Despite an interruption forced by the pandemic during the first two months of the 2022 event year, trade fairs rebounded strongly at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre in Germany, as well as at its international subsidiaries, the group has reported. Comparing last year’s figures with the previous even numbered year’s annual results (2020), the Messe said its preliminary calculations indicated that more than 23,600 exhibitors (2020: 12,385) took part in its 135 events around the world (2020: 57), with some 829,500sqm of rented space (2020: 360,870sqm) and more than 981,000 visitors (2020: 430,887).
This strong comeback of in-person events yielded a sales rebound to €250m (2020: €110.3m) across the group. “We’re very pleased with the revival of the exhibitions business in 2022, and at our customers’ immense pleasure at being able to meet in person once again,” said NürnbergMesse Group joint CEO Prof. Dr Roland Fleck.
Although odd numbered years have fewer events, the company said it expected sales of more than €230m in 2023. “Despite the stacked-up crises of the pandemic, the war, and high energy prices, our trade fairs continue to perform very well – a clear sign that the trade fair business model is intact,” added fellow Group CEO, Peter Ottmann.
The past events year kicked off properly in March, with IWA Outdoor Classics. Thereafter, in a packed calendar, a total of 82 events took place in close succession at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre.
International attendance last year by exhibitors and visitors equalled the levels from the 2018 record year, management reported, with staffing levels also up slightly from the prior year, to 1,086 for the NürnbergMesse Group as a whole as at 31 December 2022.
Ottmann draws a clear conclusion: “That feat was possible only thanks to powerful team performance. The personnel department, the Employee Council and the entire team all made an immense contribution.”
Customer demand also remained strong internationally, according to the NürnbergMesse Group and its international subsidiaries held 27 events last year (2020:14), and Brazil, Greece, and India all set event records.
In China, by contrast, only one of the company’s fairs could be held because of strict coronavirus regulations.
NürnbergMesse has been offering hybrid extensions and digital options to accompany its in-person events. Last year, some 18,000 users registered on the digital platforms of six events; around 1,600 of them attended their event entirely online. The it-sa cybersecurity trade fair’s digital platform has attracted some 9,000 registered users since 2020, while in terms of space, the concurrent in-person event was the largest it-sa ever.
NürnbergMesse continues its energy saving campaign and is converting the lighting at its event halls to LEDs. It has adjusted temperature settings for heating and cooling and has diversified its energy sources. The aim is to make NürnbergMesse’s energy supply largely self-sufficient.
Construction of a proprietary hybrid power plant on the event grounds will begin before the first quarter of 2023 is out, with the installation of the first solar panels.
“In 2023,” said joint CEO Peter Ottmann, “76 events are planned for the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre, with another 71 to be held around the world. These include ten new additions to the portfolio: FSBI – Fire Safe Build India (9-11 February, Mumbai), PAINTINDIA North Edition (2-3 March, Greater Noida, Delhi), the Haus Decor Show (14-17 March, in parallel with EXPO Revestir in São Paulo), the Pacific Coatings Show (18-20 October, Jakarta), GLOBAL PACK (11-13 November, together with FOODTECH in Athens), the Brazilian Footwear Show (21-23 November, Porto Alegre) and Embedded world China, the Car Symposium China and Car Battery Day China (all postponed from 2022, dates still to be decided, Shanghai).
Nuremberg will see the first LEGAL REVOLUTION (2-3 May), concerned with the implementation of artificial intelligence in the legal profession. NürnbergMesse assumes that demand for in-person events will return to pre-pandemic levels by 2025/2026.
