World’s leading trade fair underlines its relevance in the “International Year of Glass”

glasstec has clearly underscored its relevance for the global glass industry with its restart as a face-to-face trade fair after the pandemic induced break. In the “International Year of Glass”, the 936 exhibitors from 47 countries impressively demonstrated to 30,000 visitors from 119 countries the operational excellence of the sector. In focus were the global trend topics Climate, Resource Efficiency, Urbanisation, Value and Well-Being but also current challenges such as high energy costs, supply chain bottlenecks or skilled labour shortage. Held concurrently over three days, the decarbXpo trade fair with its ranges revolving around the decarbonisation of industries was also perceived as a meaningful addition in this context.

“glasstec 2022 came at precisely the right point in time to provide the glass industry with orientation again after the pandemic-induced changes and in a difficult economic climate. The participants’ feedback has been unambiguous here: as a face-to-face trade fair glasstec allows in-depth exchange of experience and knowledge transfer on a global level in a uniquely concentrated form as well as offering an unparalleled, packed line-up of innovations and solutions,” sums up Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf GmbH.

International Fair for the Glass industry, Machinery/Equipment, Skilled trade, Architecture

glasstec sets new standards in every respect. Experience the innovation strength of made of glass, with a focus on the top growth markets in the industry. Be inspired by the offers and developments of the leading companies worldwide. Here, trends are set that will move the future of glass. For decades, glasstec has been the industry's leading meeting place and showcase for technical developments. The unique presentation, paired with the new, groundbreaking conference concept at the glasstec conference, makes the trade fair to an absolute hot spot.

•     Glass manufacture/ production technology
•     Glass processing and finishing
•     Glass products and applications
•     Solar production technology and components and pre-products for solar manufacture
•     Solar end products and their applications
•     Multifunctional facade technology
•     Crafts, finishing and design
•     Tools, spare and wear parts
•     Measurement and control technology

glasstec sent out clear signals in an ambivalent economic climate. This was the general tone expressed by the large majority of the trade visitors. Far more than half these specialists assess the future economic climate in the sector as positive. The response from exhibitors at the world’s most important trade fair in the glass sector also underline this good mood.

Visitors from the fields of mechanical engineering, industry, skilled trades, architects/(façade) planners as well as the solar sector all gave glasstec a ‘good report’. Alongside the positive mood for the future their ratings in terms of achieving visiting goals and the quality of the trade fair range were excellent. Both these areas scored significantly over 90%. With that result glasstec underlines its status as the world’s leading trade fair with a constantly high number of international visitors accounting for well over half of the audience.

Successful Special Shows
The comprehensive supporting programme at glasstec went down well with visitors. More specifically the special show “glass technology live” once again attracted a great deal of interest. Under the heading “Innovative Glass Functions” Prof. Stefan Behling and his team from Stuttgart University’s Institute of Construction Design (Institut für Baukonstruktion) caused a stir with numerous exciting exhibits – the practical products of the near and distant future. These for instance included a window incorporated into glazing without any visible frame construction, bent but still stable glass, organic, building-integrated photovoltaics as well as large-format façade elements. In combination with the neighbouring “Competence Center Glass, Window, Facade”, which bundled know-how from various associations, these façade mock-ups formed the “Facade Center”. The “glass technology live” show was accompanied on all days of the fair by a free symposium on a variety of topics attended by numerous visitors.

The range of special shows was complemented by the Skilled Trades Center “Zentrum Handwerk” – impressively demonstrating at its glass house the glass solutions available from the skilled trades for and in the house – and by the “glass art” exhibition. Specially designed for auto glass specialists was the “Autoglass Arena” with its international auto glass contest and the German championship plus its comprehensive, specialist plenary meeting.