Hannover Messe 2020 Postponed Over Coronavirus Fears

Citing worries over coronavirus, the international trade show in Hannover, Germany, that was scheduled to take place from April 20-24 has been postponed to July 13-17.

The decision has been made in close cooperation with the Hannover Region Health Authority, the Hannover Messe Exhibitors’ Council and the partner associations VDMA (German Engineering Federation) and ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association), to respond to global developments related to the coronavirus.

The Hannover Region Health Authority had strongly recommended that Deutsche Messe follow the advice of the Robert Koch Institute, which includes comprehensive measures to safeguard health when hosting major events. For instance, fever measuring stations at all entrances and not allowing people from risk areas or those who have had contact with people from risk areas to enter the exhibition center.

Deutsche Messe admitted it is unable to implement the proposed measures. In addition, their implementation would impair the staging of the event to such an extent that the event would not fulfill its purpose or would do so only with considerable restrictions for exhibitors and visitors.

Deutsche Messe confirmed that the health of exhibitors, visitors, employees, and the public is top priority at this point. “With the July date, we offer our exhibitors the earliest possible time slot to present their innovations to a global audience and to initiate business,” said Dr. Jochen Köckler, chairman of the Board of Management of Deutsche Messe AG. “In view of the global economic challenges triggered by the coronavirus in the first half of the year, the new date offers great opportunities. Thus the world’s most important industrial trade fair can provide important impetus for the global economy at an early stage.”

VDMA Chief Executive, Thilo Brodtmann, offered a quite positive point of view: “We assume that the situation will calm down in the coming months and that the mechanical engineering industry will then benefit from a reviving business situation.”