MESSE DÜSSELDORF: EXHIBITOR INCREASE AT RE-START OF ITS LEADING INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIRS

Pioneer in the German trade fair sector with five own events until January 2022: CARAVAN SALON, A+A, MEDICA, COMPAMED and boot

Foreign business in the core markets also records growth

  The world's leading trade fairs are back in Düsseldorf. Germany: by January 2022, five events will be held that all meet with high approval among customers and partners alike. CARAVAN SALON (August 28 – September 5) marks the start with 91% more exhibitors and 48% more exhibition space. It will be followed by A+A (October 26 - 29), MEDICA and COMPAMED (November 15 – 18) as well as boot (January 22 - 30). Messe Düsseldorf’s proven Hygiene and Infection Protection Concept will again be implemented. Since July the guest events INTERBRIDE and Dokomi have already been held successfully, four more guest events are in the scheduled through January. This underlines the high relevance of physical trade fairs as industry meeting points. Added to this is their importance for the regional economy, which benefits from the events. 

  Messe Düsseldorf celebrates a special day on August 27: with the trade visitor day at CARAVAN SALON it opens its first in-person event at the Düsseldorf fairgrounds after a COVID-19 break of almost one year and at the same time celebrates the 60th anniversary of this the leading international trade fair for mobile travel. Until September 5, the event will host 645 exhibitors again showcasing the world’s biggest selection of motor homes, caravans and equipment in 13 halls as well as on the outdoor space. This means that for its re-start Messe Düsseldorf pots a 91% increase in exhibitors and a 48% increase in exhibition space at CARAVAN SALON. With its proven Hygiene and Infection Protection Concept Messe Düsseldorf will, as usual,  offer all participants the greatest possible protection.

 

   Through January 2022, four other leading international trade fairs will follow: A+A, MEDICA, COMPAMED and boot. All events are complemented by digital formats, which are continuously being developed under the keyword “hybrid trade fair”. This allows people to participate in the event without physically being on site. In addition, Messe Düsseldorf thus creates central communication and information platforms for the industries to be active 365 days a year.

 

   The trade fair calendar also includes four guest events: Flotte! Der Branchentreff (September 15 – 16), PRINT & DIGITAL CONVENTION (October 20 – 21), ARCHITECT@WORK (October 27 – 28) and PSI (January 11 – 13). A first successful start for the Düsseldorf exhibition center this year was already made by the guest events INTERBRIDE in Hall 8a and the Japan convention Dokomi organized by  the subsidiary DüsseldorfCongress and occupying the entire CCD / Congress Center Düsseldorf, four exhibition halls and part of the outdoor area.

 

Messe Düsseldorf boosts business

   Dr. Stephan Keller, Lord Mayor of the state capital Düsseldorf and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messe Düsseldorf, welcomes the new start: "This high level of acceptance proves: Messe Düsseldorf is optimally positioned in the market even after one and a half challenging years. With its face-to-face events and its exhibition grounds, it offers the business community what it also needs after an intensive period of almost purely digital communication: platforms for presentation, information and exchange. In this way, it brings important visitors to the city of Düsseldorf and the region, who strengthen the economy, generate sales and tax revenues and, last but not least, secure jobs."

 

   Wolfram N. Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, is optimistic: “The increased exhibitor numbers and exhibition space at CARAVAN SALON confirm our decision to hold this and future trade fairs in Düsseldorf in a physical format. Our customers confirm to again and again: they want and need trade fairs. This support and progressing vaccination levels make us optimistic about a sustainable re-start at this time. At Messe Düsseldorf we want to make our contribution to increasing the vaccination rate by offering trade fair participants at CARAVAN SALON a free vaccination.”

 

   Jörn Holtmeier, Managing Director of AUMA, the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry, welcomes the Düsseldorf initiative: “CARAVAN SALON sends an important signal for the trade fair sector and the entire economy. Trade fairs typically contribute EUR 28 billion annually to the German economic performance and secure 231,000 jobs. Therefore, the COVID-19 break has serious macroeconomic effects. We estimate that the German economy has lost more than EUR 42 billion since the pandemic began. Messe Düsseldorf, together with the Caravaning Industrie Verband, is now taking an important step towards normality with its restart as one of the world's largest trade fair companies.”

 

   According to a study by Munich’s ifo Institute, Düsseldorf trade fair and congress operations generate annual sales to the tune of EUR 2.98 billion in Germany (in Düsseldorf: EUR 1.66 billion), secure 27,692 jobs (in Düsseldorf: 16,664) and entail extra tax revenue of EUR 567 million (in Düsseldorf: EUR 36.3 million). Extrapolated to one and a half years with almost no events at the Düsseldorf Exhibition and Congress Center this means a Germany-wide loss of EUR 4.47 billion in sales (in Düsseldorf: EUR 2.49 billion) and EUR 850.5 million in tax revenue (in Düsseldorf: EUR 54.45 million).

 

Upward trend also abroad

   Messe Düsseldorf's foreign events play an important role here, as they have feedback effects on Düsseldorf's leading world trade fairs and increase their internationality. Before the crisis, the proportion of exhibitors from abroad was 73% in 2019. Wolfram N. Diener emphasizes: “We are already expecting numerous guests from other European countries at CARAVAN SALON, and we are sure that we will be able to continuously increase the internationality at the coming trade fairs as travel restrictions are lifted.” Messe Düsseldorf's business abroad experienced a successful re-start especially in Russia and China.  In April, the Chinese subsidiary Messe Düsseldorf Shanghai already organized the plastics trade fair CHINAPLAS with 3,612 exhibitors (previous event: 3,622) and 152,134 visitors (previous event: 163,314) as well as the occupational safety and health trade fair CIOSH with 1,565 exhibitors (previous event: 1,035) and 36,000 visitors (previous event: 21,207). This was followed in June by All in CARAVANING in Beijing with 200 brands and 25,448 visitors (previous event: 24,008 visitors and 200 brands). A total of nine own events are planned by Messe Düsseldorf Shanghai this year.

 

   Early this year Messe Düsseldorf Moscow also succeeded in re-starting its business. In February, Russia’s leading fashion trade show, CPM – Collection Première Moscow, took place with 10,762 buyers and 550 fashion brands on show. In late April, NEFTEGAZ attracted 450 exhibitors from 23 countries and more than 14,000 visitors. In June, 42,000 trade visitors and 479 exhibitors from 13 countries participated in UGOL ROSII & MINING in Novokuznetsk. In 2021, Messe Düsseldorf Moscow will organize a total of twelve of its own and joint events, participations and conferences.

 

   The next trade fair is the autumn edition of CPM – Collection Première Moscow (August 31 – September 3) featuring 650 brands from 20 countries – 18% more than at the spring edition. Business is also picking up on other markets. Messe Düsseldorf will organize both the German participation at the world’s biggest mining trade fair MINEXPO in Las Vegas (September 13 – 15) and the most relevant mining trade fair for Latin America, Expomin in Santiago de Chile (October 25 – 29). 

 

Realignment for the future

   While business is picking up again both nationally and internationally, Messe Düsseldorf is also realigning its operations for the future through a strategic re-orientation. “To stay relevant to the international exhibition industry we have to develop further. This is not due to COVID-19 alone – but to us the pandemic has also acted as an accelerator for certain themes and issues,” explains Wolfram N. Diener. Messe Düsseldorf has defined various fields of action it will focus on over the next few years – until the end of 2025. These include global business development, new development of trade show themes and services, strengthening sales, and digital transformation. Each field of action is driven by an interdisciplinary team of experts. This enables the expertise from various areas, projects and interface departments to result in operational successes.

 

Statements by exhibitors and partners of Düsseldorf’s coming No. 1 trade fairs

CARAVAN SALON: Wolfgang Speck, Chief Executive Officer at Knaus Tabbert AG

“Especially Caravan Salon is the one of the most important trade fairs for us worldwide. This is where the industry gets together, where people network, where you meet the who’s who of the caravanning community. Added benefit: We also reach our final customers at CSD and this direct exchange is what we particularly appreciate so much. Here the Knaus Tabbert Team receives important inspirations for improving our recreational vehicles time and again.”

 

A+A: Klaus Bornack, Managing Director of BORNACK GmbH & Co. KG and Chairman of the exhibitor advisory board

“Health and safety have never been as important as they are today. Full of optimism and anticipation we are now on the home stretch to A+A 2021. It is enormously important to once again provide the entire industry with this relevant platform for personal exchange and the presentation of products and innovations.”

 

MEDICA, COMPAMED: Michael Franz,
Head of Brand Communication, CGM SE & Co. KGaA

“CGM is so delighted to finally be able to participate in MEDICA again. As we see it, the new hybrid concept helps us to fulfil our essential expectations for a trade fair also in pandemic times: ensuring interactive exchange among all parties involved across sectoral borders. We will be able to demonstrate this impressively to our customers and any interested parties at the world’s largest medical trade fair. All the latest digital topics will be shown in practical use cases along the entire patient journey.”

 

MEDICA, COMPAMED: Hans-Peter Bursig,
Managing Director Medical Engineering Division of Professional Association ZVEI

“The German healthcare industry generates over 60% of its sales via exports. The COVID pandemic has heavily restricted the possibilities for personal exchange on innovative medical device technology over a long period of time. MEDICA as the world’s leading trade fair for health now enables this exchange once again with partners from Germany, Europe and the world. I am therefore delighted that we will again be helping to showcase the capabilities of German medical technology with the MEDICA Tech Forum in 2021.”

 

MEDICA, COMPAMED: Dr Thomas Dietrich,

Managing Director of the IVAM Microtechnology Association

"Even if virtual events can help generate interesting contacts, there is no substitute for personal exchange to initiate business. When negotiations become concrete, complex products and processes in need of explanation are discussed or confidential information is exchanged, direct contact is always of particular importance.  For this reason, we are particularly looking forward to networking manufacturers and users live on site again at this year's COMPAMED.”

 

boot Düsseldorf: Robert Marx, Managing Director of Friedrich Marx GmH,
President of the des Bundesverbandes Wassersportwirtschaft e.V. BVWW (National Union of Aquatic Sports) and boot President

“It is with great enthusiasm and pleasure that we start planning for boot Düsseldorf 2022, which traditionally kicks off the new season and is the showcase for the international world of water sports. Already now, major manufacturers are announcing the presentation of their boat premieres at boot 2022. This overview of the world market at one place and time is globally unique and was sorely missed this year, so we now look forward to the next boot all the more. The great willingness of companies to present themselves again in Düsseldorf to a broad audience and the trade is a clear commitment to the importance of physical trade fairs. For our industry, “face to face” is the best form of communication with our existing and potential new customers.”

 

The Messe Düsseldorf Group

The Messe Düsseldorf Group generated a turnover of EUR 136.8 million in the COVID-19 year 2020. At the seven events in Düsseldorf 5,422 exhibitors presented their products to 534,367 trade visitors. Messe Düsseldorf has developed a ground-breaking hygiene and infection protection concept, which was successfully implemented at CARAVAN SALON, the first major German trade fair held since spring 2020. The Düsseldorf Exhibition Center hosts around 40 trade fairs in five sectors of expertise: “Machinery, Plants & Equipment”, “Retail, Crafts & Services”, “Medicine & Health”, “Lifestyle & Beauty” as well as “Leisure”, including 20 international No. 1 trade fairs as well as, currently, 15 partner and guest events. In addition, there are more than 1,000 congresses, corporate events, conferences and meetings organized by the subsidiary Düsseldorf Congress. Furthermore, the Messe Düsseldorf Group organizes 75 of its own, joint and contracted events in other countries and is one of the leading export platforms in the world. The Group runs a global network of 77 international offices for 141 countries, including 7 international subsidiaries. 

 

   For further information on visiting or exhibiting at  any of Messe Düsseldorf’s 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