PIKO at the 60th Nürnberg Toy Fair In 1949, PIKO exhibited their first model train at the Leipzig fall show. In February 2009, PIKO marked 60 years of exhibiting at a toy show, specifically the International Toy Fair in Nürnberg, by previewing the new items for the coming year. By happy coincidence, both PIKO and the Nürnberg Toy Fair celebrate 60th anniversaries this year. The 2009 Toy Fair, which concluded on February 10th, remains through outstanding organization, veritable madhouse of activity. Although the total number of attendees was down by about 4.000 versus last year, there were still 76.000 trade attendees. Considering the global economic weakness, this is an incredibly good showing. At the least, to those in the know, it is an indication that the Nürnberg fair remains the world leader and trendsetter. According to the official figures reported by the organizers, 49% of the visitors came from Germany, 51% from other countries. Visitors from the East increased tremendously, while the numbers of western visitors decreased slightly. In particular, visitors from the USA dropped by 10%. At the PIKO booth, we had the clear impression that fewer visitors had come to Nürnberg. But those who came made the trip worthwhile, and brought good business with them, although the generally good mood was certainly not improved by the bankruptcy filing of a major model train manufacturer. The smaller number of visitors was caused mainly by a reduction in the number of attendees from Germany. The PIKO international importers were present in force, as every year. The reaction at the PIKO booth to the garden railway program was very enthusiastic. Once again, considerable expansion is apparent. The announcement of the V60 diesel locomotive was met with a great reception. The PIKO-G starter sets, displayed for the first time at the fair, also met with approval. Naturally, PIKO-HO fans were there as well, expressing their plans to attend the PIKO Jubilee celebration at the Open House Day. A highlight in HO-Scale is the classic bi-level articulated train, which many PIKO fans have been patiently awaiting for many years. Based on the incoming orders – not overwhelming, but nevertheless steady – and a good sales month in January, PIKO is very confident of being able to achieve the planned sales increases of somewhat less than 10% over the previous year. To be sure, the constantly growing numbers of fans in PIKO’s 60th anniversary year will contribute to success. The anniversary will be celebrated together with the PIKO Open House Day, which will take place on July 20th, 2009 in Sonneberg. PIKO gladly invites all PIKO fans and model railway friends to this festive event. With PIKO, a glance at the outlook for 2009 brings reasons to be in good spirits. Dr. René F. Wilfer Sonneberg, February 16, 2009

The PIKO booth at the 60th International Toy Fair in Nürnberg.

On the day before the opening of the Toy Fair, PIKO’s managers invited sales representatives, as well as some of the PIKO importers, to an informative meeting, during which they reviewed the product line, exchanged information and finalized their strategies for a successful show.

During the sales meeting before the show opening, in keeping with tradition, the most successful sales representative from the German home market was honoured. Sales manager Jens Beyer and Dr. René F. Wilfer presented Torsten Kulse with the award as „Sales Person of the Year for 2008“.

After the show’s end each day, the PIKO Toy Fair team members sit together with glasses of champagne to share customer comments and suggestions.

The PIKO leadership team of Mrs. Ortrun D. Wilfer and Dr. René F. Wilfer were especially pleased by the gift for the 60th company anniversary, given by Mrs. Irena Haskova, the PIKO importer for the Czech Republic - A giant cake decorated for „60 Years of PIKO“.

Mrs. Sibylle Abel, the mayor of Sonneberg, who arrived at the PIKO booth for a visit shortly after Mrs. Haskova presented the 60th anniversary cake, politely stated that the honour of cutting the cake must go to someone more deserving than she.

Mrs. Ortrun D. Wilfer accepted the task of cutting the cake.

Because Dr. René F. Wilfer always places great value in testing PIKO products before they are delivered to the customers, he could not allow the cake to be handed out to guests until he had „tested“ the first piece.

Slices of the 60th anniversary cake can now be handed out.

With the task of cutting and distributing the cake now finished, Mrs. Ortrun D. Wilfer and Dr. René F. Wilfer present the traditional PIKO annual car to Sonneberg Mayor Sibylle Abel.

It was especially good that Mrs. Irina Podolskaya, the PIKO importer from Russia, visited the PIKO booth this year. Because of the decline in the value of the Rubel, which has dropped about 40% against the Euro, PIKO products apparently will be quite a bit more expensive in eastern European markets.

Among PIKO importers, the longest journey to the Toy Fair was probably that of the importer from Mexico, Mr. Juan Córdoba Perches and his wife Gabriela Valencia.

Almost every year, Mr Ryszard Pyssa of the Polish model train magazine Swiat Kolei gives PIKO an honour for „Model of the Year“. PIKO’s Polish importer, Mr. Zbigniew Kownacki, happily received the award, together with Dr. René F. Wilfer.

Hidden behind orchids, Mrs. Ortrun D. Wilfer took time during Toy Fair to discuss the market situation with a good friend..

It was especially pleasing for the PIKO Toy Fair Team that the mayor of Nürnberg, Mr. Mali, together with business development minister Dr. Roland Fleck, attended by the president of the International Toy Fair, Dr. Richter, once again, as every year, visited the PIKO booth. After a fruitful discussion about the condition of the overall model train industry and the worsening problems of model train manufacturers in Nürnberg, where it seems the last local manufacturer will soon be gone, the presentation of the PIKO annual car was met with great appreciation and enjoyment.

The local representative of the Sonneberg area, Mrs. Christine Zitzmann, was also once again gladly welcomed at the PIKO booth. She did not hesitate at all to be photographed standing behind the big PIKO anniversary cake.

The mayor of the nearby city of Rödental, Mr. Gerhard Press, was also a much-welcomed visitor, as always, to the PIKO booth, with whom the Wilfer family could discuss the regional economic situation in detail. The mayor of the city of Neustadt, Mr. Frank Rebhan, also came to the PIKO booth, but as is often the case during the hectic Toy Fair, Dr. René F. Wilfer was already engaged in a meeting and had to postpone a conversation until later.

Perhaps not the high point of the entire Toy Fair, but certainly still a great and pleasant surprise to Mrs. Ortrun D. Wilfer and Dr. René F. Wilfer, was the visit of European Parliamentary candidate Mrs. Monika Holmeyer, accompanied by Acting Secretary of State Jürgen W. Heike from Neustadt. In a relaxed and open atmosphere, Mrs. Holmeyer, the former Cultural Minister of the State of Bavaria, was able to discuss the problems of the model train market, as well as the probabilities that PIKO fans would not give up their hobby interest, even in a recession.