Business Forum Imaging Cologne 2018 announces program

On February 28 and March 1, 2018, manufacturers, imaging service providers and photo retailers will meet at the Business Forum Imaging Cologne 2018 in the Congress Centre East of Koelnmesse. Under the theme ”Creating new realities“, the photokina Innovation Congress will focus on new technologies as well as on digital retailing strategies and new opportunities for the print business. All lectures will be held in English or German with appropriate simultaneous translation.

The program and the registration form are now available as pdf here: http://www.bfi-photokina.com/redaktionell/bfi_1/downloads_20/pdf_22/BFI18_ProgStrecke-2.pdf

The event kicks off with a networking reception Feb. 28, featuring food, drink and ample opportunity for informal meetings between visitors, sponsors and speakers.

For photo retailers, members of the German Photographic Industry Association (PIV) and exhibitors of photokina 2016/2018, special conditions apply. Members of the Ringfoto Group attend the congress at particularly favorable rates.

The first day of the conference is about opportunities through new technologies in the digital reality. The opening keynote features successful music producers and songwriters, Giorgio and Martin Koppehele (Avenue Music), who will showcase their latest project, Magic Horizons, which creates new applications in the virtual reality (VR) segment by combining immersive sound with CGI. New realities in the physical world will be highlighted by Ralph Naruhn, CEO of di support, who presents a revolutionary new solution to create physical picture products on mobile devices virtually anywhere in the world and have them produced immediately in the store.

The second day is about new concepts for the day-to-day business and the retailing trade. The opening lecture will be Prof. Dr. Gerrit Heinemann (Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences), the author of the book ”The reinvention of stationary retail.“ Despite the dominance of Amazon & Co., the scientist sees a future for local retailers if they focus on innovative concepts and engage with the digital reality. This fits in well with Roman Heimbold, founder and CEO of the Internet company, atalanda. He will present an innovative platform where retailers in a city can jointly present their shops and their offerings on the Internet.