Full aisles and a superb atmosphere in Cologne

Pedorthics is a growth market, as evidenced by the number of exhibitors at this year's ORTHOPÄDIE SCHUH TECHNIK trade fair, which took place on 24 and 25 October in Cologne. Despite company mergers and closures, the number of suppliers has increased considerably, defying the downward trend observed at other industry trade fairs. With almost 3,800 visitors, the trade fair also saw a substantial increase in attendance compared to 2023.

On Friday morning, the exhibition hall's aisles quickly filled up, with lively discussions taking place between exhibitors and visitors everywhere. "It feels like there's more going on than ever before," many visitors told us on the first day of the fair.

The exhibitors had put a lot of effort into their preparations once again this year, presenting the entire spectrum of the industry at their varied stands – from new products, materials, and technologies to innovative services and attractive training opportunities. The visitors' lively interest turned the trade fair into a marathon of conversations for many exhibitors. Many exhibitors praised the high quality of visitors to their stands.

With around 160 exhibitors from Germany and abroad, this industry event attracted the largest number of exhibitors to date. Due to the high demand, the organiser, C. Maurer Fachmedien, expanded the exhibition space and set up a waiting list. 'We are amazed that, at a time of so many company takeovers and mergers in the industry, the number of exhibitors has grown so much! Looking back to when the trade fair started in 2011 with 93 exhibitors, ORTHOPÄDIE SCHUH TECHNIK's growth to 160 exhibitors today shows how attractive and important the pedorthic market has become for suppliers in recent years," says Sibylle Lutz, who looks after exhibitors for C. Maurer Fachmedien.

There was also strong representation from foreign companies: 57 companies from 15 countries exhibited in Cologne, which is an increase of over 40 per cent in foreign exhibitors compared to 2023. Of these, 85 per cent came from non-German-speaking countries. Companies from the Netherlands and Portugal were particularly well represented.

During their tour of the fair, Carl Otto Maurer (Managing Director of C. Maurer Fachmedien), Wolfgang Best (Editor-in-Chief), Sibylle Lutz and Horst Bayer (Head of Advertising) expressed their gratitude to the gold sponsors (Springer, PLT and Orthofeet) and the silver sponsors (Darco, Opta Data and Nimco) for their generous support of the fair. 'They have contributed significantly to our ability to organise the event in this way,' said Carl Otto Maurer. 'We would also like to thank all the exhibitors for their commitment in showcasing the diverse range of products in the pedorthic industry in such an imaginative way. Likewise, we would like to thank our visitors, who brought the trade fair to life with their curiosity, interesting questions and in-depth discussions.”

This year, for the first time, there was a start-up area in the exhibition hall where visitors could find out about young companies' offerings in person. The start-ups that participated were highly satisfied with the response from visitors.

Apprentice Day at the trade fair

As in previous years, Apprentice Day took place on the first day of the fair, on Friday. Many apprentices, some accompanied by their teachers, took the opportunity to gain an overview of the industry at the trade fair, which offered them free admission. Thanks to the support of sponsors, they also received travel allowances and reduced seminar admission fees. The number of apprentice seminars was increased to six this year, enabling the next generation to learn about topics such as 2D motion analysis, posture analysis, foot examination techniques, sensorimotor insoles, and career paths in pedorthics. “It was great fun working with the apprentices. They asked so many questions and contributed so many ideas!' said Leo Lelgemann, a board member of the AG Fuß DDG who led an apprentice seminar on diabetic foot syndrome.

The IVO and advisory committee also met at ORTHOPÄDIE SCHUH TECHNIK, which was used for consultations and technical discussions. The International Association of Pedorthics (IVO) held a general meeting the day before the trade fair began. The advisory committee for the pedorthic trade of the German Orthopaedic and Surgical Association used the first day of the trade fair to discuss upcoming projects.

The German Association of Pedorthics (SpiOST) presented the revised diabetes training courses in a lecture together with the Competence Centre for Pedorthics (KomZet O.S.T.). Leo Lelgemann supplemented this with information about the 'OSM DDG' training course offered by the “AG Diabetischer Fuß DDG” (Diabetic Foot Working Group).

New dialogue area on the CAMPUS

This year's CAMPUS featured a generously designed area where master schools, KomZet O.S.T. and Praeparatio e.V. provided information about their educational offerings. Together with the Study Group for Pedorthics and C. Maurer Fachmedien, KomZet O.S.T. set up a dialogue area where they presented their projects through interactive activities. In particular, KomZet O.S.T., in cooperation with the study group, presented the “NIKO – Recruitment, Image Promotion, Career Development, Orthopaedic Shoe Technology” project, which evolved from the Open Space initiative. KomZet O.S.T. also provided information about its new funding project, 'LernKOST', which aims to establish a new learning culture in inter-company training (ÜBA). In the FORUM, the competence centre discussed this project with trainees and presented its newly developed hybrid learning concepts.

Cooperation with professional associations

The trade fair was once again accompanied by a two-day specialist congress comprising around 25 lectures and an equal number of seminars. Several congress sessions were organised in collaboration with the industry's leading professional associations. One session, organised in collaboration with the German Society for Foot and Ankle Surgery (GFFC), dealt with conservative and surgical corrections for foot misalignments. In collaboration with the German Association for Foot and Ankle Surgery (D.A.F.), the focus was on the evolution of arthrosis therapy. The Study Group for Pedorthics delivered a series of lectures on sensorimotor function science and practice.

Focus on the Future of Orthopaedic Shoe Technology

The second day of the congress focused on the future of pedorthics. This is a topic close to the heart of KomZet O.S.T., who helped organise two sessions on the subject. The first session addressed the pressing issue of securing young talent and skilled workers. Speaker Felix Behm explained what motivates Generation Z and how to inspire them to pursue a career in orthopaedic shoe technology. Clara Böcker and Linus Framme then provided insight into the highly successful training concept at Böcker Gesunde Schuhe. Finally, OSM Matthias Ernet explained how training fairs and internships can be used effectively to recruit young talent. In an engaging discussion, Julia Wedderkopf from the Münster Chamber of Crafts, Sascha Wigge and Luis Blaha, a trainee at Möller Orthopädieschuhtechnik, demonstrated how apprentices can contribute to recruiting young talent as “apprenticeship ambassadors'.

The subsequent panel discussion, chaired by Frederic Großmann of KomZet O.S.T. Siebenlehn, was lively. Katja Streckhardt, Michael Volkery, Roland Stegemann, Hartmut Schühle and Marc-André Villiger discussed the challenges that the industry needs to overcome in order to survive in the future. Topics discussed included securing young talent and skilled workers, economic issues, and positioning vis-à-vis pedorthics.

The next ORTHOPÄDIE SCHUH TECHNIK will take place on October 22 and 23, 2027.