Twenty years ago, a new chapter in the history of the NürnbergMesse Group began in Shanghai. Established in 2006, NürnbergMesse China was the Group’s first international subsidiary and laid the foundation for its international presence today: last year, more than 1,600 exhibitors and over 5,500 visitors from China took part in trade fairs in Nuremberg. What began with BIOFACH China developed into one of NürnbergMesse Group’s most important subsidiaries – an excellent reason to celebrate this anniversary in Shanghai together with customers, partners and long-standing associates. “China and Nuremberg have enjoyed close economic and cultural ties for many years. Nuremberg’s city partnership with Shenzhen has existed since 1997. The fact that NürnbergMesse established its first international subsidiary in China underlines this special partnership. I warmly congratulate everyone involved in this anniversary,” says Marcus König, Lord Mayor of the City of Nuremberg and Vice Chair of the Supervisory Board of NürnbergMesse Group.
“NürnbergMesse China marked the beginning of our company’s internationalisation. Establishing the subsidiary in Shanghai was the starting point for international growth that has made us one of the top 15 exhibition organisers worldwide,” says Peter Ottmann, CEO of the NürnbergMesse Group.
“For two decades, we have been connecting companies from China with the NürnbergMesse Group’s international platforms. We are particularly proud to have already enabled more than 6,000 Chinese exhibitors to access international markets, while also helping to make our events in Nuremberg even more international and relevant. Above all, this anniversary belongs to our customers, partners and employees, whose commitment has made this success possible,” says Darren Guo, Managing Director of NürnbergMesse China.
The decision to establish a subsidiary in China marked a milestone in NürnbergMesse’s corporate development. The company gained its first experience in the Chinese market with BIOFACH China in Beijing in the late 1990s. The establishment of NürnbergMesse China in October 2006 was the logical next step towards a permanent local presence. As NürnbergMesse’s first international subsidiary, it laid the foundation for the Group’s international growth, with companies in Europe, North and South America, and Asia.
Significant contribution to developing Nuremberg as a trade fair location
China has been the most important source country for German imports since 2015. In the ranking of the most important destination countries for German exports, China was in sixth place in 2025. Conversely, Germany is China’s most important trading partner in Europe, ranking eighth for Chinese imports and seventh for exports.
Against this backdrop, it is not surprising that, in 2025, China was the largest international exhibiting nation at trade fairs in Germany (18 per cent of foreign exhibitors) and ranked among the top five countries of origin for foreign visitors (4.5 per cent); this is also reflected in Nuremberg, where Chinese exhibitors account for 16.6 per cent of international exhibitors. This underlines the importance of the Chinese subsidiary.
Today, NürnbergMesse China, led by Managing Director Darren Guo, organises trade fairs in Shanghai tailored perfectly to the Chinese market’s demands. These include successful editions of German exhibition concepts such as BIOFACH CHINA and embedded world China, as well as home-grown formats including IPB for powder and bulk solids and Craft Beer China for brewmanship and beverage technology.
The Chinese subsidiary also recruits and supports Chinese exhibitors and visitors for NürnbergMesse Group events worldwide. This is of particular importance to the Group’s home venue in Nuremberg: China has been one of the most important international source markets for exhibitors and trade visitors for many years. Key events for Chinese companies include Interzoo (partner event), Spielwarenmesse and SPS (both guest events), the European Coatings Show, embedded world, CHILLVENTA and IWA OutdoorClassics. Their participation contributes significantly to the international reach and relevance of the trade fairs in Nuremberg.
Anniversary year marked by appearance at CIIE
A special highlight of the anniversary year is NürnbergMesse Group’s participation in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. CIIE is regarded as China’s leading import expo and has been held since 2018. Under its brand claim “Hello Opportunities”, the NürnbergMesse Group will present itself with its own stand. The aim of its presence at CIIE is to further raise the Group’s profile in China and showcase the opportunities offered to Chinese companies across its worldwide event portfolio.