NürnbergMesse China: 20 Years of Bridge Building to the CIIE

<p>Twenty years of bridging Germany and China: NürnbergMesse China celebrates a significant milestone in 2026 and chooses a prominent setting for it – the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. For the first time, the NürnbergMesse Group will appear there with its own booth, underscoring the strategic importance of the Chinese market for the Nuremberg exhibition organizer.</p><h2>From Founding Year to Most Important Foreign Subsidiary</h2><p>On October 31, 2006, a new chapter in the company's history began with the founding of NürnbergMesse China: it was the very first international subsidiary of the NürnbergMesse Group. Just six months later, the representative office officially opened in the heart of Shanghai – and later that same year, the first own exhibition appearance took place with the premiere of BIOFACH CHINA. What began as an experiment has since developed into one of the group's most important foreign companies.</p><p>The close economic and cultural ties between Nuremberg and China extend beyond the exhibition industry: since 1997, there has been a sister city partnership between Nuremberg and Shenzhen. Against this backdrop, the decision to establish its own representative office in Shanghai fell on fertile ground.</p><h2>Premiere at CIIE: Own Booth in Shanghai</h2><p>The highlight of the anniversary year is the NürnbergMesse Group's first participation in the China International Import Expo. The CIIE is regarded as China's leading import fair and has been held since 2018. Under the brand claim "Hello Opportunities," the NürnbergMesse Group will present itself at the 9th edition of CIIE 2026 in Hall 2.2, Stand C2-02, with its own appearance.</p><p>The goal of the presence is to further sharpen its own profile in China and to show Chinese companies the opportunities offered by the group's global exhibition portfolio. In doing so, the presentation combines two decades of local expertise with the new brand identity of the corporate group – a combination that will be presented to the public at CIIE for the first time.</p><h3>From BIOFACH CHINA to Global Network</h3><p>The development of NürnbergMesse China exemplifies how a single specialized trade fair can grow into an entire ecosystem of events. What began with the premiere of BIOFACH CHINA grew over the years into a portfolio covering a wide range of industries – from food technology to electronics and other specialized topics relevant to the Chinese market. Behind these milestones, according to the company, are teams that know the Chinese market well, bring industry expertise, and personally accompany customers – a combination of local proximity and international networking that has significantly contributed to the success of the past two decades.</p><h2>Significance for the Nuremberg Exhibition Venue</h2><p>The fact that the investment in the Chinese market has paid off is also shown by the figures at the headquarters in Nuremberg: last year, more than 1,600 exhibitors and over 5,500 visitors from China participated in specialized trade fairs in Nuremberg. This makes Chinese exhibitors and trade visitors among the most important international customer groups at the Nuremberg exhibition grounds – a direct result of decades-long presence there and the close intertwining of both markets.</p><p>This development illustrates how important local anchoring has become for international exhibition organizers. Rather than acting exclusively from Germany, the NürnbergMesse Group has been relying on a presence on-site for two decades that brings market knowledge, language, and cultural understanding – a model that has since become standard for many German exhibition companies.</p><h2>Conclusion and Outlook</h2><p>With the 20th anniversary of NürnbergMesse China and the simultaneous premiere at CIIE 2026, the NürnbergMesse Group is sending a clear signal of its long-term commitment to the Chinese market. The combination of historical continuity – from the founding in 2006 through the first BIOFACH CHINA edition to current visitor numbers from China – and strategic reorientation under the claim "Hello Opportunities" shows how international exhibition organizers adapt to dynamic foreign markets. For the exhibition industry, this appearance should also serve as a signal: whoever wants to succeed long-term in the Chinese market needs patience, local presence, and a reliable network – ingredients that NürnbergMesse China has successfully combined over the past two decades.</p>