UBM Expands Into Turkey, Acquires 65% of Rotaforte

(IDEX Online News) - United Business Media Limited (UBM), which holds the Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair, acquired a 65 percent stake in Rotaforte International Trade Fairs & Media, the owner of Turkey’s largest jewelry exhibition the sides announced.

Rotaforte owns the Istanbul Jewelry Show, an international exhibition for jewellery, silver, watches and related equipment. Now in its 25th year, the exhibition is held twice a year in March and in October. Together, the shows attract almost 60,000 visitors and 1,600 exhibitors.

The business is supported by the Turkish Jewellery Association, a national trade body which represents more than 1,100 jewelry companies, including the major manufacturers. Rotaforte also publishes a supporting magazine (in Turkish and English) and organizes Turkish jewelry pavilions at a number of third party events in Dubai, Italy, and India, as well as selling exhibition space at jewelry events in Russia and Ukraine.

Rotaforte was founded by Sermin Cengiz in 1986. In 2010 the business is expected to generate revenues in excess of $5 million, UBM said. 

UBM is expanding its jewelry exhibition presence in Asia. It recently announced a new jewelry show, to be held in Mumbai, India starting December 2011.