Messe Frankfurt expands its presence in India with this acquisition
Messe Frankfurt confirmed its commitment to expanding its presence in the Indian market today by announcing the acquisition of two of the country’s leading trade fair brands. Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India Pvt Ltd, the Indian operation and subsidiary of Messe Frankfurt, will acquire the rights to organise and manage the LED Expo and Media Expo fairs from Media Exposition & Events being promoted by MEX Exhibitions Pvt Ltd. This takes the number of events organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India to 14, and broadens its participation into the LED lighting and components market as well as the signage, retail and advertising solutions industry.
Wolfgang Marzin, CEO of Messe Frankfurt, outlined the benefits the company would bring to these two fairs. “Both LED Expo and Media Expo are already well-regarded names in their respective industries, but we will utilise Messe Frankfurt’s vast experience in organising world-class trade fairs to develop these fairs further for the benefit of our customers,” he explained. Mr Raj Manek, Executive Director and Board Member of Messe Frankfurt Asia Holding Ltd, added at the conclusion of the signing: “We feel that these two industries are primed for future growth, and we are excited about the opportunity to help Indian companies gain access to our global network of stakeholders, and assist our existing global partners to do business in India.”
Media Exposition & Events (MEX) has an extensive track record in the exhibition, advertising and publishing industries. Its trade fair portfolio includes events in the LED and lighting industry, advertising and signage, retail, gifts, furniture and interiors, IT, and construction sectors across India, Singapore, Dubai and Thailand. Mr Gaurav Jeet Singh, Director, (MEX) Media Exposition & Events, also spoke at the signing of his intentions to remain involved in the new operations. “We will continue to work closely with Messe Frankfurt to ensure a smooth transition and to further enhance these two events as they enter the next stage in their development,” he said. “We also look forward to cooperating together with Messe Frankfurt on other events in India in the future as the opportunity arises.”
LED Expo takes place annually in both Delhi and Mumbai, in December and May respectively, and is the only event in the industry focused solely on LED products. The Delhi show in particular has a large international presence already, and this is expected to grow further as it becomes part of the global network of Messe Frankfurt fairs. The most recent event in Delhi in 2013 featured above 250 exhibitors from over 14 countries and 22,000 plus visitors, while the 2014 Mumbai fair had 80 exhibitors and attracted 6,620 visitors. LED Expo will continue to be held separately from Messe Frankfurt’s Light India fair for the foreseeable future. This decision was made after consulting with local manufacturers who expressed their preference for two separate fairs to promote LED products, manufacturing, components and lighting applications. The fair is a part of Messe Frankfurt’s building and energy shows, headed by the biennial Light + Building event in Frankfurt, which will take place from 13 – 18 March 2016.
Media Expo occurs once a year in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata and is the largest exhibition for the Signage & Advertising industry, presenting products for indoor & outdoor advertising, printing, textile printing and digital signage solutions, as well as visual merchandising. The 2013 event held in Delhi featured 185 exhibitors and 22,050 visitors, while in Mumbai in February, 100 plus exhibitors and 10,500 visitors took part. 55 exhibitors and 4450 buyers were present at the Kolkata event in April 2013. Media Expo will take its place as a niche brand in Messe Frankfurt’s Entertainment, Media & Creation cluster of events, and will complement the Prolight + Sound fairs which are held in Frankfurt, Moscow, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Both the LED lighting and components industry and the signage and advertising solutions industries in India are set for a period of expansion in the near future. LED products currently account for less than 4% of the Indian lighting industry, but this is expected to rise to 18-20% by 2020. There is also increasing public awareness about eco-friendly lighting as well as a number of government initiatives being undertaken which will boost demand in coming years. In the signage industry, the growing retail and infrastructure industries, as well as the increasing number of MNCs entering the country are driving demand in the signage, digital printing and point of purchase sector. And India’s growing middle class is helping boost the demand for advertising, with advertising revenue expected to grow by nearly 12% in 2014.
The next LED Expos will take place in New Delhi in December 2014 and Mumbai in May 2015. Media Expo is scheduled in August 2014 in New Delhi, Kolkata in November 2014 and Mumbai in January 2015.
Events currently organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India include ACMA Automechanika New Delhi, Automotive Engineering Show, Ambiente India, Heimtextil India, Techtextil India, Light India, SPS Automaton India, Secutech India, Watertech India, Cleantech India, Wastetech India and Pollutech India.
