in the exhition's 50-year history. Firstly, because of the double anniversary this year: 75 years of VDB and 50 years of IWA - there was a lot to celebrate and the trade fair obviously has a knack for stylish celebrations! On the Saturday of IWA, we looked back on 75 years of association activity at our anniversary celebration with 300 invited guests. It was moving to hear how tirelessly the VDB has stood up for the interests of the specialist firearms trade in Germany from the very beginning - since 1949.
At our VDB stand, we were able to experience at first hand how much this commitment is appreciated by our members and supporting members: We were overwhelmed by the number and warmth of around 3,000 visitors, whose thanks for our work confirmed that we are on the right track. These personal encounters and conversations, which were good for all of us, our employees and the Executive Committee, strengthen the sense of community in our industry: that's the IWA spirit!"

Christoph Daim, Knife maker and moderator

"How was IWA 2024? Apart from the fact that I don't have an "overall impression" as I was only in Hall 5 and the BLADE DEMO Area, the atmosphere during IWA seemed very good to me and the anniversary champagne at the reception naturally set the standard. But back to the main focus of the exhibition, Hall 5: Since the BLADE DEMO Area has been established, IWA seems to be developing into one of the most important international meeting places for the industry, not only in Germany, alongside KNIFE in Solingen. Of course, KNIFE is a trade fair for the general public, while the IWA is and will remain a purely B2B event. However, the BLADE Demo Area and the Knife Award have given this hall a new centre which, not least due to the presence of smaller partner companies and numerous knife designers in the "Knife Lounge", enables more encounters and networking than before. The undisputed highlight is the award ceremony, but the varied stage programme is also very well received by manufacturers and visitors."

Stefan Schilling, Management EAW

"As Managing Director of EAW, I would like to express our solidarity and pride in our 50-year partnership with IWA OutdoorClassics. This long-standing co-operation reflects our commitment and passion for the industry and we look forward to the next 50 years. We are extremely pleased with the response to our stand, both in terms of visitor numbers and quality. We are particularly pleased to have welcomed many new international customers to our stand."

Martin Limper, Field Services German Sport Guns

"The anniversary IWA in Nuremberg was a great success for GSG with lots of interesting discussions and great people. The world is our guest and we were able to present attractive innovations in a wide range of areas to our partners."

Dr. Moritz Fehrer, Management Recknagel

"50 years of IWA in (editor's note) Nuremberg is an impressive achievement. IWA OutdoorClassics is our most important exhibition in the calendar year. Every spring, retailers from all over the world meet in Nuremberg to exchange ideas and find out about the latest news. But IWA is so much more, it is also a big family or at least class reunion where we can discuss relevant topics from business, politics and production.
One thing is certain for us, we will be sticking with IWA and we are already looking forward to next year."

Klaus Hoffmann, Management KH Security

"We would like to thank our customers for their numerous visits to the exhibition, their interest in our new products and the orders they placed. We really enjoyed being able to present our complete range at the same location again, especially after the severely restricted years during Covid. (...) We look forward to being back at the same location next year and celebrating our 35th anniversary."

Gerd Walther, Management Lothar Walther

"We were very satisfied with the number of visitors to our stand in Hall 3A at IWA 2024. Even on the last day of the trade fair, which is usually a bit quiet, we still had some interesting discussions. In particular, the calibres in the subsonic range such as 300 AAC or - brand new - .338 Blackout were of interest to many customers from Germany and abroad. Whether gun companies or gunsmiths, almost everyone found their way to our stand and so we were able to take away many new suggestions from the manufacturers and inform our customers about everything new at Lothar Walther. (...)"

Ralf Balzar, Head of Brand Management & Marketing DACH Night Pearl Sport Optics

"The anniversary IWA 2024 was one of the cornerstones of this year's exhibition season. The lively and constructive exchange with old and new international partners is more important than ever for us as part of the global IWA family and was also very successful this year!
Nevertheless, it was also clear that the industry and the trade fair are in a state of flux. We should definitely use the coming months to engage in constructive dialogue together so that IWA can continue to exist successfully for another 50 years!"