The Bright World of Metals expands its global network with ANKIROS/TURKCAST and ALUEXPO

The Messe Düsseldorf Group is expanding its global network in the growth market of Turkey and, with the leading Eurasian trade fairs for the metallurgy, foundry and aluminium industries – ANKIROS/TURKCAST and ALUEXPO – three new major events to its global metals trade fair portfolio. In a joint venture, two of Germany’s largest trade fair organisers are pooling their expertise: Messe Düsseldorf and Deutsche Messe AG will each hold a 50 per cent stake in “Hannover Messe Ankiros Fuarcilik A.S.” going forward. The company’s founder, Ibrahim Anil, will continue to serve as managing director.

Messe Düsseldorf is contributing its network and industry expertise centred on its world-leading trade fairs GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST (“The Bright World of Metals”), whilst Deutsche Messe AG is contributing its long-standing experience in the Turkish market. With this groundbreaking step towards globalisation and the expansion of their leadership in the metallurgy and foundry sectors, Messe Düsseldorf’s world-leading trade fairs GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST (“The Bright World of Metals”) are expanding their portfolio in the international growth markets of the foundry and metallurgy industries. Wolfram N. Diener, Chairman of the Management Board of Messe Düsseldorf, emphasises the significance of this collaboration: “This partnership not only adds a new subsidiary to Messe Düsseldorf’s international network, but also enables us to further expand our global and strategic leadership in specialist trade fairs for metallurgy and foundry.” Under the umbrella of “The Bright World of Metals”, Düsseldorf already hosts the world’s largest trade fairs in the sector: GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST. Added to this is a portfolio of international trade fairs in India, Thailand, Indonesia, Egypt and Mexico, which is now being expanded to include ANKIROS/TURKCAST and ALUEXPO in Istanbul. “We are opening up the attractive Eurasian growth market to our customers and strengthening our company’s international competitive position,” adds Diener.

However, this new direction is not only paying off in terms of the internationalisation of the Düsseldorf-based metal trade fair portfolio, but is also strengthening key mechanical engineering segments within the quartet of world-leading trade fairs. Malte Seifert, Director of GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST at Messe Düsseldorf, is delighted: “By expanding the Bright World of Metals to include the Eurasian satellite trade fairs ANKIROS/TURKCAST and ALUEXPO, we are taking an important strategic step by increasingly focusing on the non-ferrous metals sector alongside steel and ferrous metals. This will strengthen key mechanical engineering sectors such as die-casting.”

Messe Düsseldorf’s expertise and network in the metallurgy and foundry sectors will help to further build on the already significant standing of ANKIROS/TURKCAST and ALUEXPO as leading trade platforms for ferrous and non-ferrous metals and their processing. Combined with Deutsche Messe AG’s long-standing experience in Turkey, the conditions for this could not be better. “This partnership enables us to fully exploit the market potential in the metallurgy and foundry sectors in Turkey,” says Dr Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe AG. “By bringing our strengths, resources and expertise in the Turkish market to bear, we are consistently developing our events for the foundry industry and creating the best possible platform for our customers from Turkey and around the world.”

High market potential

Ibrahim Anil, founder and managing director of “Hannover Messe Ankiros Fuarcılık A.S.”, emphasises the benefits of the partnership: “To continue the success story of ANKIROS/TURKCAST and ALUEXPO and further strengthen the company, I am passing the baton into capable hands. Whilst I will retain my role as managing director, I am transferring my shareholder rights to Messe Düsseldorf. With Messe Düsseldorf and Deutsche Messe AG, two of the world’s leading trade fair organisations will now ensure the continued growth of the trade fairs. The steadily growing Turkish economy and the high demand for metallurgical and foundry products in Turkey, the region and worldwide provide the ideal framework for this.” Turkey has attracted attention over the past decade thanks to its above-average economic growth. Although factors such as the pandemic and the global economic downturn have slowed this development, the International Monetary Fund expects the Turkish economy to grow by around three per cent annually until 2028. With its large domestic market and strong industrial base, Turkey has long been an important trading partner for Germany and North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2022, the volume of trade between Germany and Turkey totalled 27 billion euros, of which North Rhine-Westphalia accounted for 42.6 per cent, or 11.5 billion euros. In recent years, Turkey has also made substantial investments, including in the construction of housing, roads, bridges and railways. Further major projects are in the pipeline. This is leading, in particular, to high demand for metallurgical and foundry products, for which the joint venture between Messe Düsseldorf GmbH and Deutsche Messe AG organises the region’s key trade fairs. Furthermore, Turkish companies hold a significant market position in the aluminium and non-ferrous metals industry.