International Construction and Renovation Exhibition RESTA

The largest and most popular construction exhibition in the Baltic States, Resta, will take place on March 22-25, 2005 in the Lithuanian Exhibition Centre Litexpo. Motto of the RESTA: dialogue between specialists and consumers According to the Deputy Director of the Lithuanian Exhibition Centre Litexpo Kristina Pladiene, RESTA is an event impressing by its scale, but area and number of visitors are only two of numerous advantages of the exhibition called “Builders’ Festival”. When encountered with construction and repair works, one also faces the problems concerning construction materials, quality of works. RESTA tries to change this trend and pursues two important aims: quality and dialogue between specialists and consumers. Visitors will be able to receive exhaustive information about construction materials, products and services in the exhibition stands, seminars, and presentations. Trends Popularity of RESTA is determined by its vital subject, good image in the market and exhibition quality. Subject of RESTA reflects strategically important, dynamic and growing industry – construction industry. Big number of exhibitors at RESTA exhibition is determined by the growth of construction market, intense activities of its exhibitors, and competition. RESTA is the largest exhibition of Litexpo for a couple of years by now. Total exhibition area – 31.300 sq.m. Furthermore, subject of RESTA interests a wide circle of consumers, as it conforms to their present interests and life priorities, therefore this exhibition is among the exhibitions boasting the biggest numbers of visitors at the Litexpo centre, and last year it attracted the biggest number of visitors – 64,3 thousand. Following Lithuania’s accession to the EU and disappearance of border barriers to the West, interest of Western construction companies in the exhibition is increasing. In particular, Polish and German companies try to penetrate into the Lithuanian market. This year, two times more Latvian companies will participate in the exhibition, Greek and Belgian companies will participate in the exhibition for the first time, and will introduce themselves for the Lithuanian market. Aim of participation of foreign companies is to find buyers, clients for their products. On the other hand, interest of foreign visitors in RESTA exhibition is also increasing. This year, the organisers received almost two times more applications for invitations to the exhibition. RESTA exhibition interests in particular Russian and Latvian consumers. This trend of development of the exhibition should exist for a couple of years. Competition between foreign companies already operating in Lithuania and new companies coming to Lithuanian market with their products, provide favourable opportunities for further development of the exhibition. Polls of the exhibitors show that construction exhibition of wide scope of its subjects organised in spring, before the beginning of construction season is in particular vital for both exhibitors, and visitors. Exhibitors 574 companies from 17 countries of the world will participate in the exhibition. Lithuanian companies constitute the biggest number of exhibitors. If compared with the last year, number of exhibitors from Poland (26 companies) and Latvia (16 companies) has increased. Companies from Belgium and Greece will take part in the exhibition for the first time. Belgium will have one joint stand, in which 6 companies from this country will be introduced. Foreign exhibitors will introduce in the exhibition:

construction and interior finish materials;

heating and ventilation equipment;

windows and doors;

construction machinery and tools;

electric equipment and installation;

plumbing fixtures. Competition of stands Competition of the best stands will be organised for the forth time this year. The aim of the competition is to promote companies to strive for best and most original presentation in the exhibitions, to be noticed and distinguished. Exhibition stands will be assessed in two categories by their size – below 50 sq.m., and stands larger than 50 sq.m. Stands will be assessed by the following criteria: stand architecture, graphic design, quality of stand completion, functionality. Winners of the competition will be announced and awarded on the last day of the exhibition RESTA – 4.00 p.m. on March 25, in the Litexpo conference hall 1.2. Review of the Lithuanian Construction Market According to the preliminary data of the Department of Statistics, during the year 2004 national construction corporations by their own forces provided construction services for 4,8 billion Litas, or 4.7% more than in 2003. Major investors in the last year were companies engaged in real estate, lease and other business activities – 21.2% of all material investments. The leading position among the investors was held by public institutions, investments of which accounted for 17.5% of the total investment. Investments of processing companies accounted for 16.3%. According to the preliminary data, last year 2936 new residential buildings were constructed in the country, or 849 buildings more than in 2003. The new buildings accommodated 6804 flats (50% more than in 2003), with the total effective area of 699 thousand sq.m., i.e. 216.5 thousand sq.m. more than in 2003. During the last year (December, 2004 if compared with December, 2003), the construction prices increased by 8.1% (December, 2003 if compared with the same month in 2002 – 2.2%, respectively). Working hours of the exhibition: 10.00 a.m. – 7.00 p.m. on March 22-24, 10.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. on March 25. Tickets: 10 Lt and 6 Lt (for pupils, students, pensioners). For visitors’ convenience: during the exhibition, special free buses from the supermarket RIMI Hypermarket parking lot (Savanoriø avenue 16, Vilnius) to LITEXPO and back will run every half an hour.