It’s just been announced that Hannover Messe will not take place this year due to the increasingly critical situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Comprehensive travel restrictions, bans on group gatherings and a prohibition decree in the Hannover region make it impossible to stage the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology, Deutsche Messe said today in a statement.

At the same time, the coronavirus crisis is affecting the economy, and the manufacturing industry – Hannover Messe’s core clientele – is already struggling with serious consequences of the pandemic, the statement continued.

Demand and sales in German industry are declining, resulting in supply bottlenecks, production stops and reduced working hours for employees.

“Our exhibitors, partners and our entire team did everything they could to make it happen, but today we have to accept that in 2020 it will not be possible to host the world’s most important industrial event,” Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Board of Management, Deutsche Messe, said.

This is the first time in Hannover Messe’s 73-year history that the event will not take place.

Organisers are, however, working intensely on a digital information and networking platform for Hannover Messe that they will open to customers shortly.

Various web-based formats will enable Hannover Messe exhibitors and visitors to exchange information about upcoming economic policy challenges and technological solutions.

Live streams will transport interactive expert interviews, panel discussions and best-case presentations all over the world.

The online exhibitor and product search is also being enhanced, for example with a function that enables visitors and exhibitors to contact each other directly.

“We firmly believe that nothing can replace direct, person-to-person contact, but especially in times of crisis, we must be flexible and act pragmatically,” Köckler said.

“As organisers of the world’s most important industrial trade fair, we want to offer orientation and sustain economic life during the crisis. We are doing that with our new digital offering.”

The next Hannover Messe will take place from 12th to 16th April 2021.