Koelnmesse International GmbH, the organising company

Following an EU-wide call for tenders, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology selected Koelnmesse International GmbH, which handles the international business of the Koelnmesse Group, to be wholly responsible for the preparation and organisation of and post-EXPO work on the German Pavilion. The Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) awarded the contract at the beginning of 2007.

Beating off the competition – almost all of the major trade fair companies – to be awarded the contract to organise Germany’s participation in EXPO 2010 was a great success for Koelnmesse International. In terms of dimension alone, the EXPO event in Shanghai, in the world’s most important market, poses an extraordinary challenge. The company is aiming to master that challenge using the same core team that organised Germany’s pavilion at the EXPO in Japan back in 2005, supported by China experts and colleagues at the local Chinese subsidiary. Koelnmesse International is a subsidiary of, and fully owned by, Koelnmesse GmbH and has more than 20 years’ EXPO experience, from Canada in 1986 to Japan in 2005.

The Cologne-based company is responsible for the tender procedure for the design and realisation of the pavilion, managing the implementation of the chosen design and managing the pavilion, protocol and PR activities during the six-month EXPO. The aim of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and Koelnmesse International is to ensure the German Pavilion is a real highlight for the EXPO visitors, as was the case at the 2005 EXPO in Aichi, Japan, and the 2008 event in Zaragoza, Spain. The German Pavilion there was awarded first prize, by the organisation in charge of world exhibitions (B.I.E.), for the most popular pavilion and the pavilion that had best illustrated the EXPO theme.

Founded in 2000, Koelnmesse International GmbH has around 30 employees and generated 19.6 million euros in turnover in 2007. The company is headed by Managing Director Dirk M. van der Coelen. Working with a network of subsidiaries and international offices, Koelnmesse International GmbH coordinates the international operations of the Koelnmesse Group. The company has representative offices in over 80 countries and subsidiaries in 11. These subsidiaries are responsible for acquiring exhibitors and visitors for the flagship fairs in Cologne and the fairs Koelnmesse International hosts in other countries. In cooperation with Koelnmesse International GmbH, they currently organise 29 such trade fairs outside of Germany, mainly in Southeast Asia and India.

As a leading trade-fair organiser, Koelnmesse International performs all of the tasks involved in preparing and managing trade-fair stands and export exhibitions for industry around the world. It also organises international specialist fairs in consultation with German and international associations. In 2007, the company carried out around 20 projects on behalf of the federal government and the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia to organise German pavilions at fairs held abroad. Its activities include all of the organisational aspects, such as stand design and construction, stand staff, promotional and PR activities, translation and interpretation, exhibitor guides, transport and storage, catering and travel and accommodation arrangements.