At home in global markets

Based on the successful flagship events at its Frankfurt base, the company is present for its customers at some 50 locations with its brands and brand families, using the familiar product groups and nomenclature. With customised solutions and concepts, the individual events are coordinated in terms of schedule and geographic location in the various regions. For instance, Automechanika in Buenos Aires, Light Middle East in Dubai and Prolight + Sound Shanghai offer exhibitors and visitors the same high quality standards as their respective parent events in Frankfurt. The success of this model can be seen in the fact that many of our foreign events are the second- or third-largest in their respective sectors worldwide – the largest being the corresponding flagship event at our Frankfurt base.

In Asia, Messe Frankfurt is one of the few foreign trade fair companies that, by means of a number of subsidiaries, is in a position to organise trade fairs throughout China as well as in India, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Hong Kong is the headquarters of Asian holding company Messe Frankfurt H.K., from where the entire Asian business is run. The Group is the largest trade fair organiser in China with some 50 events as well as being the largest offshoot of a German trade fair company. With more than 20 events to its credit, Messe Frankfurt is also the largest organiser in India.

Messe Frankfurt’s activities outside Germany have a positive effect on its events in Frankfurt. More than three-quarters of exhibitors and over half of visitors to the Group’s events come from outside Germany. This international component is well above average in the trade fair sector.

Financial year 2020 brought about a historical break in Messe Frankfurt’s stable growth. Owing to the global coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing travel restrictions and quarantine regulations, physical events around the world were cancelled or restricted locally. Around two thirds

of the events under the Messe Frankfurt umbrella had to be cancelled or postponed. A series of events were held as additional digital formats.

Messe Frankfurt subsidiaries abroad
 

Background information on Messe Frankfurt

Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. The Messe Frankfurt Group employs around 2,500* people in a total of 30 subsidiaries. The company generated annual sales of approximately €250* million in 2020. Even in difficult times caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we are globally networked with our industry sectors. We have close ties with our industry sectors and serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of the Group’s key USPs is its closely knit global sales network, which extends throughout the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are expanding our digital expertise with new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com

* preliminary figures 2020