Deutsche Messe announced on Nov. 28 in Hannover, Germany, that it is streamlining its event portfolio and will integrate CEBIT’s industry-related topics into Hannover Messe, while also developing additional CEBIT topics into specialist events for decision-makers from vertical industries. The realignment is due to reduced space bookings for CEBIT 2019.
Technological developments within the digital economy have reduced demand for horizontal trade shows such as CEBIT in recent years. Digitalization’s innovative impact is particularly evident in the industrial application industries. As such, many of CEBIT’s traditional core exhibitors have turned to events targeting these industries to generate new business.
“In recent years, many discussions within the German industry have involved the thematic overlap between Hannover Messe and CEBIT,” says Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe AG. “It is now time to integrate the topics from CEBIT that are relevant for manufacturing, energy and logistics into Hannover Messe. We are currently examining the digital market to determine which remaining CEBIT topics we will develop into new events.”
Deutsche Messe will cancel CEBIT 2019 because of declining visitor numbers and a continuing reduction in space bookings. The latest CEBIT concept consisted of an exhibition, conference and festival.
On Nov. 27, Oliver Frese, Deutsche Messe’s member of the managing board responsible for CEBIT, requested that the executive committee of Deutsche Messe’s supervisory board release him of his duties effective Dec.13. The committee agreed to his request.
“We accept Mr. Frese’s decision with regret and respect. It is difficult to lose such an experienced tradeshow manager and board member,” says Bernd Althusmann, economic minister of Lower Saxony and chairman of the supervisory board. “Frese has served Deutsche Messe for many years, most recently as the member of the managing board responsible for CEBIT. Especially with the new CEBIT concept, Frese showed courage, innovation and pioneering spirit. The further decline in demand for CEBIT is all the more regrettable, but at the same time, it shows that the CEBIT idea affected the entire economy. The topics it represented, such as digitization and artificial intelligence, are now seen as overarching tasks—which is also a success for CEBIT.”
Deutsche Messe does not expect direct effects from the streamlining, having already adjusted CEBIT’s role in and economic contribution to the events portfolio in recent years.
“Thanks to many other strong events and strong growth in our international business, Deutsche Messe remains in a secure and solid position as a company,” says Köckler. “Deutsche Messe will continue to use the CEBIT brand at events abroad.”
As one of the world’s foremost organizers of capital goods trade fairs, Deutsche Messe stages a rich array of events at venues in Germany and around the globe. With 2017 revenue projected to total about 357 million euros, Deutsche Messe ranks among Germany’s top five tradeshow producers. The company’s portfolio features such world-class events as CeMAT (intralogistics and supply chain management), didacta (education), DOMOTEX (carpets and other floor coverings), HANNOVER MESSE (industrial technology), INTERSCHUTZ (fire prevention, disaster relief and safety & security), LABVOLUTION (lab technology) and LIGNA (woodworking, wood processing, forestry). The company also regularly hosts a number of internationally renowned events by third parties, among which are AGRITECHNICA (agricultural machinery) and EuroTier (animal production), both of which are staged by the German Agricultural Society (DLG), EMO (machine tools; staged by the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association, VDW), EuroBLECH (sheet metal working; staged by MackBrooks) and IAA Commercial Vehicles (transport, logistics and mobility; staged by the German Association of the Automotive Industry, VDA). With more than 1,200 employees and a network of 58 sales partners, Deutsche Messe is present in more than 100 countries. For more info, visit messe.de.
