Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH

In Germany's second largest city, Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC) is a marketplace as well as a networking and innovation platform that organises, serves and enables a wide range of major national and international events: Renowned industry fairs, world-leading congresses, political party conferences, annual general meetings, cultural and sports events all find the right conditions at HMC.

Situated between the university and the famous Reeperbahn district, in the midst of a vibrant inner city with generously spaced parks, the eleven halls of the Hamburg trade fair campus offer more than 87,000 square metres of exhibition space. Just a few metres away, the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg provides up to 50 event halls and rooms.

“We create connections. New ones, different ones, again and again. The ‘ideal connection’ motto describes our mission,” says Bernd Aufderheide, President and CEO, Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH.

HMC central entrance © Hamburg Messe und Congress / Michael Zapf

A wide range of events in the heart of the city
The Hamburg Messe und Congress campus is situated uniquely in the Hamburg downtown area. Planten un Blomen park, the iconic Elbphilharmonie building, the new HafenCity district, the Speicherstadt World Heritage Site, and a colourful mix of fascinating neighbourhoods are all located in the immediate vicinity of the exhibition complex and the CCH.

HMC’s varied portfolio of exhibitions primarily focuses on industries clustered in the metropolis on the river Elbe: Top trade events bring together key industrial decision-makers from around the world, including SMM, the leading international maritime trade fair; WindEnergy Hamburg; or INTERNORGA, Europe’s leading trade show for food service, hospitality, communal catering, bakeries and confectioners.

The HMC exhibition campus not only offers ideal conditions for prominent guest events, such as key exhibitions for the aerospace industry or major buyers' fairs for retailers, but also for attention-grabbing public trade fairs, international marketing events, TV galas, award ceremonies and political summits.

The ITS World Congress for Intelligent Transport Systems and Services (ITS) at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg in October 2021 was a remarkable experience, as well. According to the organiser, it welcomed more visitors than any previous ITS congresses in the 35-year history of the event. This was another proof that advanced mobility deserves a prominent and permanent place on the agenda of Hamburg, which heads the list of German cities in terms of digitalised mobility.

Hamburg Messe und Congress is well respected internationally for its expertise and dependability in organising and supporting successful trade fair appearances of German companies on all continents. Numerous award-winning German trade fair presentations at world expos have earned HMC an excellent reputation as a general contractor.             


German garden at Floriade Expo 2022 / keller-fotografie.de  

For example, the German Garden at the Floriade Expo 2022 in Almere, The Netherlands received a Gold Award in the “Official Participants – Outdoor Gardens” category from the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) which was in charge of the event. The wooden pavilion was a visual highlight in the German Garden. Themed “BIOTOPIA – Growing Community”, it housed playful presentations of innovative ideas, new solutions, civic initiatives and organisations from Germany focused on modern and sustainable gardening. All in all the German Garden accommodated more than 3,500 primarily insect-friendly plants, from wild strawberries to primeval sequoia trees. On the rooftop terrace, a docile Buckfast bee colony was busy collecting nectar and pollen while ducks, frogs and dragonflies were populating the water garden and its surroundings. Over the six-week event, bumblebees, wasps, butterflies and wild rabbits joined the exhibit, and even a few foxes were seen at BIOTOPIA occasionally.

The new CCH - highly flexible and multifunctional
Just a few minutes’ walk from the Hamburg Messe campus is the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg, one of Europe’s biggest congress centres. After undergoing comprehensive renovation and modernisation for four years, the complex now provides 12,000 square metres of exhibition space, 12,000 square metres of foyer space, 12,000 seats in total, and all the technology and flexibility today’s congresses and events require.


Exterior view of the new CCH – Congress Center Hamburg © Hamburg Messe und Congress / Michael Zapf

The Covid-19 pandemic had a severe impact on the trade fairs and events industry during 2020 and 2021. The coronavirus year 2020, originally expected to produce the strongest business outcome in company history, in fact turned out to be the weakest fiscal year HMC had ever seen. 2021 was again marked by short-time working, cancellations and postponements.

As the vaccination rate increased and the pandemic eased off in the third quarter of 2021, it was possible to slowly resume trade fair and event operations under strict observation of hygiene rules. In response to the development of the pandemic and the less severe restrictions affecting people’s everyday life, HMC President and CEO Bernd Aufderheide saw potential for holding trade fairs again as early as the beginning of 2021, stating:

“People are yearning for face-to-face interaction again.” (Bernd Aufderheide, President and CEO, 2021)

But it wasn’t until the second quarter of the year that the development picked up somewhat. After a long wait, twelve HMC-organised events, 30 guest events and 42 events at the CCH restored live operations in Hamburg. After two-and-a-half years of pandemic conditions, COVID-19 infections are no longer something to be scared about. This “new normality” is felt at HMC as elsewhere.

During the pandemic, employees performed much of their responsibilities remotely. This was a general change seen across the employment market that has had a lasting impact on the nature of work. As a consequence, it has become a priority to support work flexibility and a better work-life balance, reduce individual and environmental stress levels, encourage self-management, and empower staff members. At the same time, HMC is becoming a more competitive employer by embracing future-oriented work practices.



HMC forecourt area © Hamburg Messe und Congress / Michael Zapf: "Thank you to the everyday heroes and heroines who are on duty for all of us"

New normality at HMC includes further precautionary steps as part of a comprehensive strategy to avoid another rise in number of infections and cases of illness. In 2021, new UVC air purifiers were installed in the exhibition halls to clean the air efficiently and remove up to 95 percent of airborne pathogens.

Since face-to-face interaction is a key characteristic of trade fairs, it is impossible to avoid the risk of infection entirely. To keep it as small as possible, however, all employees are offered SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen self-tests and FFP2 protective masks for use on HMC premises during working hours.

The pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation enormously. Future event formats will be more hybrid, multifaceted and interactive. According to Bernd Aufderheide, attractive cities such as Hamburg that have exhibition halls and a congress centre right in the middle are bound to benefit from this development.

“2022 was a year of challenges, of premieres and successes. And it was probably the year we saw our busiest autumn yet considering the number of events.” (Bernd Aufderheide)

While 2022 heralded a successful relaunch, the HMC Management Board expects 2023 to be the first year of more or less normal operations.

Clear messages
The Russian aggression against Ukraine since February 2022 calls for unequivocal messages: Hamburg Messe und Congress fully supports the sanctions imposed by the German Federal Government. Therefore HMC has discontinued its business relationships with Russia and Russian companies for the time being. HMC feels it is important to emphasise that these measures are not directed against the Russian population but against the aggressive actions of the country’s government. The solidarity and thoughts of the HMC staff are with the people in Ukraine as well as the courageous people in Russia who are protesting against the war. For a company whose DNA is rooted in internationalism, dialogue and peaceful interaction, taking such a step is the last resort. But HMC is convinced that the current situation requires it.

Publication Data

Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH
Messeplatz 1
20357 Hamburg
Deutschland  

Amtsgericht Hamburg HRB 12054
USt-IdNr. DE811214125
Ph: +49 40 3569 - 0  

Represented by:
Bernd Aufderheide, President and CEO; Uwe Fischer
Chairperson of the Supervisory Board: State Secretary Andreas Rieckhof

Responsible under German press law according to Section 55(II) of the Interstate Treaty on Broadcasting and Media (RStV):
Karsten Broockmann – Company Spokesman / Director Coporate Communications

Realisation:
Sabine Off – IR – Sustainability Officer
Hannah Kindler – IR – Sustainability Representative

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