Following a 4-year break due to Covid, Dortmund's elektrotechnik trade show made a strong comeback, with the 43rd edition of the show once again attracting numerous participants to Messe Dortmund between 8 and 10 February 2023. No wonder, because there was a lot on offer on the three days of the show, with a host of trends and innovations from the focus topics of buildings technology, energy technology and industrial technology providing a comprehensive overview to the associated specialist forums including the Business Talks and a host of expert presentations giving the event plenty of professional depth. Innovations such as the GREEN SOLUTIONS speciality zone and the Energy Consultants' Day also offered great added value, winning the hearts and minds of trade visitors and exhibitors in equal measure. “An extremely satisfactory result – as seen not just in the numbers, but also in the extremely favourable feedback from exhibitors and visitors. Elektrotechnik is back with a vengeance as a key meeting place for the industry,” summed up Sabine Loos, Managing Director of Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe GmbH.

Dortmund, 16. March 2023 – Messe Dortmund's verdict on elektrotechnik 2023 is excellent, as almost 400 exhibitors from a total of 12 countries flocked to the event between 8 and 10 January to show their innovations and solutions for tradespeople and the industry at large. The focus was on the three main topic areas of Buildings Technology, Energy Technology and Industrial Technology. The show also succeeded in attracting many exhibitors to Dortmund for the very first time. The extensive and newly expanded supporting programme with trendsetting innovations also struck a chord with the industry. Messe Dortmund has also been ringing some organisational changes since the last elektrotechnik, with more improvements to hall layout and the visitor flow, and with the North Entrance being pressed into service for the first time at elektrotechnik, something that was very well received by everyone and helped to manage the high visitor footcount across the occupied Halls 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Exhibitors and visitor satisfaction now even higher

This year's show continued where the successful shows of 2017 and 2019 had left off. Many key players and opinion leaders in the electrical engineering sector came to the show, including representatives from the trades, wholesalers and retailers, planners, production managers and people from the energy sector. Among the international exhibitors were companies from the Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland, and current technology trends were also on show from businesses based in the US, Spain, Portugal and Austria. Around 88% of exhibitors were spontaneously able to say they wanted to return – that's even more than at the end of the 2019 show.

Visitor satisfaction was also noticeably higher than last time, with nearly 89% (a 5% improvement) planning to visit in 2025, and 94% declaring themselves 'satisfied' or 'very satisfied' with their visit to this year's show. Of the trade visitors to elektrotechnik 2023, 74% are involved in purchasing and procurement decisions in their businesses.

Face-to-face engagement sorely missed in the industry

“All in all, we can take delight in what's been an extremely successful comeback for elektrotechnik. Feedback from trade visitors and exhibitors has been extremely positive, and there's been a huge amount of content on offer. The industry has waited a long time to be able to meet and engage face-to-face again. This has been borne out in the many conversations we've been having. Elektrotechnik is back with a vengeance as a key meeting place for the industry. And we're especially delighted that many participants have already signalled their intention to take part again in 2025. This is also where the numerous innovations are paying off. The expansion of the supporting programme, the rebalancing of the lead topics and the more modern design of elektrotechnik have all made themselves felt,” said Sabine Loos, Managing Director of Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe which owns and operates the Messe Dortmund venue.

Martin Böhm, President of the North Rhine Westphalia Electrical & Information Technology Trade Association, the technical and conceptual sponsor of the show, summed up his verdict, saying, “Following the forced break due to the pandemic, elektrotechnik has got off to a flying start again. Once more, it's been clear that 'online' is no replacement for 'in person'. Business is done between individuals, and in online media we're all interchangeable. Our elektrotechnik trade show is indispensable for the industry when it comes to positioning ourselves well for the future.”

Christian Heil, CEO of the North Rhine Westphalia Electrical & Information Technology Trade Association, added: "As the show's technical sponsor, the supporting programme has of course always been very important to us – the specialist forums were well attended throughout. This year, we've topped our previous concept once again and also offered a speciality zone for each of the three focus areas in addition to the specialist forums.”

Varied supporting programme in tune with the times

The venue offered plenty of space in a sophisticated 'buyer meets seller' environment across four exhibition halls for people to showcase their organisations and the latest trends and products in smart buildings, smart homes, the Smart Factory revolution, renewable energies and even control cabinet construction. The TreffPunkt association stand of the North Rhine Westphalia Electrical & Information Technology Trade Association (FEH NRW) and National Association of Electrical Wholesalers (VEG) also offered trade visitors the opportunity to engage in discussion on the challenges facing the industry. The specialist forums Buildings Technology (powered by de), Energy Technology (powered by Elektropraktiker) and Industrial Technology (powered by VDE Verlag), which provided daily informative insights into specific focus areas, were well attended. The speciality zones also offered industry experts clear added value with their wealth of information. The Business Talk entitled 'Challenges for shaping the working world of tomorrow' also turned out to be a great hit at elektrotechnik.

The new GREEN SOLUTIONS speciality zone proved very popular with visitors due to its high-quality content and its topicality during the current energy crisis. The green energy transition and the important question of how it can be implemented in buildings, industry and the trades are currently occupying the minds of many businesses and the consumer public. Here, the trade audience immersed itself at numerous stands in smart solutions for an efficient 'energy and mobility transition', for solar power systems, heat pumps, charging infrastructure, and for energy management systems. The joint Touchpoint Innovation Digital stand, presenting digitalisation-related products to be tried out hands-on, offered high-quality input to everyone present. Several individual suppliers showed leading-edge products, services and innovations, for example in the areas of data analysis, AI and cyber security.

Also of great interest was the 10th Dortmund Light Day organised by the Ruhr Lighting Equipment Society (LTGR) in partnership with the North Rhine Westphalia Electrical & Information Technology Trade Association. Here, everything revolved around lighting, trends and safety. New cooperation partner GIH (the German Buildings Energy Consulting Association of Engineers & Tradespeople) also held an Energy Consultants' Day complementing the knowledge programme and providing high added value, especially to energy advisors.

Top-class exhibitor line-up

At its comeback event, elektrotechnik also benefited strongly from the exhibitors on site who covered the entire span of electrical engineering. An interesting mix of industry giants and genuine newcomers were in attendance, with companies such as Siemens, Weidmüller and Zumtobel showing their innovations at the venue. Long-established company BUSCH-JAEGER ELEKTRO was represented in the areas of electrical installation technology, buildings automation and high-end

electronic products for smart homes and smart buildings. In the same way, frogblue offered a glimpse of new smart home solutions and also celebrated its début at elektrotechnik.

KAISER treated Dortmund to insights into the world of electrical installations . MENNEKES a world-beating producer of CEE three-phase plugs, presented industrial plugs and intelligent eMobility charging solutions. OBO Bettermann showcased some innovations as one of the top manufacturers of installation systems for electrical building equipment, and anyone looking for professional lighting concepts for buildings found what they were looking for at Glamox. Trilux, the German market leader in technical lighting, was also represented.

Danfoss was back again in Dortmund showing modern heating technology. KNIPEX showcased its extensive product range of pliers, while Wiha Werkzeuge presented new health-friendly hand tools. PHOENIX CONTACT provided information on its innovative solutions in the areas of fastenings, electronics and automation.

Organisers, exhibitors and trade visitors delighted

“In summary, the mix of on-site presentation, high-content input, the opportunity to do business face-to-face and the opportunity to grow one's network worked very well once more. Our new partners, the GIH [German Buildings Energy Consulting Association of Engineers & Tradespeople] and the DIvB [German Institute for Preventive Fire Safety] have also contributed to this with valuable additions and ideas. And of course, our technical and conceptual sponsor FEH NRW again played a major part in this year's success,” concluded chief show organiser Sabine Loos.

FEH NRW President Martin Böhm also came to an extremely positive verdict: “Nowhere other than at elektrotechnik is it so easy for tradespeople to establish contact with manufacturers and suppliers, and at the same time obtain a compact overview of the wide range of products and services on offer in the electrical engineering sector. We are delighted that the innovations we developed together with Messe Dortmund were so well received. We've been getting amazing feedback on everything – exhibitors and visitors have been waxing lyrical about the full halls, well-attended stands and specialist forums, a first-class trade audience and knowledgeable points of contact at the venue. We can scarcely wait for the next elektrotechnik in 2025.”

elektrotechnik 2023 – what partners and exhibitors had to say

Adalbert Neumann, Managing Director of BUSCH-JAEGER ELEKTRO GmbH

“Elektrotechnik represents a strong sector and is a great way to start the exhibition year. As a trade show, elektrotechnik also has very special significance because the state of North Rhine Westphalia – and the Ruhr metropolitan region in particular – are important areas for the industry, and this makes Dortmund the ideal location. This is already evident by looking at the other competitors and industry giants here. Sure, competition poses a certain challenge, but it also offers the opportunity to present oneself, establish new contacts and nurture existing ones. Electrification is advancing all the time. As a brand, it's especially important for us to build partnerships with tradespeople in order to work towards common goals and pinpoint solutions. Elektrotechnik is always a great opportunity to connect and engage in person, and to cultivate these partnerships.”

Michael Schäfer, Sales Manager, Germany/Austria/Switzerland at MENNEKES Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG

“Elektrotechnik was everything we were expecting it to be. We issued stand invitations to 800 customers and partners ahead of time and travelled to the event with a team of 30 – and it was certainly well worth it. There was a veritable run on our stand, and on the first day there were already more visitors in our e-workshop than we usually have in three days at other shows. This is not least thanks to our broad customer base consisting of wholesalers, manufacturers, tradespeople and educational institutions, and also because visitors are able to see, touch and try out our products, enabling us to deal with specific customer enquiries and pinpoint bespoke solutions right at the venue. It is particularly important for us to be able to establish contact with the up-and-coming generation in the industry. Customers and young professionals can come here and get direct experience with our product. As a company from the nearby Sauerland, a trade show in Dortmund is primarily of regional interest. Elektrotechnik is a firm fixture in our diaries.”

Nicole Schreiber, Sales Management Assistant at GIRA Electrical Installation Systems

“We're fully satisfied with the show. We are delighted with the huge flow of visitors, and our target groups – specialist retailers, wholesalers and planners – are out in strength. The conversations are great, and are also taking us places.”

Anna Hochhauser, Head of Sales & Marketing for Germany/Austria/Switzerland at frogblue

“Fortunately, we were able to book our stand at relatively short notice. The quality of the show is reflected in the great conversations we've been having. The visitors are a high-quality trade audience and come with very specific ideas and requirements, and even the market leaders in the industry have openly sought contact with us. We definitely want to continue this experience.”

Dennis Scipio, Business Support Manager at SLV GmbH

“As a lighting manufacturer, we sell emotions. With online alternatives to trade shows, it's difficult to recreate the ambience and charm of our products. From the reactions of tradespeople and wholesalers, they've really missed enjoying the atmosphere of the show during Covid. It's fun to be here!”

Nico Weiß, Purchasing at EGU Elektro Großhandels Union Rhein-Ruhr GmbH & Co. KG

“People are interested in renewable energies. Here, we reach a large audience and have stimulating conversations. It's also nice to make new contacts and meet people in person with whom you otherwise only have contact by email or telephone. Our focus this year was on advancing young talent. Here, our trainees and new employees can gain experience in sales, engage with customers and competitors, and get to know their colleagues based in our other locations. At the same time, they can take a look at the other exhibitors and expand their knowledge and expertise. We'll definitely be back next time.”

Gregor Turczynski, Sales Director at KEBA GmbH Automation

“The show hit our target audience perfectly. Electromobility is a big topic, and the market is competitive. Here, we can engage directly with installers and electricians, and are able to grow our network, present new solutions and consolidate our brand.”

André Suntrup, Sales Manager and Senior Executive at OBO Bettermann Vertrieb Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG

“The visitors want to network, they want to meet the customers and sales staff and engage with them. That's why we came along with our regional sales staff. Here, you can meet your own point of contact at the venue and touch the products. This is also reflected in the good mood. Elektrotechnik is an exciting show, and we'll definitely be back.”

Dominik Eber, Regional Sales Manager West and Hesse/Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland at Albrecht Jung GmbH & Co. KG

“We are absolutely satisfied. We met with a knowledgeable and interested audience with whom it was fun to exchange ideas. At the same time, the show was a good opportunity to introduce our new 'Jung home' system.”

Karsten Diebschlag, Head of Sales for Germany & Austria at Kaiser GmbH & Co. KG

“That was fun. Beforehand, we were a bit sceptical about how the show would go down after Covid, but we had a high visitor footcount and a high-quality clientèle. The spirit of the show is fantastic, and we got particularly enthusiastic about the trainee area. Sustainable advancement of young talent is especially important given the current shortage of skilled workers, and the enthusiasm of visitors showed that the offerings are also being well accepted.”

Andree Fischer, Marketing & Communications at Bals Elektrotechnik GmbH & Co. KG

“We're so happy! Exhibitors and visitors are there from all parts of the industry. You can meet in person again, and that's just amazing. You also have the opportunity here to see, feel and touch the products. Only a live trade show can deliver that. The event was a resounding success. The organisational aspects and support from Messe Dortmund have been fantastic. This makes elektrotechnik one of the top shows in Germany.”

Stefan Buse (engineer), Regional Sales Manager, Western Germany at PHOENIX CONTACT Deutschland GmbH

“Our aim is to reach new customers from other regions. Given the state of the industry in recent years, we were a bit sceptical – and are surprised at how good the mood is. Visitors are enjoying the show, and the contacts are very high-quality. We've had direct contact with regional representatives, and you could get to know each other on a personal level. People do business with people, so you're all the more pleased when the mood is so good. We've been a regular customer for many years and will definitely remain so.”

Andreas Retzlaff, Area Sales Manager at BURG-GUARD GmbH

“We've made good contacts. Companies from different sectors have been approaching us, showing interest in our systems. The fruits of our efforts will be seen at a later date, but we're very pleased so far and will be happy to come back next time.”

Sabrina Dittmann (engineer), Team Leader, Marketing & Lighting Design at Glamox GmbH

“We're taking away a thoroughly positive impression. Our goal was to open up new regions, win customers and, of course, grow our network. At the same time, we've been able to present our special product innovations of technical lighting systems and highlight the special features in terms of sustainability. The conversations were very high-level, and the visitors came with very specific questions and interests.”

Roland Joost, Head of Promotion & Sales at Siemens AG

“We have a broad product portfolio, and exhibitors and visitors from all parts of the industry gather here. The quantity and the quality of visitors is remarkable. Our stand was always full, and people also took the time for good conversations. As a regional show, elektrotechnik has added significance. Our focus here is on energy technology and infrastructure. Dortmund, with its proximity to several energy providers, is an important location for this.”

EXHIBITION AT A GLANCE

ELEKTROTECHNIK – THE TRADE SHOW FOR BUILDING, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

For over 50 years, elektrotechnik has had its finger on the pulse as a central meeting place for the industry. This trend-setting show, held every two years at Messe Dortmund, creates an attractive marketplace for manufacturers, wholesalers, service providers and tradespeople, and for those engaged in research and development. Rarely before has the industry been changing as quickly and rapidly as it is now – in times of digitalisation, the Smart Factory, Smart Building and Smart Home revolutions. These are changes that the fair takes into account, with (among other things) its key emphasis on building and power management equipment, and industrial technology.

DATE: 8 – 10 February 2023

EXHIBITORS:

Almost 400 businesses

COUNTRIES REPRESENTED:

Exhibitors from 12 countries

VISITORS:

18,700 trade visitors

EVENT ORGANISER:

Messe Dortmund GmbH

TECHNICAL & CONCEPTUAL SPONSOR:

North Rhine Westphalia Electrical & Information Technology Trade Association (FEH NRW)

TARGET VISITOR GROUPS:

The majority of visitors are electrical tradespeople, electrical manufacturers or electrical wholesalers, or people who work for energy suppliers, grid operators or municipalities, consulting architects, planners or consulting engineers. 74% of visitors are decision-makers or people involved in decision-making processes. Every two years, elektrotechnik attracts visitors from a total of 12 countries across the world, and from all over Germany.