What is the significance of transatlantic economic relations between Germany and the U.S., particularly for North Rhine-Westphalia and Messe Düsseldorf?
Transatlantic economic relations between Germany and the U.S. continue to be an important pillar of the German economy. According to Statista, goods worth more than 158 billion euros were exported from Germany to the U.S. in 2023. This means that the United States are still one of Germany's most important trading partners. Economic ties with the U.S. are also a valuable asset for NRW and Messe Düsseldorf. There are more than 1,700 U.S. companies in North Rhine-Westphalia alone and in addition to numerous economic cooperations in the region, our trade fairs also benefit from this excellent relationship. First and foremost, MEDICA and COMPAMED in Düsseldorf. Last year, these two leading trade fairs for the healthcare and medical technology industry attracted 422 U.S. exhibitors. In the last 30 years around 52% of all U.S. participation at trade shows in Düsseldorf have been at just these two fairs. Over this period a total of 21,400 companies from the U.S. exhibited in Düsseldorf while 404,000 visitors came to the state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia. By no other non-European country more visitors were attracted to our trade fairs and only China had more exhibitors. This demonstrates that the close and friendly relationship with the U.S. plays a significant role at Messe Düsseldorf.
What impact will the introduction of XPONENTIAL Europe in Düsseldorf have on transatlantic economic relations?
In 2025, the first XPONENTIAL Europe will be yet another trade fair that will attract many attendees from the U.S. to our city. The acquisition of the American parent event XPONENTIAL in 2023, was one of the largest in the history of Messe Düsseldorf. This is no less than another milestone in the strengthening of business relations between Europe and the United States. In Denver, Colorado, our subsidiary Messe Düsseldorf North America organized XPONENTIALn2023 together with the industry association AUVSI (Association for Uncrewed Vehicles Systems International). The success of this partnership was already evident at the first joint edition – an increase of 65 percent in international visitors. With XPONENTIAL Europe in Düsseldorf, we are taking a further step towards promoting economic and technological exchange between the U.S. and Europe in general and between the U.S. and North Rhine-Westphalia in particular. Among various autonomous technologies, the drone market offers extremely high potential, as the market volume in this sector is predicted to reach 30.6 billion U.S. dollars by 2030 – a growth of 82% compared to 2022.
How has Messe Düsseldorf historically contributed to strengthening transatlantic economic relations?
XPONENTIAL is just one of many examples how our trade fairs strengthen transatlantic economic ties. Our company has attached particular importance to this ever since it was founded. After all, it was in New York in 1948 that Messe Düsseldorf was the first ever German trade fair company in the post-war era to be appointed to organize a German export exhibition abroad – somehow the basis for successful economic relations between Germany and the U.S. Another milestone followed in 1982 when Messe Düsseldorf also opened a permanent office in New York as the first German trade fair organizer in the United States. After moving to Chicago in 1990, the subsidiary was named Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA) in 1998. A year earlier, MDNA organized its first own event in Miami (Avenida Moda). As our own “Transatlantic Bridge”, MDNA also organizes the “USA Pavilions” at Düsseldorf trade fairs and arranges for U.S. companies to exhibit at other events around the world. We will continue to promote transatlantic relations in the future to the benefit of our customers and Düsseldorf, the region, and NRW.
About the Messe Düsseldorf Group
Messe Düsseldorf is among the most successful trade show organizers worldwide. It hosts around 40 trade shows, including 20 leading international ones, at its 613,000-m² exhibition center in Düsseldorf, Germany. Across 18 halls, international market leaders and top decision-makers of various sectors get together every year in order to present and discover innovations, to exchange ideas and to network. Messe Düsseldorf’s sectors of expertise include: “Machinery, Plants and Equipment,” including metallurgy and foundry technology (inter alia drupa, K, interpack, glasstec, wire and Tube); “Retail, Trades and Services” (EuroShop, EuroCIS, ProWein); “Health and Medical Technology” (MEDICA, COMPAMED, REHACARE, A+A); “Lifestyle and Beauty” (BEAUTY, TOP HAIR); “Leisure” (boot, CARAVAN SALON); and “Mobility” (XPONENTIAL, Flotte!). Completing this lineup are numerous conventions, corporate events, conferences and meetings by subsidiary Düsseldorf Congress. Abroad, Messe Düsseldorf organizes more than 70 events. The corporate group’s global network encompasses 77 foreign representatives for 141 countries – including seven international subsidiaries.
