Trade fair

A trade fair (trade show, trade exhibition, or expo) is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities. In contrast to consumer fairs, only some trade fairs are open to the public, while others can only be attended by company representatives (members of the trade, e.g. professionals) and members of the press, therefore trade shows are classified as either "public" or "trade only". A few fairs are hybrids of the two; one example is the Frankfurt Book Fair, which is trade only for its first three days and open to the general public on its final two days. They are held on a continuing basis in virtually all markets and normally attract companies from around the globe. For example, in the U.S. there are currently over 10,000 trade shows held every year, and several online directories have been established to help organizers, attendees, and marketers identify appropriate events.

Messe Frankfurt

Messe Frankfurt GmbH (literally "Frankfurt Trade Fair") is one of the world's largest trade fair companies with 537,000,000 Euros in sales and over 1,800 active employees. The group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries, five branch offices, and 52 international sales partners. Thus, Messe Frankfurt is present in over 150 countries to their customers. At more than 30 locations in the world events "made by Messe Frankfurt" take place. In 2012, Messe Frankfurt organised a total of 109 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany.

The company is in the public sector, the shareholders are the City of Frankfurt, with 60 percent and the State of Hesse with 40 percent. The Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt consists of Wolfgang Marzin, Detlef Braun, and Uwe Behm.

Frankfurt Trade Fair

Location and size

Messe Frankfurt is the owner and operator of the Frankfurt Trade Fair grounds in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. The exhibition grounds are located in the Bockenheim and Westend-Süd districts, close to the city centre. At 578,000 square metres and with ten exhibition halls, a central logistics centre and an attached convention centre, it is one of the world's largest trade fairs.