Press release

Twenty years of Messe München in Riem: Two new exhibition halls complete a visionary idea

December 13, 2018

With an opening ceremony on December 13 in the presence of numerous industry representatives and politicians from at home and abroad, Messe München celebrates the completion of a visionary idea. The two new Halls C5 and C6 and the Conference Center Nord are being opened in a gala event.

Twofold reason to celebrate: 20 years of Messe München in Riem, opening of the new buildings
More space: now a total of 200,000 square meters in hall area
Messe München CEO Klaus Dittrich: “Achieved by people of vision and courage”

With the inauguration of its new Halls C5 and C6 as well as the new Conference Center Nord, Messe München simultaneously marks its 20th anniversary at the location in Riem. After only two years of construction time, the company now has 18 halls at its disposal with 200,000 square meters of exhibition space.

The exhibition center in Riem, which was opened in 1998, is thus completed according to the original plans. The costs of around 105 million euros for the new halls and the conference area were financed by Messe München on its own without subsidies from the shareholders.

“We are celebrating both the 20th anniversary of Messe München in Riem and its structural completion as the achievement of people of vision, creativity and courage”, says CEO Klaus Dittrich.

“The new halls have long been needed: for four of our world-leading trade-fair events, all of the halls were booked out for years”, says Klaus Dittrich, Chairman & CEO. He emphasizes that demand is continually increasing—and especially the demand from abroad. “From Riem, we have built up Messe München as a global player step by step. The completion of the exhibition center in Riem is another milestone for our success in the future too.”

With its trade-fair events and congresses, Messe München strengthens Munich and Bavaria as a business location. As a result, Munich regularly becomes the most important meeting point worldwide for numerous industries as well as a hot spot for commercial and technical innovation.

Promoting future prosperity: Messe München as economic driving force
The significance of Messe München is pointed out by Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian State Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, who is also the newly elected First Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messe München: “This is one of the crown jewels of the Bavarian economy. Messe München strengthens Bavaria as a business location both nationally and internationally. Each euro invested leads to a further ten euros that benefit retailers, restaurants, hotels and taxi drivers as well as tradesmen”, as Bavaria’s Deputy Minister President puts it.

Dieter Reiter, Lord Mayor of Munich and Chairman of the Supervisory Board, describes the facility as “exemplary in its orientation towards sustainability and energy efficiency” and as “architecturally the finest” and “the greenest exhibition center in the world.” According to the Mayor, “Messe München contributes substantially to the prosperity of the City of Munich.”

So on December 13, 2018, Messe München has every reason to celebrate. The Munich Symphony Orchestra is playing at the ceremonial opening gala, awaiting the guests is a festive gala dinner served by the well-known Munich restaurateur Käfer.

Recent history of Messe München
In 1992, the two main shareholders of Messe München—the City of Munich and the Free State of Bavaria—gave the go-ahead for the construction of a new exhibition center at the site of the former airport in Riem. “Without this courageous decision, Munich would be playing no further role today in the international exhibition business”, says CEO Klaus Dittrich.

In 1998, the trade fair moved from its old location at Theresienhöhe to the spacious site of the former Munich Airport in Riem. Here Messe München began to boom: in 1998, Group sales amounted to around 175 million euros; in 2016, a record sales volume of 428 million euros was attained. In its anniversary year 2018, the company has also had great economic success. The past year concluded with top performances and double-digit growth rates for some of its trade-fair events.

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Two new exhibition halls complete a visionary idea

In front of the re-equipped turnstiles, which are now able to process digital entry tickets (left to right): Franz-Xaver Peteranderl, President Chamber of Arts and Crafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria, Klaus Dittrich, Chairman and CEO of Messe München, Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian State Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, and Eberhard Sasse, President Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria.

About 1100 guests came to Messe München’s opening celebration. Among them were numerous industry representatives and politicians from at home and abroad.

The gala event took place in the festively decorated exhibition hall C5, one of the two new exhibition halls.

The guests were served a multi-course-menu by the famous restaurateur “Käfer” from Munich.

Falk Senger (left to right), Managing Director of Messe München, Dr. Michael Niebler, Prof. Dr. Angelika Niebler, member of the European Parliament, Klaus Dittrich, Chairman and CEO of Messe München, Stefan Rummel, Managing Director of Messe München, Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy Chairman of the Board, with the two Deputy Managing Directors Monika Dech and Gerhard Gerritzen.

Today’s Managing Directors of Messe München with one of their predecessors (left to right): Falk Senger, Monika Dech, Gerd vom Hövel (Managing Director from 1965 to 1995), Klaus Dittrich, Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Gerhard Gerritzen and Stefan Rummel.

Live in concert: The Symphony Orchestra „Münchner Symphoniker“ performed Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.

Twofold reason to celebrate: With the inauguration of its new Halls C5 and C6 as well as the new Conference Center Nord, Messe München simultaneously marks its 20th anniversary at the location in Riem.

An international company: Messe München’s employees and representatives from all over the world came to the opening ceremony, among them (left to right): Soraya Bengalouze (Algeria), Kremena Valcheva (Bulgaria), Sonja Miekley (Tunisia) and Jihène Doss-Afrit (Tunisia).

Monika Dech (left to right), Deputy Managing Director of Messe München, Clarissa Käfer, Restaurateur, Margit Dittrich, Owner of the consulting firm „Personalmanufaktur“.

Klaus Dittrich (2nd from left), Chairman and CEO of Messe München, and the Managing Directors Stefan Rummel (2nd from right) and Falk Senger (r.) with foreign guests.

“From Riem, we have built up Messe München as a global player step by step”, said Klaus Dittrich, Chairman and CEO of Messe München, in his speech.

“This is one of the crown jewels of the Bavarian economy”, said Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian State Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, who is also the newly elected First Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messe München.

„Munich is one of the most respected places for trade fair-events on the planet“, said Eberhard Sasse, President Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Munich and Upper Bavaria, in his speech.

“We are celebrating both the 20th anniversary of Messe München in Riem and its structural completion as the achievement of people of vision, creativity and courage”, said CEO Klaus Dittrich.

CEO Klaus Dittrich: “The completion of the exhibition center in Riem is another milestone for our success in the future too.”

A night to remember, a historic project: With the inauguration of its new Halls C5 and C6 as well as the new Conference Center Nord, the exhibition center in Riem is completed according to the original plans.