02.07.2012 Messe Frankfurt announces new sales record for 2011

Internationally successful first half of trade fair year 2012

Sales set to exceed €500 million mark

In financial year 2011, Messe Frankfurt brought about a sustainable increase in profitability with new record levels of Group and foreign sales and a robust positive financial result. The final figure for Group sales was €467.5 million. At the Group’s Half-Year Press Conference earlier today, Wolfgang Marzin, President and CEO of Messe Frankfurt, stated: “Even though 2011 was by no means an easy year from an economic perspective, we succeeded in further expanding our business activities.”

Taking into account the sales revenue attributable to service subsidiaries Accente Gastronomie Service GmbH and Messe Frankfurt Medien und Service GmbH, a consistently high proportion of Group revenue was generated in Frankfurt, a figure amounting to €310.9 million or around 67%. The Group’s operating business outside Germany registered a new sales record with €132.4 million. Marzin: “We now generate 28.3% of our sales revenue outside Germany”. The Asian subsidiaries belonging to Messe Frankfurt Asia Holding were the main driver of sales, accounting for €81.9 million.

With some €34.4 million, Messe Frankfurt once again posted a solid result. Klaus Münster-Müller, Chief of Finance at Messe Frankfurt stressed that the Group’s operating business “remains strong”. However, additional expenditure was incurred during the year, above all in connection with improving the quality of the Group’s exhibition grounds in Frankfurt. As in previous years, Messe Frankfurt is in a position to distribute €13 million in profits to its shareholders.

The Group has a total of 1,725 active employees.

In the reporting year, Messe Frankfurt organised a total of 100 trade fairs and exhibitions worldwide. These were attended by some 3.4 million visitors and featured around 68,800 exhibitors. A total of 31 trade fairs and exhibitions took place in Frankfurt, of which 14 were organised by the Messe Frankfurt Group itself, registering approximately 18,900 exhibitors and 742,000 visitors in all. Six further events were held in other German exhibition venues.

63 trade fairs and exhibitions were organised outside Germany. Messe Frankfurt’s foreign events attracted an estimated 30,650 exhibitors and 1,063 million visitors – more than ever before.

Outlook for 2012: sales set to increase further to over €500 million

Wolfgang Marzin: “In the first six months of 2012, we made important strategic decisions for our operating business”. These included the construction of the new congress building “Kap Europa” and the premature termination of the Group’s cross-border leasing arrangements. Messe Frankfurt’s events are performing well worldwide, with a high level of both international participation and customer satisfaction. Marzin: “We benefit from the fact that we serve a healthy mix of sectors with our internationally leading trade fairs”. He added that Messe Frankfurt is therefore expecting sales to increase to over €500 million in financial year 2012, with its financial result remaining positive.

In the coming months and years, the Group intends to plough the same successful furrow. Wolfgang Marzin: “Over the past months, we have sharpened the focus of our activities. This includes further optimising our product portfolio and bringing about lasting improvements to our internal processes and structures.” At the Group’s Frankfurt base, the main focus will be on developing and enhancing its portfolio of Group and guest events, expanding the congress and conference business with the new “Kap Europa” congress building and investing in the expansion of services provided at its Frankfurt base.

Wolfgang Marzin described the Group’s dynamic international growth as being “central to our overall success”. Messe Frankfurt has been enjoying steady international growth for 25 years, constantly expanding its portfolio with new activities, acquisitions and alliances. A total of 16 new trade fairs are lined up for the company’s foreign portfolio in 2012 and 2013. A new focus will be India, where debut events include Secutech India, Light India and ACMA Automechanika.

Messe Frankfurt is also second to none when it comes to the socio-economic effects of its business activities. According to a study by the Munich-based Ifo Institute for Economic Research, events in Frankfurt generate €3.1 billion worth of purchasing power every year and safeguard a total of 32,500 jobs in Germany. These are the highest figures that have ever been recorded for a German exhibition venue.


Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is Germany’s leading trade fair organiser, with 467.5 million euros in sales and 1,725 employees worldwide. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 28 subsidiaries and approx. 50 international Sales Partners, giving it a presence for its customers in more than 150 countries. Events “made by Messe Frankfurt” take place at more than 30 locations around the globe. In 2011, Messe Frankfurt organised 100 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany.
Messe Frankfurt’s exhibition grounds, featuring 578,000 square metres, are currently home to ten exhibition halls and an adjacent Congress Center. The company is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent.