Silmo show strikes the right note with visitors

Silmo 2010 went off successfully despite a public sector workers' strike and a change of venue to the north of Paris. A total of 33,065 visitors attended the show over its four days, an increase of 4 per cent on last year's attendance, although still much lower than the 42,234 attendees of 2008.

Over 950 exhibitors made the move to the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre, ensuring a wide selection of frames and sunglass styles for 2011. Less in evidence were machinery, instrument and contact lens suppliers.

Show organisers released the latest research on the French market to coincide with Silmo which shows an increasingly competitive market.