Speaking at the Corporate Press Conference earlier today, Wolfgang Marzin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Messe Frankfurt, stressed: “Today, Messe Frankfurt is more stable and successful than ever before. The excellent financial results in 2024 reflect the Group’s performance and proven strategic orientation – even under challenging market conditions. We have scope for financing our own investments and will make use of our growth opportunities accordingly.” The first six months of financial year 2025 have also been buoyed by a strong event momentum. Wolfgang Marzin: “We have held dynamic events with very high satisfaction levels and an equally high international component. Our customers are building on personal interaction and remain networked internationally in spite of – and very much because of – the complex global economic situation.” Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, added: “Our brands have raised the bar once again and we are registering growth in the main key indicators. This is a very encouraging signal – for our customers, for our trade fairs, for the trade fair sector in general and, above all, for the economy as a whole”.
Accelerated growth in financial year 2024
With sales of €775 million, the Messe Frankfurt Group has set a new milestone in the history of the company (2023: €609 million). Almost €432 million (2023: €333.8 million) in sales was generated within Germany. Consolidated sales of approximately €343 million were recorded outside Germany (2023: €275.1 million). This makes up more than
44 percent of Group sales and underlines the importance of the company’s global focus. Reflecting the wholly positive business performance, consolidated annual net income has grown to a new high of around €82 million (2023: €18.4 million). Accordingly, this gives rise to an EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) of roughly €151 million (2023: €90.5 million). Around the world, a total of 348 events took place under the Messe Frankfurt umbrella, with approximately 4.6 million visitors in attendance. The 153 trade fairs and exhibitions, which included 128 Group events, attracted more than 98,000 exhibiting companies.
Outlook for financial year 2025
In the first half of financial year 2025, Messe Frankfurt successfully maintained its growth course, its events around the world continuing to go from strength to strength. Wolfgang Marzin: “The trade fair sector is a growth industry in the long term – not in spite of the changes in the international markets but rather because of them. Messe Frankfurt aims to continue reinforcing its position as a global sector player. In its comprehensive corporate development, it is focusing on four pillars: as well as its core business, the company is concentrating on its digital and sustainable transformation and on establishing a cooperative and agile corporate culture throughout the Group. Wolfgang Marzin: “If things continue in the same positive vein as before, Messe Frankfurt expects 2025 to be another very successful year. We plan to increase our sales again year on year. How Messe Frankfurt will achieve, step by step, the sustainable goals that it has set for itself will ultimately also depend on the global economic environment.”
Messe Frankfurt is concentrating on its existing brands, which are transformation drivers for their respective sectors. Detlef Braun: “We initiate additional growth and business potential at our events with new products, acquisitions and adjustments, backed up with efficient synergies between the various product areas and with new business contacts.” As examples, he cited new growth fields at Heimtextil and the consumer goods fairs. Looking at the event business outside Germany, Braun stressed how the Group was stepping up its international business activities: “With 28 subsidiaries and more than 50 sales partners worldwide, Messe Frankfurt organises events at around 60 international locations. This means that we are present in all markets that are relevant for our sectors and will continue to expand our locations and our trade fair portfolio. This is more important than ever in times of nationalisation and barriers.” One new addition to the Messe Frankfurt portfolio is the Salon du Chocolat in New York – the world’s leading chocolate-related event – which we will be organising under licence in 2026. The Automechanika brand will have a new event in Jakarta next year. Messe Frankfurt will also be making further investments in the consumer goods sector in India.
Press information and photographic material:
www.messefrankfurt.com/journalists
Visit us at:
www.instagram.com/messefrankfurt
www.linkedin.com/company/messe-frankfurt-gmbh
www.youtube.com/user/messefrankfurt
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
www.messefrankfurt.com/background-information