DÜSSELDORF, Germany — 2024 was one of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH’s most successful business years in two decades. Trade Show Executive (TSE) spoke with Wolfram N. Diener, the organization’s President & CEO, about how it is leveraging international growth and more to drive success.
ANDREW: What strategies do you think fueled Messe Düsseldorf GmbH’s impressive business year in 2024?
WOLFRAM: 2024 has been one of the most successful business years in two decades for Messe Düsseldorf. The number of new events in Düsseldorf was higher than it’s been in years, and we were covering relevant emerging topics with high market potential.
Nearly 25,000 companies exhibited at the 22 trade shows in Düsseldorf in 2024, including the eight partner and guest events. More than one million attendees came to visit our trade shows at our home venue – 39% of them hailing from abroad.
A key success factor for us was also the growing number of trade shows outside of Germany. Across the globe, our events bolstered the position of our world-leading trade shows in international competition, and they served as valuable showcases for Düsseldorf as a trade show city. The strong economic foundation enables us as a company to invest in the future: in new trade fair projects, a new headquarters and in digital services for our customers. Together, these initiatives will serve to optimally position our exhibition venue in the global competitive landscape.
ANDREW: How does Messe Düsseldorf balance its portfolio of domestic and international events and position them for growth across the board?
WOLFRAM: Maintaining the right balance between domestic and international trade fairs is a key priority for us. While Düsseldorf remains the central hub for our global portfolio, our international activities provide essential growth opportunities for exhibitors and visitors alike.
We ensure that our events remain strong by leveraging our extensive network of international offices and representatives, which enables us to identify trends, respond to market demands, and build sustainable business platforms worldwide.
At the same time, we integrate international exhibitors and visitors into our events in Düsseldorf. This ensures that our home-based fairs, such as MEDICA, K, and interpack, remain truly global in reach and influence. By consistently refining our approach and making strategic investments in new and existing markets, we ensure our fairs remain at the forefront of industry developments worldwide.
ANDREW: What international regions were key to the company’s success in 2024? What should organizers know about these markets?
WOLFRAM: Our success in 2024 was largely driven by our strong presence in Europe, Asia, and emerging markets such as Turkey and Mexico.
In Asia, our structural reorganization has allowed us to optimize operations and deepen relationships with key industries. China, India, and Southeast Asia continue to play a crucial role in our portfolio, given their dynamic economies and growing demand for industry-leading exhibitions.
In Turkey, we have capitalized on the country’s strategic position as a bridge between Europe and Asia, offering new business opportunities across multiple sectors.
Likewise, in Mexico, we have identified strong potential for new events that cater to the region’s manufacturing and healthcare industries. These expansions have strengthened our global footprint and reinforced our position as one of the leading exhibition organizers worldwide.
ANDREW: What inspired the decision to move into Turkey in 2024, and what did the move entail? Did the organization encounter any challenges in the region? If so, how were they surmounted?
WOLFRAM: Our expansion into Turkey was a strategic decision aimed at leveraging the country’s dynamic economy and growing industrial sectors. The country serves as the interface between Europe and Asia.
The International Monetary Fund predicts annual growth rates of about 3% for Turkey through 2028. At the enormous business potential for international companies while significantly increasing the demand for trade shows in the region.
Our aim is to reinforce our global and strategic leadership in metallurgy and foundry trade fairs with five trade shows: in addition to ANKIROS and ALUEXPO, we also organize wire Eurasia, Tube Eurasia, and TOS+H [Turkish Occupational Safety & Health Expo]. All these trade shows provide us with a platform to connect global companies with local players and facilitate their entry into the Turkish and other regional markets.
ANDREW: What inspired the launch of two events for the Mexican market?
WOLFRAM: Our activities in Mexico demonstrate how markets can be strategically entered in a dynamic and diverse global economy. The country is geographically positioned between North and South America, providing easy access to both markets. Mexico’s appeal for foreign investors is reflected by the fact that 1,900 companies from Germany are already engaged locally.
Our expansion was driven by strong demand for high-quality trade fair platforms in key industries. The country’s robust manufacturing sector and increasing investments in industrial development have presented an opportunity to establish new events that cater to this demand.
With our trade fair GIFA Mexico, we will cover a comprehensive spectrum of machinery, plant, materials and technological innovations ranging from additive manufacturing and foundry machines to castings for a variety of application industries — from the automotive industry, construction, and the energy and gas industry to users from metal works and steel mills.
And our commitment goes even further than that. After introducing wire Mexico in 2024, we will add Tube Mexico 2025 as a new satellite event of our worldwide Metalflow Alliance trade fair portfolio. Both trade fairs will offer international companies an important platform to enter the Latin American wire/cable and tube/pipe market. At wire and Tube Mexico you will see global market leaders and trendsetters from the entire process chain.
Related. 2024 Meditech International Health Fair Grows International Footprint
ANDREW: How did Messe Düsseldorf’s structural reorganization in Asia position it for success in the region last year?
WOLFRAM: The world is changing. Economic balances of power are shifting — and this also affects the exhibition business. All forecasts show that the future of the global economy lies in Asia. And we’ll make sure that our company and our customers emerge as winners from this development by leveraging strategic market insights, expanding our presence in high-growth regions, and continuously enhancing our event formats.
In 2024, we further laid the groundwork for this. With our new regional hub Messe Düsseldorf for Asia, we will handle our company’s Asia business out of Singapore. This efficient structure is designed to enhance our global ‘pole position’ by facilitating more successful trade shows in Asia.
The process will start with eight medical technology and rehabilitation trade shows in Asia. Customers will benefit from offerings that are tailored to regional needs, central points of contact, and even stronger business platforms — both in the region and in Düsseldorf.
ANDREW: How did the organization work to increase international participation at its Düsseldorf venue last year?
WOLFRAM: It has been a key priority for us to attract even more international exhibitors and visitors to our Düsseldorf-based events. We achieved this through targeted marketing campaigns, enhanced support for international delegations and expanded exhibitor services.
Our worldwide representative offices also played a crucial role in facilitating connections and ensuring that Düsseldorf remains a global hub for business and innovation. 2024 has shown that Düsseldorf’s leading global trade shows are the linchpins of their respective industries. This was vividly evident at drupa, which reunited the global printing industry after eight years, as well as at CARAVAN SALON and wire, both of which were larger than ever. REHACARE and glasstec also showcased significant growth, reaffirming their roles as the premier meeting places for their industries.
ANDREW: What inspired Messe Düsseldorf’s plan to expand in the Middle East and use a new +office in Dubai?
WOLFRAM: We aim to use a strong organization to drive new growth in the Middle East — while at the same time generating positive spillover effects for the world-leading trade shows taking place in Düsseldorf. The Arabian Peninsula is one of the most dynamic markets globally. The economies of the countries that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council have nearly doubled in size from 2010 to 2024, a development largely driven by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Dubai stands out: The city has risen in recent years to become a leading location for trade shows in the region and has developed into what today is a central hub for the international trade show business across Asia, Europe and Africa.
The new Messe Düsseldorf Gulf Office will put us in an even better position to take full advantage of the tremendous growth potential in the Gulf region. By developing robust relationships with key local decision-makers, we aim to actively address the topics that are important to us while further expanding our position as a major player on the Arabian Peninsula.
ANDREW: Do you have any other 2025 predictions?
WOLFRAM: As we move into 2025, we expect continued growth across our key sectors. Sustainability, digitalization and industry convergence will be major themes shaping our events. The new year kicks off for us with two new future-focused events.
XPONENTIAL Europe for uncrewed systems and robotics will be held for the first time in Düsseldorf. At this trade show, we are bridging the gap between the diverse range of uncrewed systems applications and the exhibiting companies. By facilitating direct industry connections, fostering cross-sector collaboration and showcasing cutting-edge innovations, we create significant business opportunities and synergies for all stakeholders.
Another new trade show in our portfolio is the Circular Valley Convention organized by Messe Düsseldorf in cooperation with renowned partners. The convention examines the circular economy from a holistic perspective: across industries and materials — and throughout all phases of the circular economy, from smart circular design to the reuse and further utilization of products. I am sure that both events will give us momentum for the rest of the year.
ANDREW: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
WOLFRAM: Building on the strong results of our successful business year 2024, we are committed to sustained growth and strengthening our position in the global market. I am confident that our strategic decisions will begin to bear fruit in the coming months.
With a strong portfolio, international expansion, and a dedication to delivering world-class events, we will continue to drive innovation and shape the future of the global exhibition industry. We look forward to another successful year ahead.
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