Four Trade Fairs, Four Industries – and One Common Denominator

Despite increasing digitalization, the Austrian company Pirlo continues to rely consistently on physical presence – and is represented at four NürnbergMesse events: FACHPACK, BIOFACH, Interzoo and European Coatings Show. Why trade fairs are far more than sales platforms for the specialist in metal packaging is explained by Marika Dubiel, Head of Marketing/PR at Pirlo Services GmbH.

Written by Stefan Jablonka

Pirlo's exhibition booth with display cases, products, and visitors.

Four trade fairs, four industries, four different target groups: for Pirlo, this presence is no coincidence but part of a clear strategy. The company uses NürnbergMesse events to meet customers, open up new markets, identify trends – and to demonstrate what can often be achieved more effectively in personal interaction than through digital channels.
“Of course, Zoom calls or emails work,” says Dubiel. “But personal conversations are simply different.”

The trade fair environments themselves differ significantly. FACHPACK focuses on packaging, BIOFACH on organic food and sustainability, Interzoo on the international pet industry, and the European Coatings Show on paints, coatings, and finishes. For Pirlo, these differences create varied opportunities for dialogue – but also reveal a shared foundation: direct exchange.

Presence beyond product presentation

Digital tools such as video calls, emails and presentations are now standard. However, for Pirlo they cannot replace what trade fairs enable: spontaneous encounters, immediate feedback, personal impressions, and conversations that cannot be planned in advance.
“Many good discussions arise completely spontaneously,” says Dubiel. Especially when dealing with complex products and customized solutions, trust plays a key role.

Exhibiting is therefore not just about selling products. It is about presenting values, competence and closeness to the market.

Trade fairs are not only places for transactions – they also serve as a stage, an interface and a space for resonance. Exhibitors present not only their products, but also their identity, expertise and understanding of the market. For Pirlo, this is particularly important when addressing very different industries with equally diverse requirements.

A woman and a man are talking at a trade show counter covered with products and brochures. — Across four trade fairs, Pirlo shows how personal exchange, design and market understanding connect industries.

Four trade fairs – four worlds

At FACHPACK, Pirlo focuses on packaging expertise. At BIOFACH, the emphasis is on food, sustainability, and premium presentation. The European Coatings Show offers access to a technically driven industry, where metal packaging plays a role in paints, coatings, and finishes.

Interzoo, in turn, is especially relevant for Pirlo as the company expands its presence in the pet food and pet supply sector. Here, Pirlo engages with a global industry in which packaging must deliver not only functionality, but also emotion, brand identity, and perceived quality.

These differences make the four trade fairs particularly valuable. Each event offers different contacts, conversations, and impulses.
“Every trade fair has its own characteristics,” says Dubiel.
Together, they demonstrate how broadly Pirlo approaches its markets – and why a single event could never fully reflect this diversity.

When art meets metal packaging

Trade fairs are also spaces for staging and storytelling – something clearly visible at Pirlo’s booth. Instead of standard packaging, the company increasingly showcases premium, visually striking metal designs with emotional appeal.

One example is the use of Gustav Klimt’s famous artwork “The Kiss.” These artistically designed cans attract attention and demonstrate that metal packaging can function not only as a container, but also as a design object and brand messenger. As Dubiel summarizes: “If we are good at something, we want to show that.”

The connection is also symbolic: in 1908 – the same year Klimt created “The Kiss” – Pirlo was founded. The company deliberately references this parallel today.

For Pirlo, trade fairs are not only platforms for presentation, but also spaces for observation and inspiration.

Not only exhibitors, but also observers

Pirlo also sees itself in another role at trade fairs. “We are not only here as exhibitors,” says Dubiel. “We are also curious observers.”

Trade fairs serve as a platform to gather insights, identify new developments, and gain inspiration from other industries. They provide a unique opportunity to observe market dynamics directly:
What topics are currently relevant for customers?
How are requirements evolving? What role do sustainability, design, smaller production runs or customized solutions play?

This openness may be one of the reasons why Pirlo has become successful across such diverse markets.

Author

Stefan Jablonka

Freelance journalist