Following close consultation with exhibitors, partners and associations, Messe Düsseldorf has decided to scratch all currently planned dates for its events in Düsseldorf until April 2021.
As a result, Interpack, scheduled to run from 25 February - 3 March, has once again been cancelled.
Messe Düsseldorf said that the first show that will be held in 2021 is its international boat trade fair ‘boot Düsseldorf,’ which has been rescheduled for 17 to 25 April 2021. Six other trade shows, including drupa, EuroCIS and Interpack, will revert to their usual cycles.
The current Covid-19 infection situation, existing travel restrictions and the legal framework have prompted Messe Düsseldorf to reassess the situation, said Wolfram N. Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. Moreover, under a decision taken by the German federal and state governments on 25 November 2020, trade fairs continue to be prohibited.
Moreover, each industry sector, he said, has its individual preparation period and deadline for trade fair participation, which had to be taken into consideration for this decision.
“Ultimately, feedback from our exhibitors has shown that the uncertainty is too great, and we are thus unable to host an Interpack event that would meet the standards of a leading international trade fair."
Indeed, the Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers’ Association UCIMA had in November already protested against holding the Interpack show from 25 February to 3 March 2021, calling it ‘inconceivable’ to organise such a major exhibition in just a few months’ time, given the resurgence of the Coronavirus and soaring number of cases across the continent.
“An international exhibition like Interpack requires very substantial investments, not just in economic terms but also in R&D and marketing activities,” argued Luciano Sottile, a member of UCIMA’s board of directors. “For this reason, we believe it is impossible to ensure an adequate return on the investment if the presence of a sufficient number of high-quality visitors cannot be guaranteed.”
Cancelling the fair will now eliminate these problems, and allow customers and partners to reliably plan for 2021, said Messe Düsseldorf. It added that it, too, had been severely affected by the pandemic. “Therefore, our decision is, of course, also based on the costs and benefits.”