LLUIS GALLEGO IBERTOY PRESIDENT

IBERTOY is a business platform, the easier and cheaper.

Ibertoy, Professional Toy Fair, that will gather next March in Barcelona more than 300 exhibiting brands, wants to make of this unique sector event in Spain in a mirror of the market trends. Lluis Gallego, president of the Fair to be held at the International Convention Centre of Barcelona (CCIB) believes that more than 3000 square meters of exhibition will capture the interest of some 2,000 entrepreneurs and professionals from all segments of the Toy and Child Product.



SCT. - This 2014 Ibertoys edition is the first since it was decided to postpone the 2013 to start with best foundation. Was it a wise decision?



Lluis Gallego.- Yeah, no doubt. We had a very tight schedule and we started the communication of the event in late December ... Although we had exhibitors for a first edition, we thought the smartest thing was to open a parenthesis and give us more time to all: organization, exhibitors and visitors. The result is a 1st edition with multiple parallel activities which has attracted interest from all retail sectors represented and gives exhibitors of IBERTOY the real possibility of doing business and more diffusion and impacts at professional and end-customer level.



SCT. - It's said that fairs are an excellent barometer of the economic situation of a sector. The children and young toy world practically lives of peaks campaigns such as the recent Christmas. Will we see in Ibertoy trends and developments for the coming seasons?



Ll.G. - Yes, March is a great month to IBERTOY exhibitors to show its customers and prospects what are their latest news for this 2014. Judging by how it went last Christmas campaign we can only be optimistic about what will be in IBERTOY. The toy industry has finally managed to reverse the trajectory of falling sales in recent years and it seems that 2013 will close with a moderate increase compared to 2012.



SCT. - Ibertoy is held after the two large international fairs, which are reference to the majors, and that is becoming ever more difficult the access of small and medium manufacturers. I understand that Ibertoy is the opportunity for those who are outside of Asian and German windows?



Ll.G. - Yes, some Spanish companies have significant foreign component and many other try. It is a good approach, and this requires being in international trade shows, especially in Nuremberg. Unfortunately, not all professionals in our industry can afford to go to Nuremberg every year. In addition to all these companies the Iberian market is its main market that should take care and work hard every day to improve their market share. Special mention is the large number of toy distribution companies operating in the domestic market. For some and for others IBERTOY is a business platform, the easier and cheaper. Let Nuremberg to meet foreign sales and use IBERTOY to attend the most relevant domestic market.



SCT. - Ibertoy is a bid to the recovery of a gap of more than eight years in this type of events, clearly focused on the Spanish market, or would be understood as a stone to lay the foundations for a Mediterranean Arc or International Toy Fair?



Ll.G. - We are working to raise awareness of IBERTOY in international markets, especially Europe, North Africa and Latin America. We know the Spanish product is valued internationally, and partnering with Barcelona also see it in that sense because Barcelona is a very powerful internationally brand and can open many doors.



SCT. - The disappeared Toy Fair in Valencia was the victim of progressive offshoring manufacturing exodus to Asian production. Today we attended the incessant return and recovery of activity in the same place they left, the Alicante area, known as Toy Valley. Can we see this growth in the Fair?



Ll.G. - The relocation of toy production in Spain is another good industry news that matches with the birth of IBERTOY. At the fair we will have representation of toy brands of Valencia and expect all the companies of the Toy Valley decidedly bet and use the IBERTOY platform to do business in Spain but also to project itself internationally.



SCT. - Most toys and children's products are items that the small trader and the consumer know through digital media, and even for last to purchase on-line. We have lost direct contact with the manufacturer, human relations in transactions. Can Ibertoy recover the interest in contacts between manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers?



Ll.G. - It is true that today, thanks to technology there are many options of customer - supplier relationship, the digital marketing is also increasingly important and enterprises spend more resources. These trends are there, but the personal and business relationship in marketing action remains in fair marketing and valued by marketers and also buyers and retailers. We know that a fair offering only product would have no much sense in 2014 and IBERTOY goes far beyond: a cycle of conferences oriented to the retail, the Ibertoy Awards for the best toys of the year in 6 different categories and parallel Workshops outside the CCIB, PARTY IBERTOY, where brands do marketing with the consumer, family and children, through play activities. In addition we cover our exhibitors generating media impacts of all kinds and of course in social networks.



SCT -. Ibertoy comes as a trade show, but the general public will have access to the Fair? Is there an age limit?



Ll.G. - Entrance to IBERTOY is restricted to professionals and entrepreneurs in the fields of toy, child care, stationery, children's gifts, etc ... thus facilitate exhibitors and trade visitors can interact, network and do business in a peaceful atmosphere.

Outside the grounds of CCIB took place the IBERTOY PARTY, a party for children and their families and an opportunity for brands and companies to make engagement with his audience.



SCT. - Barcelona hosted for a few seasons a Hobby Fair that in the boom years was home to most manufacturers in this segment of the toy. Can Ibertoy retrieve this market niche that he is orphan of a major annual event?



Ll.G. - IBERTOY on his Trade Show or PARTY IBERTOY has its doors open to all companies that sell toys and games and of course we would love companies and hobby fans that see IBERTOY as the most appropriate event for their promotion.



SCT. - In Spain there is an Association of Toy Manufacturers, AEFJ, with over 50 years of existence in which are part large exporters thanks to agreements with ICEX, IVEX and promoting the brand "Toys from Spain ". Has been decisive the support of AEFJ to get together this wide range of exhibitors?



Ll.G. - When we decided to organize the IBERTOY we get in contact with AEFJ and offered to participate in this project, which should be an essential event for professionals, a unique event for all companies operating in his Association, but also manufacturers and multinational distributors, international brands, auxiliary industry, entrepreneurs, inventors, etc, …

Unfortunately ... AEFJ has not participated in the first edition, but they know they have IBERTOY doors open for the future editions. We hope the Spanish Association of Toy Manufacturers know see in the near future that IBERTOY can offer opportunities to toy companies and their partners in particular.



SCT.- SlotCar Today is the mirror of the slot industry. That game known by the generic “scalextric” name, entering in the child's environment as a toy and that grows to become a hobby. Large manufacturers of this game have been diversifying its portfolio into the toy world expanding business opportunities. Will we see in Ibertoy representatives of this toy segment?



Ll.G. - Well, we thank CARRERA the help for the production of the promotional video of the 1st edition of IBERTOY and although it is not yet confirmed hope to see SCX as an exhibitor of this first edition, it would be a good example of slot sector in our country.