European forklift industry leader Linde Material Handling has snubbed the materials handling industry's largest tradeshow, CeMAT 2014, deciding not to participate at Hannover in May.

Linde MH head of communication and branding Manfred Hohn tells Forkliftaction.com News while trade fairs still have a role to play, other information formats are becoming increasingly important to the company.

"For the time being, our focus in the field of organised events will be on individual projects that offer Linde MH customers' the opportunity to immediately experience our products and test them in direct comparison with competitor products," Hohn says.

"Based on what we have learned from road shows, customer events and the recent product clinics, we are convinced that we can respond to our customers expectations and requirements more dynamically at such events. This will open up new opportunities for an even more targeted and individualised customer approach," he explains.

Linde MH, which occupied one of the largest pavilions in CeMAT 2012, will continue to participate in trade fairs but, for now, Hohn says it is focusing on "decentralised exhibitions" with a regional or country-specific focus to ensure maximum customer proximity in the field. "Trade fairs with a clearly defined target group enable us to meet the diversified expectations of our customers in the best possible way.

"Nevertheless, we are not totally ruling out participation in CeMAT in the future," Hohn emphasises. "The management board will give each case careful consideration and make a decision well in advance of any dates on the horizon."

Event organisers have not commented on the loss of a key exhibitor or whether other manufacturers are following Linde's lead.

A Logistics Today snap poll among several forklift manufacturers revealed that Linde's decision could be an exception. Both Jungheinrich and the world's largest player, Toyota, will be present at the expo. Hamburg-based manufacturer Still which, like Linde MH, belongs to Wiesbaden-headquartered KION Group, will also participate.