Stefan Lohnert, Managing Director of Messe Stuttgart, summarizes the 2022 financial year with satisfaction: "Messe Stuttgart generated a turnover of 122.7 million Euros in 2022, i.e. well above expectations. The development of the trade fair and exhibition business was also reflected in the profit before leases and tax, which was also much higher than expected at 6.6 million Euros."

The happiness is understandable in view of the severe drop in sales during the Corona crisis: in 2021, the exhibition company achieved sales of 40.1 million euros, and in the first Corona year 2020, just under 59.4 million euros. By comparison, sales in 2019 were still nearly 126 million euros.

A total of 596,086 visitors and 13,358 exhibitors attended 48 trade shows last year. Positive examples included AMB, international exhibition for metalworking, which ensured a sold-out exhibition center for the first time since the pandemic began. Trade shows such as Südback, trade fair for bakery and confectionery, Vision, world's leading trade fair for machine vision, and Hy-fcell, international exhibition and conference for the hydrogen and fuel cell community, held for the first time under its own auspices, had visitor and exhibitor numbers at pre-Corona levels. New products were also included: The first Grindinghub, a trade show about grinding technology, occupied four halls right from the start.

The year 2023: 60 trade fairs planned

For the first time since the pandemic began, Messe Stuttgart 2023 finds itself in a year with a well-filled calendar of events for an odd year (i.e., not including Vision): 60 trade shows will take place in Stuttgart. The second half of the year will see the launch of Hy-fcell, the new product Quantum Effects, Bondexpo and Motek, Süffa, as well as Stuttgarter Messeherbst and Comic Con Stuttgart, among others.

For the first time since 2020, the beginning of the year went without any official restrictions: After two cancellations in previous years, the CMT vacation trade fair was able to return to its old strength with around 265,000 visitors. The Stuttgart spring trade fairs in April were even expanded from six to twelve trade fair themes. Didacta, Europe's largest education trade fair, also celebrated a comeback at the Stuttgart trade fair center this year. For five days, trends in education were the focus of interest for 56,000 visitors. Another highlight was the new product Volta-X. The new international platform offered answers to pressing questions about the energy transition.

Acquisition of Nortec and establishment of Indian subsidiary

In order to do justice to the important topics of the future, Messe Stuttgart has established a new "Future Technologies Team" which, in addition to Volta-X, also bundles the new products Hy-fcell and Quantum Effects.

Business outside the Stuttgart location was also strengthened. With Reisen & Caravaning Hamburg, Messe Stuttgart held the leading travel trade fair in northern Germany for the first time in February and also achieved a participation record. The CMT association, which already includes the travel and caravanning trade fair in Leipzig and Nanjing/China, was thus expanded.

The acquisition of Nortec in Hamburg is also aimed in the same direction. Together with the long-standing trade show partner, the German Machine Tool Builders' Association (VDW), new customer groups in the field of production technology are to be developed in northern Germany. This commitment is supported by the network around AMB and the specialized trade fairs in the field of automation.

The strengthening of Messe Stuttgart's commitment outside its own location is also expressed in the establishment of a further subsidiary, "Messe Stuttgart India Private Limited". The background to this is Messe Stuttgart's geostrategic assessments for important sectors. The new and broad range of trade fairs includes cooperation with the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturing Association (IMTMA), which organizes Imtex, India's largest mechanical engineering trade fair.

Messe Stuttgart will hold the Castforge and Moulding Expo (Moldex India) trade fairs in parallel with Imtex in January 2024. Furthermore, the new subsidiary will organize Logimat India for the first time in New Delhi at the end of February 2024. In total, Messe Stuttgart thus has associated companies in China, India, Turkey and the USA.