Promosalons Nigeria, official representative of Promosalons France, recently organised a trade mission of Nigerian firms to this year‘s Silmo Trade Show, between September 26 and 29, 2014, in Paris, France.
The international optics and eyewear trade show in Paris drew to a close in an undoubtedly positive atmosphere. At the end of the show, it was clear that business volume was strong, despite an economic climate characterised by a great many international and geopolitical tensions along with the regulatory uncertainty affecting the industry in France.
However, the strike action embarked on by Air France pilots certainly did not affect both French and international visitors, meaning that the number of professionals attending remained very stable, at 33,301 precisely (56% from abroad, 44% from France).
The Nigerian delegation of 52 firms that took part in the show was organised in conjunction with the Nigerian Optometric Association. The delegation was led by Akin Akinbola, managing director/CEO, Promosalons Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon.
According to some participants, the 2014 gathering proved once again that Silmo Paris is the keynote event to launch new brands (very high numbers this year), discover new companies from all over the world (more than 150 out of a total of 900 exhibitors) and capture the latest trends, courtesy of various forecasting tools (Happy Colour, Fashion Style, Mo by Silmo, etc.).
It also offered an opportunity to appreciate the creative energy displayed by exhibitors, who took advantage of this international springboard to unveil innovative products and attractive collections, Akinbola said.
Another important component of the exhibition was health and training for opticians, delivered via the Silmo Academy. At the over the two-day event, participants debated and exchanged views on the subject of eye strain. This has become an extremely well-coordinated symposium enhanced by a number of technical workshops, which were greatly appreciated and well attended by opticians, a participant said.
