Messe Stuttgart and its Guest Events division have revealed the figures from their record-breaking 2016. The company reported total earnings of €147m – the highest in its 76-year history. Its profit before leasing expenses and taxes (€28m) also set a new record. This means that Messe Stuttgart has doubled its earnings and quadrupled its profits since moving to the new grounds 10 years ago. In 2016, more exhibitors than ever (21,718) showcased their goods and services at 68 specialised trade fairs and public exhibitions, which drew a total of over 1.35m visitors.
One of the main contributors to this runaway success is Messe Stuttgart’s Guest Events division. Here, two teams work hand-in-hand: the sales & marketing team, which is responsible for acquiring new customers, providing an initial point of contact, and handling all of the division’s marketing activities; and the Project Management team, which serves as a catalyst for success by tailoring events to their respective target groups and seeing them through to fruition. This duo carries out some 120 events each year, and even up to 150 when things are at their busiest. Along with international specialised trade fairs like automotive shows, Blechexpo, and LogiMAT, that number includes prominent conventions in medical and construction technology, shareholders’ meetings, and the SEMF, which draws around 15,000 electronic music fans every year. “Our job is to be the partner our customers can rely on in carrying out successful events,” states Sonja Scholl, who heads the project management team. “We want to build long-term relationships with our clients by making sure our highly motivated staff can tackle virtually any challenge.”
