Reifen show moving to Frankfurt in 2018

Essen, Germany – Tire trade show Reifen is quitting its established base in Essen to co-locate with the Automechanika automotive after-market fair in Frankfurt from 2018, MesseEssen announced 24 March.

MesseEssen’s decision avoids a head-on clash between its biennial Reifen show and the new Tire Cologne expo – both scheduled to take place 29 May – 1 June, in 2018.

The rival show was launched by German tire and rubber trade association the BRV. This followed a falling-out between the BRV and the organisers of Reifen, which the association had previously supported.

BRV, which had up to now been sponsoring Reifen, told ERJ that one of the reasons it withdrew its 30-year support for Reifen was the Essen exhibition grounds.

“Our contract with the Essen Trade Fair ends in 2016 and we have decided not to renew the contract... The exhibition centre in Essen urgently needs renovation, but the go-ahead for this was declined by a local referendum in January last year,” BRV said in a written statement.

Since then, local authorities in Essen have agreed to invest in a major renovation of the exhibition centre.

The relocation of Reifen builds on an existing cooperation, started in 2014, between MesseEssen and MesseFrankfurt, organiser of Automechanika - scheduled to take place 11-15 Sept in 2018.

For its last staging, in 2014, Reifen attracted 670 exhibitors from 45 countries as well as around 20,000 visitors from 130 countries. The event was first staged back in 1960.

The ERJ Future Tire Conference will, this year, take place alongside the Reifen 2016 and co-located RubberTech Europe expos in Essen, 24-27 May.

Automechanika 2016 is scheduled for Sept. 13-17 in Frankfurt.

“The model of the classical tire fair has functioned excellently in Essen over many decades, and we will set standards in 2016, too,” said Frank Mertz, sales division manager at Messe Essen. “However, we will then take the next step together with Messe Frankfurt and open up new subject fields and target groups for the tire sector.”

Detlef Braun, member of the executive board of Messe Frankfurt, said Reifen will supplement Automechanika’s auto aftermarket portfolio “in an ideal way. We are offering the industry common dates and, for the trade and the garage sector, are bundling all the know-how and services in one place.”

Braun noted that Automechanika already has an “Accessories & Customizing” category, which includes wheels and rims.

The new partners said visitors to Reifen under the new arrangement will be able to obtain comprehensive information about vehicle service in just one place in addition to their classical business.

This change will address the needs of the tire retail trade, organisers said, which is “in a state of upheaval,” with declining revenues.

Reifen, RuberTech, Future Tire  2016

The biennial Reifen tire show is set to take place on 24-27 May in Essen, Germany, where the organisers expect to have more than 20,000 visitors and over 650 exhibitors.

This year, Reifen will cover the “entire value added chain” of the tire sector, from the stage before production, through to manufacturing and trading, all the way to retreading and recycling, explains show project manager Annegret Apple.

Among the top exhibitors, according to Apple, are the 20 largest tire manufacturers as well as well-know accessory brands such as Ronal, BBS and Momo.

In the retreading segment, VMI, Galgo Pre Q, B & J Rocket Sales AG, Elgi Rubber and Matteuzzi are on the list of top exhibitors this May.

RubberTech Europe, according to Apple, is organised together with the Chinese United Rubber Corp. as a special trade fair under the roof of Reifen.

As China’s tire and rubber industry becomes more topical globally, Apple expects the show, with 60 exhibitors, to provide “significant value added”.

The range on offer at RubberTech Europe consists of products and services for everything to do with tire construction, tire design, tire fabrication and optimised tire production.

RubberTech Europe is also expecting to raise the bar this year, with leading elastomer manufacturer, the Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic), confirming its participation.

This year’s Reifen is also co-located with the two-day Future Tire Conference organised by European Rubber Journal.

“With the fair-accompanying Future Tire Conference, we have, this year, been able to win over a format which will strengthen the international radiance of Reifen,” she added.

According to Apple, the Future Tire Conference, with its main focal point on topical trends and their influences on the sector, will add significant value for the international audience at Reifen 2016.

Show to recognise innovators

The show organisers are currently processing entries for the Reifen Innovation Awards that will be presented in four tire and repair shop categories at this year’s event.

Messe Essen and BRV, will single out the most innovative and pioneering ideas in four categories: technology and products; service concepts and process optimisation; environmental and resource conservation; and motor vehicle service.

The awards will be presented 23 May on the eve of the opening of Reifen 2016 at the Essen Fair Grounds. Messe Essen and the BRV are accepting nominations for these awards until 31 March.

This year will mark the sixth time the show organisers have presented the Innovation Awards.

Hans-Werner Sinn, president of the Ifo Institute for Economic Research in Munich, will be the featured speaker at the dinner/awards ceremony. He will speak on “The development of the global economy and the situation in Germany and Europe.”

Entries will be judged by an independent expert jury, the organisers said, based on: environmental compatibility, sustainability, resource saving, innovation content and economic viability.

Two years ago awards were presented to Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd., wheel maker Borbet GmbH, Italian equipment maker CEMB SpA and Counteract Balancing Beads.

ERJ sister magazine Tire Business contributed to this report