Cruise Ship Interiors Expo 2023: Continental’s Stand Concept a Complete Success
At the end of November, the industry came together at the Cruise Ship Interiors Expo (CSIE) in London – the international trade fair for cruise ship interiors – to present the latest products for this demanding segment. Continental was also on site and stood out not only with its stand concept, but also with sustainable materials.
More than 200 market-leading companies took the opportunity on November 29 and 30, 2023 to inform the “Who’s Who” of the cruise industry about the latest product innovations. The all-encompassing topic: sustainability. Surface expert Continental therefore really hit the mark with its trade fair motto “Sustainability starts at the surface.” “The first day of the trade fair was incredibly well attended,” recalls Norbert Müller, Business Manager at Continental and responsible for the “Cruise” segment. “We made numerous valuable new contacts as well as having in-depth conversations with existing customers and partners.”
Large illustration attracts attention
The fact that visitors lingered at the Continental stand was probably also due to the fact that the technology company stood out significantly from its competitors in terms of its stand design and concept - a large-scale illustration of a cruise ship adorned the walls of the stand, attracting attention and wowing the visitors. “We clearly stood out,” was Müller’s assessment.
The focus of the trade fair appearance was on four skai® product innovations that score points with their special comfort, exceptional design and sustainability. Visitors were particularly enthusiastic about skai® Evida Fiber and skai® VyP Coffee. The former is currently the most sustainable material in Continental’s product portfolio since it consists of more than 90% natural and renewable raw materials. skai® VyP Coffee also impressed the trade visitors in terms of sustainability, as coffee grounds are used in the production of this artificial leather. More than 65% of conventional chemical raw materials are replaced by natural and recycled ones.
Visitors get a feel
The “hands-on display” was also particularly well received by visitors, explains Müller. This is a selection of real materials that can be experienced directly by touch. This component in particular also proved to be a complete success for the materials skai® Tovosoft EN and skai® Totexo, as the special features of the two upholstery fabrics – a voluminous feel and exciting textile look – were shown to their best advantage. “The trade fair was a complete success for us,” says Müller, adding that Continental is also likely to take part again in the coming year.