Messe Duesseldorf Germany’s top trade fair company sales-wise and No. 2 worldwide

Messe Duesseldorf, in a cyclically outstanding financial year 2004, exceeded its targets. “In Germany, we are at the top and, at international level, No. 2 – making us one of the central export platforms for our economy!” said Werner M. Dornscheidt on the occasion of the press conference on the financial statements of Messe Duesseldorf GmbH.

The consolidated sales of the Messe Duesseldorf group of companies total some €369 million. More than €313 million in sales is accounted for by Messe Duesseldorf GmbH. Its pre-tax net income stands at nearly €42 million. In 2004, after a difficult phase that started in 1999, Messe Duesseldorf regained its 1998 equity ratio of 30.7 percent.

The Duesseldorf Trade Fair Center was fully booked last year: In 17 halls with a gross exhibition space of 252,214 square metres, 24 proprietary and 9 guest events were held. Some 29,500 exhibitors presented their products and innovations to over 1.8 million visitors.

In 2004, Messe Duesseldorf was by far the most international trade fair platform. The share of foreign visitors reached a new record high: 58 percent of exhibitors (2003: 54 percent) and 34 percent of visitors (2003: 24 percent) came from abroad. Customers hailed from 151 countries in all.

The success of international fairs in 2004 also clearly illustrates the direct impact of foreign business on the international character of Duesseldorf-based events. Thanks to its many years of foreign activity, the company succeeded in compensating the slight overall decline in the numbers of German exhibitors and visitors by attracting a higher share from abroad. In the 2004 financial year, Messe Duesseldorf GmbH staged 24 proprietary events and participations outside Germany, with 57events on commission and 132 sales promotion events.

Due to the business cycle, the next financial year will be weaker in terms of sales and net income. In 2005, 20 proprietary events will be held in Duesseldorf, with Messe Duesseldorf GmbH expecting some 20,000 exhibitors and around 1.2 million visitors. The highlights include interpack, EuroShop, ProWein, MEDICA / ComPaMed, REHACARE International, A+A, cpd woman_man_kidz and GDS as well as boot, CARAVAN SALON, TourNatur and BEAUTY INTERNATIONAL. In addition, the Duesseldorf Trade Fair Center will host 11 guest events. Messe Duesseldorf will close the first half of the 2005 trade fair year successfully. 

Joachim Erwin, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messe Duesseldorf GmbH, sees further potential for the company despite tougher international competition: “We are one of the industry’s leaders worldwide; our flagship fairs are excellent export platforms for the German economy, and our customers rely on us. To underpin this quality in a changing global market situation, we will continue to make the Messe Duesseldorf Group fit for the future together.”

  PDF and WORD Downloads of the Statements of Mr. Erwin
    and Mr. Dornscheidt and Download of the Press Release 

Further information:
Messe Duesseldorf GmbH
Ingo Lentz
Phone: +49 (0)211 4560-995
Fax: +49 (0)211 4560-8548

Duesseldorf, 15 April 2005

Further information