A Leader Speaks: Stuttgart Is a Rising Star

As managing director of Messe Stuttgart and former president of Messe Frankfurt, Roland Bleinroth has a sweeping view from high up in the German exhibition industry. Contributing Editor Gary Tufel recently tapped Bleinroth's extensive experience to get an overall snapshot of the German tradeshow business, and a specific look at Messe Stuttgart, an up-and-comer on the scene.

Question: What challenges is the German exhibition industry in general facing?

Answer: Germany's exhibition industry is still the undisputed world market leader. Two-thirds of the major international shows take place in Germany. Nevertheless, other countries and regions are catching up rapidly – especially China and India. A high level of investment in new convention centers can also be noted in the U.S.

Of course, there is also plenty of activity in other European countries. Recently the merger of the Paris-based exhibition organizers … surprised the tradeshow world by creating the world's largest company, at least by volume of exhibition space available.

Q: What about Messe Stuttgart, in particular?

A: Messe Stuttgart has taken the leap into a new era with the opening of our state-of-the art convention and congress center last October. The brand new venue has a total exhibition space of 105,000 square meters (1.1 million square feet) and a modern congress center.

The former Messe Stuttgart venue was limited by its downtown location and lack of expansion room (available space was only 54,000 sq. m., about 580,000 sq. ft.). This scenario has been completely reversed with the inauguration of the new Messe Stuttgart four months ago.

Q: Which of the other German messes do you see as your main competitors?

A: The major competitors for Messe Stuttgart are those that address similar customer groups. These would be mainly Messe Munich and Nuremburg.

Q: What are the main industries that Messe Stuttgart shows serve?

A: Messe Stuttgart has the goal of becoming Europe's premier destination for high-tech shows and meetings. With the Southwest of Germany being the economic powerhouse of the German economy and the leader in several technological fields, an attractive buyer and exhibitor base is guaranteed.

Q: How many exhibitions did Messe Stuttgart host in 2007?

A: Due to the biennial cycle of several of our shows, the even years tend to be significantly busier than the odd years. In 2007, we hosted 58 events in Stuttgart plus five international shows.

Q: How many will you have in 2008?

A: This year there will be 72 shows in Stuttgart, again in addition to several international events.

Q: Do you produce most of the shows you host?

A: Events hosted by independent organizers at Messe Stuttgart also contribute a significant portion to our business model. Among the 30 so-called “guest events” are some industry-leading shows in their respective sectors. One prominent private organizer, the Schall Group, has even moved the majority of its shows to Stuttgart recently.

In 2008, Messe Stuttgart will host 72 shows in Stuttgart, of which two-thirds are produced and owned by the company (the remainder are produced by independent organizers).

Q: Turning back to the big picture in Germany, what will be the areas of the most growth for the messe companies in 2008?

A: Some German tradeshow organizers have been very active in international markets for decades; others have discovered the merits of hosting shows in international markets only relatively recently. The focal areas of German tradeshow organizers are no surprise and typically include the areas of rapid economic growth – namely Eastern Europe, India, China and other Asian countries.

Q: Not North America?

A: North America is generally considered a difficult and very saturated tradeshow market. Therefore, most German tradeshow companies have a limited presence there.

Q: Will Messe Stuttgart also focus on growth abroad?

A: Messe Stuttgart is one of the more recent additions to the international stage with regard to organizing shows abroad. However, some premier events have been hosted in Stuttgart for many years, attracting impressive international participation of up to 60 percent.

Q: How significant is the international element in shows at Messe Stuttgart?

A: Most of the events held in Stuttgart (some 60-plus shows annually) are focused technology shows. Given the heavy concentration on technology, international exhibitors and attendees are very important for the success of the events. Consequently, some of the most prominent shows boast international participation rates of up to 60 percent. However, the overall average across all events falls considerably lower - in the past around 20 percent for exhibitors and 10 percent for buyers.

However, these values are expected to increase significantly under the new parameters. Shows held at the new convention center since last September have typically experienced a growth in exhibitor and visitor attendance by 30 to 40 percent. In some cases, existing shows have even doubled or are expected to, when they are held later this year.

Q: What's your mix of public events and tradeshows?

A: While the majority of the shows in Stuttgart are trade-only events, there are also some very prominent public shows. A prime example is Europe's largest show for tourism, camping and caravaning: CMT. … Other major public shows include events for historic vehicles, food and consumer goods, and gifts.