Messe Frankfurt Buys A&S Group

Germany-based Messe Frankfurt expanded its reach into Taiwan by acquiring a majority interest in A&S Group, a Taiwan-based security industry tradeshow organizer and media-service provider.

“We believe there are significant synergies between our two companies,” said Michael von Zitzewitz, chairman of the Messe Frankfurt board of management.

He added, “The expertise of A&S Group in the security sector, as a trade fair organizer, publisher, online information provider and event services provider, will increase the Asian profile of our Intersec brand shows, which bring together a wide range of events for security products and services.”

Established in Taiwan in 1991, A&S Group has several security-themed shows, including SecuTech Expo, the largest international security trade fair in Asia, and SecuTech Vietnam, the largest security show in Vietnam.

A&S Group also is involved in 11 security industry magazines in the English, Chinese, Japanese, Turkish and Bosnian languages.

Messe Frankfurt organizes the safety and security Intersec brand-name tradeshows in the Middle East, Asia and South America.

“By forming a new company with A&S Group, we are now perfectly positioned to take advantage of this expanding market, which is being partly driven by increased urbanization and the rising number of middle- and upper-class populations,” said Stephan Buurma, managing director of Messe Frankfurt. “In addition, new government regulations and policies are requiring security equipment and services to secure borders, people and property.”