7 minute read
MESSE FRANKFURT SA FEATURE
Michael Dehn from Messe Frankfurt SA — sees great potential for Africa
Messe Frankfurt South Africa, a branch of one of Europe’s oldest and most extensive trade fair organisers, boasts a proficient team of personnel in marketing, sales, and operations at its South African branch. Messe Frankfurt is recognised as one of the world’s biggest organisers of trade fairs, congresses, and events, employing over 2,200 staff worldwide.
Since 2017, Messe Frankfurt South Africa has expanded their portfolio from two to eight events in 2024 and remains receptive to new concepts for launching events and partnerships for conferences, exhibitions, and other unique occasions in South Africa.
Messe Frankfurt’s operations span 28 different locations globally, and the South African branch is supported by a proficient team of over 30 staff members equipped with established marketing, sales, and operational expertise.
Messe Frankfurt South Africa is responsible for organising grand events, including Automechanika Johannesburg, Futuroad Expo, Festival of Motoring, boatica Cape Town, AERO South Africa, allfashion sourcing, Hobby-X, and Solar Power Africa.
In an exclusive interview, Michael Dehn, managing director of Messe Frankfurt SA, shared some insights with Business Events Africa
“There is great potential in Africa for Messe Frankfurt. South Africa remains the biggest economy in Africa and has good access points. We are happy with our South African operation — it is an important location, with great growth potential,” Mr Dehn said.
Mr Dehn said it isn’t only about growth, in fact, when he joined Messe Frankfurt SA, he consolidated the portfolio.
“What is important, is that we first achieve stability and sustainable growth on each show. Furthermore, we want to always achieve exhibitor and visitor satisfaction at all our shows.”
“We are working very hard on ensuring higher satisfaction across the board. Once we have this right we can grow from there.”
Messe Frankfurt recently ran an African roadshow to promote the upcoming Automechanika and their other shows. The roadshow took place in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda. There is another Roadshow planned for July, in Zambia and Zimbabwe. These countries have important trade relations with South Africa, making them key markets.
Mr Dehn said: “The purpose of these roadshows brings buyers to South Africa and strengthens South African business in the rest of Africa. What is interesting is there are many people in these African countries that have not been to South
Africa before. Part of our role is to promote South Africa and the cities where we host our shows. It is part and parcel of this job.”
Mr Dehn looked at some highlights of the South African trade shows.
He said: “Solar Power Africa in Cape Town is the best-executed show with big growth. It took place from 7-9 February at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
“Hobby X saw huge visitor growth this year.” It took place from 2-5 May 2024 at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit Johannesburg.
Mr Dehn said it achieved a 32 per cent growth — “I have not seen this kind of growth in my career.”
“We introduced the Man Cave to this year’s event, and we got a phenomenal response. Furthermore, a group of exhibitors came together to break a Guinness Book Record of the biggest flower wall.
In partnership with Cricut, the target was set at 1,000 rolled flowers. This goal was spectacularly surpassed, with a total of 6,696 rolled paper flowers verified by the Guinness World Records team, officially confirmed the record-breaking achievement.
Mr Dehn said that Hobby X is about the experiences, and is a great platform to launch small businesses. “It is a great show for South Africa as it provides opportunities for small business. You could buy just one machine at Hobby-X, and start a business right away.”
boatica Cape Town takes place from 25-27 October 2024 at the V&A Waterfront. “Its location is ideal, and we target the boat owners, the water sports enthusiasts and boat clubs.”
AERO South Africa takes place from 3-5 July 2024 at Wonderboom National Airport. Mr Dehn said it has a loyal exhibitor following. This show has just ‘taken off’. It is a general aviation event and has all the aviation brands. We work closely with the city of Tshwane on this event.”
Festival of Motoring, takes place from 30 August to 1 September 2024, at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. “The concept is to get consumers in cars. It has a lifestyle and food element too. The core is to get consumers to experience different cars on the track, driven by professional drivers. It has a large reach. Last year we achieved 10,000 test drives in three days. It opens the consumers’ eyes to new cars. It really works. It is the biggest of its kind in Africa. Best of all, there is an 18 per cent intent to purchase within six months.” allfashion sourcing, takes place in Cape Town from 10-12 September 2024 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. It is a business-orientated marketplace for the textile and fashion industry in Africa. “It forms part of a massive network of Messe Frankfurt textile events. Messe Frankfurt has worked with the United Nations Office for Partnerships and the UN Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network to accelerate engagement of the textile industry in the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Automechanika Johannesburg (and Futuroad expo Johannesburg), a co-located event, takes place at the Johannesburg Expo Centre from 19-21 November 2024. Automechanika is South Africa’s leading international trade fair for the automotive service industry targeting trade visitors from the SubSaharan region, while futuroad expo Johannesburg is the most comprehensive business platform for the truck, bus, and commercial vehicle body sector. “This is a massive show and has the most international participation of eighteen countries. The show also has the support of several industry associations, that run conferences and events during the duration of the event,” Mr Dehn said.
Mr Dehn has over 25 years of trade show experience. Before joining Messe Frankfurt SA he was general manager of Messe Frankfurt India for three years, responsible for over eighteen trade fairs. He worked for Messe Frankfurt Middle East for 16 years, serving as group exhibitions director since 2012 and in charge of the entire exhibition portfolio, including Automechanika Dubai, Beautyworld Middle East, and Intersec. During this time, Mr Dehn also expanded the business in Saudi Arabia by adding four new trade fairs. Before that, he worked as exhibition manager, launching Automechanika Dubai, which became one of the largest and most successful trade fairs in the region under his leadership.
Mr Dehn began his training in 1998 as a dual student at Messe Frankfurt and completed it in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in business management at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Ravensburg.
Contact information
Messe Frankfurt South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Building 12, The Woodlands Office Park, 20 Woodlands Drive, Woodmead, Sandton, 2191, Gauteng, South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)10 599 6153
Email: info@za.messefrankfurt.com
Website: www.za.messefrankfurt.com
