R+T Stuttgart to proceed in person

However, it is unclear how many international visitors and exhibitors will be in the halls at the show with travel restrictions still in place across the Americas, Asia and Australia.

WFA has spoken to a number of regular Australian exhibitors and visitors who will not attend in 2022 due to the uncertainty and border restrictions, which may still be in place by the time R+T is held.

“International trade fairs such as R+T are currently in the spotlight. We realise that internationally operating companies, in particular, are taking different decisions regarding their attendance at the trade fair,” said Sebastian Schmid, Department Director Technology at fair organiser Messe Stuttgart. 

“Cancellations at short notice by industry players at this point of the trade fair preparations pose great challenges for both us as the organiser and other exhibitors.”

“It goes without saying that we will stage R+T. The changed situation will also open new opportunities for the exhibitors who are present.”

Schmid said that European companies are committing to the show.

“In our opinion, R+T is the most important platform to present our innovations, new products and existing products to the industry. We are delighted with the intensive contacts and exchanges with trade visitors at the event,” said Miriam Albrecht, Managing Director of Reflexa.

Ulf Kattelmann, Managing Director of Kadeco also said the company would be at R+T.

“We are looking forward to many personal discussions and also sense this need among our partners. They can look forward to a first-class presentation of our products and our brand. A large number of product innovations will be presented for the first time at R+T.”

A number of fairs have run in Germany since September albeit with drops in the number of visitors recorded compared to previous events

With the show postponed for a year until 2022, R+T Digital ran in its place.

“We want to again offer the industry a live trade fair experience which we all missed so much in the previous months,” Schmid said.

“Thanks to R+T digital, we gathered interesting experiences and learned a great deal regarding digital events. However, we also quickly noticed the limits of purely online offerings.” “Fortunately, the general developments in the pandemic are heading in the right direction. I am certain that exhibitors and visitors will find ideal conditions for their participation in or attendance at R+T at the end o