PaintExpo 2022 - High satisfaction at the world's leading trade fair for industrial painting technology

With highly satisfied exhibitors and visitors, PaintExpo in Karlsruhe came to an end on April 29, 2022. After a break of four years due to the pandemic, the joy that the trade show could finally take place again was palpable everywhere during the four days of the trade show.

Around 430 exhibitors from 27 countries presented groundbreaking innovations and intelligent future technologies. There was a particular focus on efficiency enhancement, automation and digitalization, as well as sustainability. As a global showcase for the industry, the event welcomed 9,180 trade visitors from 57 countries. Promising new customer contacts, concrete project discussions and direct business deals characterized the positive mood at the world's leading trade show for industrial coating technology.

"We are very pleased with the great response PaintExpo received from national and international exhibitors and visitors. With their attractive stands and with their innovations and services, the exhibitors have made the event a global showcase for industrial painting technology," Markus Geisenberger, Managing Director of Leipziger Messe, was pleased to report. After the takeover of PaintExpo by Leipziger Messe, the new edition was thus more than successful. He adds: "The bar has been set for the coming events. PaintExpo is ideally positioned in Karlsruhe and will be expanded in the long term."

PaintExpo covered the entire spectrum of industrial painting with its products and services. The spectrum ranged from solutions for surface treatment, through paints and painting systems, respectively powder and powder coating systems, to final quality assurance. The worldwide unique showcase of industrial painting technology bundled coating solutions for all industries, applications and materials - whether wet painting, powder coating or coil coating. "With this concept, the trade show is the central platform for all projects related to industrial coating," he said. "No matter what project is planned, this is where you come together with all the manufacturers and service providers you need - in one place and in the shortest possible time," says Ivonne Simons. The PaintExpo project manager emphasizes, "The trade show participants took advantage of exactly that. Business relationships were initiated at the booths, new projects were discussed and concrete business deals were also concluded."

Dr. Rainer Frei agrees with this assessment. For the managing director of paint producer Emil Frei, PaintExpo seamlessly picks up where old successes left off, despite the Corona break. "Here we have the entire spectrum of industrial painting technology at one event. It is the biggest leading trade show for us."

Markus Sonnenstatter, CSO Industrial Solutions at plant manufacturer Wagner, makes similar comments: "It is simply important to be at PaintExpo. Here, we succeed in gaining new customers but also in cultivating our existing customers. It was a colorful mix of relevant interest and concrete project inquiries. It's exactly this mix that makes PaintExpo an irreplaceable industry gathering."

The quality as well as the satisfaction of the visitors was also remarkable. According to the survey, the number of top decision-makers, specialists and managers was very high. According to the survey, around 88 percent have a significant influence on investment decisions in their companies. More than 90 percent plan to attend the next edition of PaintExpo again in two years.

The proportion of international trade show visitors was also very high. More than one in three guests traveled from abroad. In addition to Germany, the trade visitors came primarily from Switzerland, Italy, France, Austria and Poland. "It was noticeable that the trade show continues to gain in importance internationally. Visitors from many European countries and from the USA were present and, for us as a global company, are directly part of our target group," Nicole Mihlan, Marketing Manager at Venjakob, was pleased to say.

The exhibitor survey also revealed an equally positive mood. 95 percent of the exhibitors praised the high quality of the contacts and the professional qualifications of the visitors. The trade show was considered a success by 94 percent of the exhibitors.

"We are glad that we decided to participate in the fair for the first time. Our conclusion is clear: PaintExpo is one of the most important industry meetings at which to exhibit. This is where the future is talked about," summed up Tobias Laxa, Marketing Manager Europe at surface treatment specialist Henkel.

Speaking of the future, Thomas Rippert from the plant manufacturer Rippert also has his sights firmly set on it. His assessment: "That was fun. It was a pleasure to see how well the trade show was received by visitors after the long break. Despite, or perhaps because of, the current difficult conditions, there was a remarkable "now-first-right" mood. As a result, many investment projects are not being postponed, but are being implemented and new innovations are being valued."

The date for the next PaintExpo in 2024 has already been set. The world's leading trade fair for industrial painting technology will then be held as usual at Messe Karlsruhe from April 9 to 12, 2024. (OM-05/22)