The Commercial Motor Exhibition at Cologne.
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T"prospectus dealing with the International Commercial Motor Transport Exhibition, which is to be held in Cologne from May 20th-31st inclusive, has just been issued. The event, which is being organized by the Reichsverband der AutomobilIndustrie, Deutscher AutomobilHfindler-Verband and Messearut is the first international postwar automobile exhibition to be held in Germany, and what is equally important is that it is the first exhibition of this kind to be held in West Germany. Furthermore, this particular area is said to be the most densely populated district of Germany and, for this reason alone, Cologne would appear to be an ideal locale, especially as it lies within comparatively easy reach of the capitals of England, France, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany and a number of the chief industrial centres in each of these countries. The Importance of the area can be further gauged from the fact that a third of the total number of transport vehicles in use in Germany is employed in the Western Provinces. For these reasons, the promoters have certainly acted wisely in giving an international character to the exhibition. The economic necese24
sity of such an exhibition can hardly be questioned in the light of these considerations, which in themselves should be sufficient to assure its
success.
Cologne is of great strategic importance from the transport point of view, and international railways, waterways and air lines radiate from it. It also possesses welldesigned and commodious exhibition buildings and grounds, which are readily adaptable for the display of the products of motor manufacturers.
The exhibition is being divided into eight different sections. The first will be in the nature of an historical and instructional department. The second will consist of a display of vehicles built, in the main, for goods carrying. In the prospectus mention is made in this section of furniture vans, meat vans, cattle trucks, brewers' wagons, bullion and specie vans, cable carriers, workshop lorries, tipping wagons, timber lorries, military motors of different types, electric vehicles and trollies for various uses and commercial motorcycle outfits. The next section is set aside for public-service vehicles (single and double-deck buses, hotel buses and motor coaches). Section four is for municipal vehicles and that which follows for agricultural motors," including motor ploughs, and farm and road tractors of both the wheel and chain-track class. A display of the products of bodybuilders will constitute section six, whilst section seven will be given over to equipment and accessories of every description. The eighth section is a special one, within which falls motor road and track construction, traffic planning, garage building, and workshop repairs. Further interest will be given to the exhibition by the holding of conferences by industrial and commercial societies, somewhat on the lines of those which take place during the period of the Commercial Motor Exhibition at Olympia.
Thus it will be seen that the organizers are making their plans along most comprehensive lines, and all that they now need is the strong support of manufacturers and others in the various branches of the motor industry. In this connection it is to he hoped that British makers will not overlook the possibilities of this market, albeit they must be prepared to face intensive competition.
The organizers can be communicated with at Cologne.