Along with the 8th Schweisstec international trade fair for joining technology, the 15th Blechexpo international trade fair for sheet metal working met with great success from the 26th through the 29th of October, 2021. “Full exhibition halls, a great mood, satisfied exhibitors. There’s no substitute for an on-site trade fair,” concludes Georg Knauer concisely, project manager of the trade fair duo. 953 exhibitors from Germany, Italy, Austria, Turkey, Switzerland and the Benelux countries showcased top technologies in the fields of sheet metal processing and metalworking on 108,000 square metres of exhibition floor space in nine halls. All the industry’s big names were on hand at this trade fair highlight in Stuttgart.

“We’re finally able to celebrate a trade fair again,” said Christian Ludwig from Meusburger Georg in Wolfurt, Austria. The company participated at Blechexpo / Schweisstec for the tenth time this year. “Blechexpo is a very important, leading trade fair for us. We finally have the opportunity of presenting our exhibits to our customers again. We’re engaging in terrific, high-quality discussions here, and post-event success is a certainty.”

Mathias Bihler, managing director of Otto Bihler Maschinenbau, was also “very pleased” and attested to the trade fair’s exceptional significance. “Blechexpo is an industry meeting place for global players in the metalworking industry. Ideas and strategies for the future are exchanged here. Blechexpo / Schweisstec is the highlight for suppliers and machine manufacturers thanks to personal contact with the customers,” continues Bihler.

Customers want to see and experience products

“It feels good to be here,” said Ralf Vetter from Rehm Schweißtechnik in Uhingen, Germany. “The best part is that we’re not just presenting our products virtually – we can show them directly to our customers. They want to experience the products and handle them. At the trade fair we have the opportunity of engaging in really great discussions with customers.” Vetter expressly emphasised the advantages of combining Blechexpo and Schweisstec: “We meet up with exactly the audience we’re looking for here at the trade fair – our potential customers.”

Bettina Schall, managing director of trade fair promoters P. E. Schall, extends her thanks to all expert visitors and exhibitors for their active participation. “Although Blechexpo / Schweisstec wasn’t affected by a compulsory interruption due to the fact that it’s held once every two years, we all had to accept certain restrictions in light of the current situation. All of you contributed to ensuring that the stipulated general conditions were adhered to, and that a personal exchange of information was possible at the on-site trade fair. For this I thank all of you, as well as the initiators of supplementary events including Blechexpo Award and Blechexpo Steel Convent.

Just how great the need is for a personal exchange of professional experience and information was already evident during the first hour of the first day at the trade fair. Right from the very beginning, visitors expressed strong, concrete interest and demonstrated high levels of visitor quality, which was confirmed by numerous exhibitors. All involved parties had eagerly awaited this live trade fair autumn in 2021, and displayed an intensive need for information concerning their respective tasks in sheet metal processing. Traditionally, exhibitors and expert visitors profit from the strictly practice-oriented trade fair concept and the synergy effects of the trade fair duo.

Once every two years, Blechexpo / Schweisstec presents the issues covering all aspects of thermal and mechanical sheet metal processing, cutting technologies, processing machines, equipment for punching, bending, braking and forming, as well as system peripherals including controllers and software, and solutions for handling and quality assurance. It’s a proven trade fair with a working character that depicts complete process chains in sheet metal processing and metalworking. With its top technologies, it’s an impressive representation of the high levels of performance achieved by this industry sector. Everyone is looking forward to the next trade fair: Along with the 9th Schweisstec international trade fair for joining technology, the 16th Blechexpo international trade fair for sheet metal working will take place in Stuttgart from the 7th through the 10th of October, 2023.