MESSE DÜSSELDORF CONTINUES TO RECOVER FROM PANDEMIC EFFECTS

Restart 2022 strengthens trade fair location Düsseldorf

Equity capital ratio creates solid basis for operative business

Strategic focus on business development and new partnerships

 

   Messe Düsseldorf continues on its road to success in 2022. For the current business year the company again expects smaller losses; in 2021 it already succeeded in halving its losses. Furthermore, the final annual statement for 2021 has slightly improved compared to the preliminary business figures. A full trade fair calendar and eliminated Covid restrictions have ensured  a successful start at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center. Efficient cost management and initial successes obtained in new business development form a solid foundation for the remaining 2022 business year.

 

   Messe Düsseldorf can continue to limit its losses in the second consecutive year of the pandemic thanks to sound and sustainable management. .In 2021, the group's sales of EUR 108.7 million are revised slightly upward compared to the preliminary figures published in February 2022 (EUR 102 million).  At EUR 96.1 million, Messe Düsseldorf GmbH also generates a higher result than the originally forecast EUR 93 million. Accordingly, the loss situation is also developing more positively than originally planned: the company has posted a loss of EUR 22.3 million compared to the just under EUR 25 million expected (previous year: – EUR 43.5 million).

   There is also a positive trend in equity capital ratio. For the group of companies it has been possible to achieve a slight increase to 63.6% (previous year: 62.2%). The GmbH also posted a slight increase to 61.4% (previous year: 60.1%). Messe Düsseldorf thus has a stable basis for its operating business.

 

   Dr. Stephan Keller, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Messe Düsseldorf, commented: “The economic situation of Messe Düsseldorf is still characterized by the pandemic, but slight improvement is on the horizon. The first events have already seen a successful start and we are looking to the second half of the year with optimism – as do the exhibiting companies and businesses at the location itself.”

 

   Wolfram N. Diener, President & CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, added: “Our strategic re-positioning, the cost-cutting measures and the largely  eliminated Covid restrictions are starting to have an effect: we are slowly but surely recovering from the pandemic. Trade fairs continue to be of high relevance – this is reflected to us time and again. I assume that our company will return to its usual economic strength in the coming years through numerous measures.”

 

Further improvement expected for 2022

   Forecasts for the current business year are a challenging task. Bernhard J. Stempfle, Managing Director Finances and Infrastructure, explained: “In view of the current political situation globally as well as the unclear future course of the Coronavirus, it is far too early at this stage to assess the situation for 2022. Despite the expected recovery we will probably still face a manageable minus. Provided that conditions develop in a stable manner, we should be able to double results.” For this reason, it was decided at the shareholders’ meeting on May 18, 2022, to forego paying dividends.

 

Spring trade fairs 2022 prove successful start for second half of the year

   Messe Düsseldorf is currently experiencing a busy restart of the exhibitions business at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center: after the international trade fair duo BEAUTY (May 6 - 8) and TOP HAIR (May 7 – 8) as well as the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Wines and Spirits, ProWein (May 15 – 17), the marathon continues with the Leading Trade Fair for Retail Technology, EuroCIS (May 31– June 2) as well as the International Trade Fairs for Wire, Cable and Tubes and Pipes, wire and Tube (June 20 – 24). A total of 14 trade shows will be held this year, as well as eleven partner and guest events. The results of the 2022 business year will be determined especially by the autumn trade fairs, especially by the world’s No.1 trade fair for plastics and rubber, K 2022 (October 19 – 26) in Düsseldorf.

 

Strategic measures lead to new partnerships

   In order to remain competitive in the international trade fair world, Messe Düsseldorf has repositioned itself. Until 2025, the focus is on seven strategic fields of action: Global business development, development of new trade fair themes and services, strengthening of sales, digital transformation, corporate culture, exhibition center of the future as well as structural and process optimization.

 

   A first operational success is the new partnership entered into with the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) in Washington, D.C., the world's largest association for the advancement of autonomous systems and robotics. Through its subsidiary Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA), Messe Düsseldorf has secured access to a promising field that offers enormous growth potential. Every year, AUVSI organizes XPONENTIAL, the world’s leading trade show and conference for uncrewed and autonomous systems on land, sea and air. MDNA has acquired 60% of the brand rights. “With this strategic investment, we are underlining the demands we put on ourselves to further develop our portfolio in the interests of our customers and to enter promising markets of the future,” said Wolfram Diener, President & CEO of Messe Düsseldorf.

 

New events accelerate growth

   The company is developing Düsseldorf’s trade fair portfolio further. The events scheduled to be held at Düsseldorf fairgrounds in 2022 include a new platform for energy transition: decarbXpo (Expo for Decarbonised Industries > ENERGY STORAGE) from September 20 - 22 extends the previous energy storage trade fair ENERGY STORAGE to include CO2-reduction technologies. In addition, there will be two new guest events: Classic Days from August 5 – 7 and Solar Solutions from November 30 – December 1.

 

   Last year, Messe Düsseldorf organized 21 events and participations (previous year 16) and in 2022 this number is expected to increase to 52. These numbers also include two new events in 2021 (ProWine São Paulo, ProWine Mumbai) and seven new events in 2022 (REHACARE SHANGHAI, MEDICAL FAIR BRASIL, COLOMBIAPLAST, CorruTec Asia, GIFA Southeast Asia, METEC Southeast ASIA, FoodAfrica Cairo). The activities by Messe Düsseldorf focus particularly on dynamic growth markets such as Africa, Latin America and Asia. Underscoring the benefits of international growth, Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director Operative Trade Fair Business at Messe Düsseldorf, said: “Our trade fairs abroad promote the economic development in the target regions, they open new, attractive markets for international companies  and they attract new guests for the No. 1 trade fairs at the homebase Düsseldorf.” This is demonstrated, among other things, in the high proportion of foreign exhibitors at Düsseldorf’s No. 1 trade fairs: The internationality of the exhibiting companies at their own trade fairs is usually well over 70% – before and during the pandemic.

 

   In 2021, a total of eight trade fairs and guest events at the Düsseldorf location attract 5,906 exhibiting companies and 266,329 visitors. In 2020, there were seven events with 5,422 exhibiting companies as well as 493,472 visitors (2019: 29 events with 29,222 exhibiting companies and 1,373,780 visitors).

 

   For information on visiting or exhibiting at any of the Messe Düsseldorf trade fairs, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; Telephone: (312) 781-5180; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit www.mdna.com; Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/mdnachicago

 

 

Messe Düsseldorf Group

Messe Düsseldorf is among the most successful trade fair companies worldwide. It hosts around 40 trade fairs including 20 leading international trade fairs at its 613,000 sqm exhibition center. In the 18 halls, the international market leaders and top decision-makers of various sectors get together every year in order to present and discover innovations, to exchange and to network. The sectors of expertise of Messe Düsseldorf include: “Machinery, Plants and Equipment” (inter alia drupa, K, interpack, glasstec, wire and Tube); “Retail, Trades and Services” (EuroShop, EuroCIS, ProWein); “Health and Medical Technology” (MEDICA, COMPAMED, REHACARE); “Lifestyle and Beauty” (BEAUTY, TOP HAIR) as well as “Leisure” (boot, CARAVAN SALON). In addition, numerous conventions, corporate events, conferences and meetings are hosted by its subsidiary Düsseldorf Congress. Abroad, Messe Düsseldorf organizes 75 events and participations. The global network of the group of companies includes 77 foreign representatives for 141 countries – including 7 international subsidiaries.