After 22 years at Messe Friedrichshafen, Dirk Kreidenweiß will be missing from the 61st Interboot. The successful project manager is leaving the company at his own request at the end of June. The trade fair company confirmed a corresponding report in the regional media. However, the water sports trade fair on Lake Constance will take place as planned from 17 to 25 September - and presumably even with a strong programme.
Insiders are not entirely surprised by this top personnel decision. Rolf Hofer, the project manager of the lifestyle trade fair IBO, had already resigned before Kreidenweiß. In addition, long-time press spokesman Wolfgang Köhle took early retirement in the autumn. Staffing levels have been massively thinned out in recent years. Staff turnover is higher than ever, the works council told the "Südkurier" newspaper and complained of a "bad atmosphere".
Kreidenweiß is leaving without already having a new job. He had "a great time" at Interboot, he told YACHT. "And I'm still passionate about the trade fair." He did not wish to comment further on his departure, which will leave a considerable gap, at least in the short to medium term.
The man who will now have to take over is already on board. He took up his new job when Kreidenweiß, who had helped select him, handed in his notice. His name is Felix Klarmann, he is 38 years old and studied at the Sports University in Cologne. It is still unclear what position he will hold in the future - whether he will be seamlessly transferred to project management or will first have to prove himself as a clerk. According to YACHT, he does not have any industry experience or a network.
The personnel matter is not yet official anyway: "We are currently in the process of finding a successor, and promising talks are underway," said Klaus Wellmann, Managing Director of the trade fair company in Friedrichshafen, in a statement. He left a request for an interview unanswered today.
If you ask around in the industry and among the exhibitors, many are "very surprised" by Dirk Kreidenweiß' withdrawal. "With him, Interboot is losing a lot of expertise. It will be difficult to replace him," says Vinzenz Batt, Managing Director of the Swiss Boatbuilders' Association. "We very much hope that it will continue. Because this is an important trade fair for us."
Others are less concerned, such as Patricia Reuthe from Meichle + Mohr Marina Ultramarin on Lake Constance: it is a "great pity" that Kreidenweiß has resigned, as she always worked "very well" with him. Reuthe: "He was the face of Interboot." But she is not worried about the future of the trade fair: "I wouldn't see it that dramatically now."
Yachten Meltl, which sells Bavaria and Dufour yachts in southern Germany, has heard similar comments: "We're not worried about Interboot." They want to be there again in the autumn: "We love coming as an exhibitor, it's worth it for us." Interboot had a "super audience" even in times of the pandemic.
Kreidenweiß is repeatedly praised for the quality of his work, not only by Ultramarin and Yachten Meltl, but also by Karsten Stahlhut, Managing Director of the Federal Association of the Water Sports Industry (BVWW):
"This is certainly not good news for the industry. Dirk Kreidenweiß has done a very good job over the years and has built up a very high level of trust with many retailers thanks to his authentic, likeable and professional manner. I hope the gap can be filled well."
And how does the industry association see the future of Interboot? "The market is doing well for the most part, we still have a lot of newcomers. And the exhibitors need the trade fair as a platform, so I'm not worried in terms of expertise and content. The departure of a very successful trade fair project manager is nothing new," says Stahlhut, who sees "a certain risk" in the change, but also "an opportunity for new, creative ideas".
Petros Michelidakis, Director of boot Düsseldorf, regrets the departure. "It's a great pity," he told YACHT, adding that this was "already a decisive moment" for Interboot. Dirk Kreidenweiß had distinguished himself through his very high level of expertise and his ability to retain customers at the trade fair in the long term. He was also "a great guy" who will be missed.
Like BVWW boss Stahlhut, Petros Michelidakis emphasised the importance of Interboot as a professional platform for water sports, where the aim is to attract new customers and activate existing ones. "Many small family businesses are dependent on the sales they make during a trade fair. They cannot easily compensate for this elsewhere."
Interboot was the only water sports trade fair in Germany that took place every year, even during the pandemic. 45,600 visitors attended in 2021, compared to 29,300 the previous year; 280 exhibitors from 13 nations filled the six halls, foyers and outdoor area last year.
However, the character of the trade fair has changed in recent years. Whereas it used to be a trade fair for manufacturers and importers, it is now primarily a trade fair for dealers - and as such is very important, especially regionally. At the same time, it has proven to be more stable than the Hanseboot in Hamburg, for example, which was held for the last time in 2017 after almost 60 years.
Interboot, on the other hand, is doing well. As part of Messe Friedrichshafen GmbH, it is now almost more important than ever: it is a real revenue generator, also for the region, and one of the few traditional events on Lake Constance. This year it will take place for the 61st time without interruption. And the booking situation is good: according to YACHT information, the "Swiss Hall" is already fully booked and the surfing hall is 85 per cent full. Overall, the order volume is expected to be above the previous year's level.
