GFExperience, GF Europa‘s second 2025 open day, took place on September 26th and 27th. The event, hosted by the consortium specializing in window and door hardware, proved to be a great success.

We visited the exhibition on Friday afternoon and despite a motorway closure that made reaching the Agrate Brianza headquarters complicated, there was a very high turnout right from the opening of the gates.

By the end of the two-day event, more than 600 participants – professional installers and fitters – had arrived in Milan from all over Italy. They came to visit the 50 supplier stands, but also to share experiences and queries with every component of the supply chain, supported by GF Europa’s organization, which facilitated its clients’ participation with maximum availability and care.

Walking around the stands, one got the sense that while discounts and the gala dinner were certainly important in engaging clients, the true secret to the initiative’s success was the training that clients received. What was striking was the high level of attention visitors paid to the products on display, listening to the suppliers’ explanations almost as if they were lectures, and asking numerous questions. They delved into technical details crucial for the installation of the product being presented. This detailed and organized exchange of information undoubtedly gave suppliers numerous insights as well, allowing them to understand the needs of their final customers. They returned to their companies with a wealth of ideas that will prove useful in the coming months.

Nevertheless, the entire day was characterized by a genuine sense of welcoming, largely thanks to Matteo Missaglia, GF Europa’s Head of Marketing and Communication, who managed to find time during this busy day to share some details with us about GFExperience.

Buyer Point: How is the event structured?

Matteo Missaglia: We’ve been organizing these meetings for a few years now, but we believe the current format of two events per year is the best one to meet the needs of all parties involved. In March, we had the first GF Experience at our Florence branch, and this is the second event, which we decided to organize in Milan, also leveraging the appeal of Fashion Week for visitors coming from outside the city. This consists of two half-days – Friday afternoon and Saturday morning – separated by a dinner for all participants, which is the classic moment where business meets that enjoyable lightness everyone appreciates.

Buyer Point: What is the driving force that motivates so many customers to attend from all over Italy?

Matteo Missaglia: I believe it’s the completeness of the offering they find: naturally, there are discounts for orders placed at the fair that give a good boost, but in my opinion, they aren’t the only reason our clients attend. The updates and training they receive from contact with suppliers are essential for their daily work, and being able to combine this aspect with an ‘outing,’ perhaps with their family, a high-level dinner in an informal setting, and comparison with other window and door fitters, makes it a truly unique opportunity.

Buyer Point: Is there anything you focused on particularly for this edition?

Matteo Missaglia: We have launched our online catalog, which will soon allow our customers to order all 300,000 product items in our offering directly from their mobile phones. By logging in with their credentials, window and door fitters will be able to find the price, as well as stock availability and delivery times for every item at any time of day. To encourage them to use the tool, we have reserved an 8% discount for them on all orders placed using this method until October 31st, and we have set up a station to explain how it works to everyone. This is an additional service we offer our customers, and we expect it to gain traction quickly.