ISH – International Trade Fair for Building and Energy Technology and The Bathroom Experience – in Frankfurt/Main from 25 to 29 March 2003

All of the world's leading trade fairs have one thing in common: as soon as visitors pass through the entrance turnstile, they enter a completely different world: anticipation and expectation make the heart beat faster when they dive into the flood of people from all over the world who hurry up and down the aisles and from one hall to the other. In many cases, however, visitors get the worrying feeling that they will not be able to see everything they want to.

Experienced visitors know the solution: detailed preparations. For visitors to the ISH in Frankfurt from 25 to 29 March 2003, the main question is: who and what can I find where and how can I get to them quickly?

The four major sections of the fair provide an initial orientation aid. Anyone interested in heat, for instance, is on the right track by going to Halls 8 to 10: at the 'Forum for Building and Energy Technology', they will find around 900 exhibitors, approximately 50 percent of them from Germany and 50 percent from outside. The companies represented here include Buderus, Viessmann, Vaillant, Max Weishaupt and Riello in Hall 8. Robert Bosch and Selkirk in Hall 9.0; Grundfos, KSB, Schüco and Wilo in Hall 9.1 and Austroflamm, Spartherm and Wodtke in Hall 9.2. This range of exhibits is supplemented by products from companies such as Danfoss and Honeywell in Hall 10.1, as it is in Hall 10.2 by Landis & Staefa, Testo and Kieback & Peter.

The air-conditioning and ventilation industry presents its products under the name 'Aircontec' in Halls 5.1 and 6.2. In other words, air-conditioning and ventilation products are in the immediate vicinity of heating and installation technology. Taking part on the exhibitor side are 136 companies from Germany and 88 from abroad. They include GEA Happel Klimatechnik, ebm Werke and EMCO Klima in Hall 5.1 and, for instance, Messrs. Systemair, Schrag and Limot in Hall 6.2.

The 'World of Installation Technology' comprises around 642 companies – 260 of them from Germany and 202 international firms, in Halls 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 6.1 and 6.3. They form the spatial and thematic link between heating, air-conditioning and sanitation. In Hall 5.0, for example, visitors will find Uponor Rohrsysteme, Roth Werke and Georg Fischer Rohrleitungssysteme. In Hall 6.0, the exhibitors include Mapress, FRIATEC and Wieland-Werke. Above them in Hall 6.1 are REHAU, remo and Tyco Building Services while, in Hall 6.3, the list of firms showing their products includes Rothenberger, REMS-Werk and Adolf Würth.

People wanting to visit 'The Bathroom Experience' should head to Halls 1 to 4 where they can choose from 521 international and 180 German exhibitors. In Hall 1.1, they will find BWT and Grünbeck. As in recent years, Hall 2 is reserved for presentations by Hansgrohe and Villeroy & Boch while the Forum is the domain of the Masco Group with companies such as Hüppe and damixa. The exhibitors in Hall 3.0 include Nicol and Jacuzzi while Duscholux, KERAMAG, Hoesch and Ideal Standard are based in Hall 3.1. Visitors interested in companies such as GEBERIT, VIEGA and JRG Gunzenhauser need look no further than Hall 4.0 or Hall 4.1 for Grohe Deutschland, Hansa and Dornbracht.

Incidentally, Messe Frankfurt has now made it even easier to visit the fair. Since the beginning of the year, admission tickets entitle holders to use local public transport in the Frankfurt area free of charge (excludes vouchers and the fair shuttle bus), which makes the U-Bahn underground and S-Bahn suburban trains even more attractive. They take visitors either to the City Entrance (U-Bahn) or the 'Torhaus' Entrance (S?Bahn), in the middle of the exhibition centre. Guests who take the fair shuttle-bus or taxi from the airport, or use their own car, arrive at the Galleria entrance. Once they have reached the Exhibition Centre, the moving walkways of the Via Mobile take them quickly and easily from hall to hall. Alternatively, there are shuttle buses running regularly between all halls. At the main entrances, as well as at the entrances to all halls and at junctions, there are 'Compass' information stands where friendly assistants are on hand to advise and help to visitors.

By making careful and individual preparations, visitors should have enough time to benefit from the comprehensive fringe programme with its exhibitions, short lectures and presentations.

And all installation companies wanting to give a complete overview recommend a visit to the fair on the Saturday when the ISH also opens its doors to private visitors: individual tickets cost € 13 each at the box office. For just € 20, however, the whole family can visit the world's biggest sanitation exhibition and find out about everything from swimming-pool and sauna products, not to mention a huge range of tiled stoves and fireplaces, to ultra-modern heating and solar technology.