Schlitt Talks To GB About How Exhibition Industry Is Recovering From COVID-19 Onslaught
Ahead of glasspro INDIA and glasspex INDIA slated for March 2022, Messe Düsseldorf India MD Thomas Schlitt explains to Glass Bulletin how the sector is emerging from the shadow of the pandemic and what steps are being taken to ensure safety and hygiene at these events.
Thomas Schlitt joined Messe Düsseldorf India as Managing Director in 2015. During his tenure at Messe
Düsseldorf India, he has focused on the core sectors, strengthened the existing trade fairs in India and
also extended the event portfolio. Previously, Thomas Schlitt held management positions in international
business development and sales in the MICE industry at renowned German trade fair organizations, i.e.
Messe München and Nürnberg Messe.
Please tell us about Messe Düsseldorf GmbH & its exhibitions in India?
Messe Düsseldorf GmbH is one of the world’s largest trade fair organizers with its own exhibition grounds and offers its presence in more than 150 countries around the globe. We organize 50 international trade fairs, among these are 24 leading events in the respective industry sector.
Messe Düsseldorf India Pvt. Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH which is a global player both as a trade fair organizer and provider of trade fair-related services for exhibitors and visitors.
Messe Düsseldorf India has been successfully staging established trade fairs like In-Store Asia, Medical Fair India, FAMDENT Shows & Awards, glasspex India, glasspro India, pacprocess & food pex Mumbai, India Essen Welding & Cutting, wire India, Tube India, METEC India and ProWine Mumbai. Besides organizing successful trade fairs in India, the company is also the exclusive sales representative of the Messe Düsseldorf Group for the Indian Market and is canvassing Indian customers to events of the Messe Düsseldorf Group worldwide.
– India and the whole world faced a very difficult time during the pandemic in the last 18 months. The exhibition industry is one the most affected. Whatare your views about this?
Exhibitions and tradeshows have survived, adapted and thrived despite unprecedented times like pandemics and other global challenges during the past several centuries. However, the COVID-19 situation has affected the business adversely, particularly the trade fair sector, not only in India but across the world. We have witnessed many trade shows being either postponed or cancelled internationally in the past 18 months.
Due to this situation new kinds of platforms have been invented in order to keep in touch with the industry. Messe Düsseldorf India has successfully developed and implemented virtual events for several industrial sectors. As industry stakeholders, we are grateful to our customers for their continued support in our events.
– After a long period of pandemic, things are getting better day by day. When do you think exhibitions in India will resume normally?
Keeping in view the intensive vaccination drive in India coupled with the adoption of COVIDappropriate behaviour with defined Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) at our trade fairs, we are convinced to open our shows in the first half of 2022.
– What are the new protocols to be followed as an organizer of an exhibition?
Messe Düsseldorf Group, together with Messe Düsseldorf India, has elaborated under the title ‘PROTaction’, a comprehensive hygiene and infection protection concept in order to safeguard the health of our customers, partners and employees.
This hygiene and infection protection concept has been submitted to the Indian Authorities for consideration at SOPs for reopening of trade fairs in India.
– As we all know India has the fastest growing economy in the world. How can exhibitions play a vital role for the industry?
India’s progressive economy is anticipated to reach around $5 trillion in the next few years with active contribution from the manufacturing, technology and services sectors.
The exhibition industry has always played a pivotal role in strengthening and growing the economy. Messe Düsseldorf exhibitions worldwide, including those in India, are of worldclass reputation. Many of our events have already established themselves as leading events and are platforms for the industry to create business opportunities, to build cooperations and to network.
– glasspro INDIA and glasspex INDIA will be held in March 2022. What are your plans to bring in maximum exhibitors and visitors?
The tailor-made trade fair concepts complement each other and create a unique platform for the glass industry.
Comprehensive sales, marketing and communication measures will ensure that decision makers, stakeholders and relevant media representatives attend the events.
– You have added a new segment to glasspro India i.e fenestrationpro India. Tell us about this new segment.
fenestrationpro INDIA is a show colocated with glasspro INDIA to unite the architects, fabricators, developers, policymakers, façade consultants, engineers, and stakeholders from the Indian industry to drive discussions on the design trends considering energy-efficient building technologies.
– It is a very good coincidence that United Nations has announced 2022 as the international year for glass. We have glasspro India and glasspex India in same year. Do you have any plan to promote IYOG in your glass exhibition?
By announcing the year 2022 as the International Year of Glass (IYOG), the United Nations underlined the scientific, economic and cultural roles of glass. Glass supports many vital technologies, facilitates sustainability and enriches our lives.
Messe Düsseldorf India, along with its partners, is proud to host the IYOG during our exhibitions – glasspex INDIA and glasspro INDIA. We will promote the importance of glass usage along with AIGMF and International Commission of Glass.
– You are organizing glasspro India in close cooperation with Glass Bulletin. Share your thoughts on your association with Glass Bulletin?
Glass Bulletin is India’s premier journal for the global glass industry. It is the ideal platform to publish news, reports, product details, and information about glass industry, both in print and online.
Messe Düsseldorf India is proud to be associated with Glass Bulletin. This association of the leading media and trade fair organizer is the perfect combination, and it guarantees a platform where business is generated.
