For Messe München, 2021 came to a successful conclusion. Klaus Dittrich, the chairman and CEO of Messe München, summed up the company’s performance in 2021.
“After 18 months of lockdown, significant cost reductions and adjustments to the company structure, the international trade fair business returned to Munich in September: IAA Mobility made trade-fair history, with more than 400,000 participants and presentations that were held not only on our trade fair grounds, but also in the most beautiful places in the middle of the city. Coupled with Expo Real and productronica, IAA Mobility sent a powerful signal to the entire industry and showed just how major international trade fairs could be held in Germany under conditions dictated by the coronavirus,” Dittrich said. "We are now planning to hold 54 of our own events inside and outside Germany during the new year. With the help of our full event calendar, complementary digital programs and three open air concerts as a special highlight, we are entering a year of exceptional events and economic momentum in 2022.”
2021 in review
In economic terms, 2021 was another pandemic year of moderate results. According to current projections, revenue of €122.5 million is expected for Messe München GmbH (previous year: EUR 93.6 million). Globally, the company is expected to generate consolidated sales of €154.5 million. The company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) totaled minus €49.6 million for 2021, the figures show. During 2020 and 2021, Messe München lost about €400 million in revenue as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Messe München held 125 events at its international subsidiaries and guest events in 2021. They were attended by more than 1.1 million visitors and participants – both online and in-person. Five of the company’s in-person events were held in Munich. Messe München GmbH held 17 of its own online events in its home market and offered other digital events that were organized by its subsidiaries abroad. With the help of digital formats, it kept the exhibitors and visitors up to date about the latest developments and industry information. The company organized 21 events at its international locations, while an additional 82 guest events were held in Munich.
During the first half of the year, Messe München held a number of successful international and digital formats. These included BAU Online, with about 18,000 participants from 141 countries, and ISPO Munich Online, with about 26,000 guests from 115 countries. In July 2021, Messe München organized TrendSet, the first in-person event held during the pandemic at the company’s home location and a pilot project for the company’s coronavirus-driven business in the fall. During the three-day event, a total of 16,000 people visited the international trade fair. With the help of IAA Mobility, Messe München cleared the way for such fall events as Expo Real and productronica.
In March, productronica China created a lively setting for the electronics manufacturing industry in the Shanghai International Expo Centre (SNIEC). In April, IE expo China focused on environmental technology. It was the second IE expo China organized during the pandemic and attracted an increased number of exhibitors and visitors.
In India, the company’s in-person business began to pick up once again as well. In December, a total of seven events were held as hybrid exhibitions. They included drink technology India/IFAT India, analytica Anacon India, India Lab Expo and electronica India/ Laser World of Photonics India/productronica India.
Outlook for 2022
2022 will be another strong year in the cycle of Messe München as the company plans to hold 54 of its own events inside and outside Germany.
The trade fair calendar is packed full in the second half of the year in particular. Trade fairs that will be held as in-person events starting in the spring include Laser World of Photonics and IFAT. One of the highlights will be bauma 2022, which will take place in October and focus on the leading issues of the future affecting the construction, building materials and mining machinery industry with live presentations, discussions and talks.
ISPO Munich will be held at the end of November and will open the winter season for the first time. It will continue to be held in the future at this time to address the needs of the industry. As part of the global trade-fair alliance bauma Network, the Munich-based exhibition company interlinks the construction, building materials and mining machinery industry, as well as the construction vehicles and construction equipment industry, with bauma CHINA in Shanghai, bauma CTT Russia in Moscow and, at the beginning of 2023, bauma ConExpo India in New Delhi.
