IFAT Munich has been a fixture in our trade fair calendar for years now. This year, however, the world’s leading trade fair for environmental technologies took on a whole new dimension: for the first time, we were represented with our own stand as the exhibition grounds in Munich became a meeting point for international players from the water, waste, and raw materials sectors from 4 to 7 May, exchanging views on current developments and challenges facing the industry. With up to 20 employees on site at peak times, our stand served as a central place to go for industry partners from across Europe throughout the entire exhibition.
FOUR DAYS OF COLLABORATIVE NETWORKING
At the heart of our exhibition presence was our Recycling & Waste unit, led by COO Matthias Warnke. The team’s main focus was on waste wood, commercial waste, and logistics – topics that met with a great response in Munich: even on the first two days of the fair, visitor traffic at our stand was consistently high. Customers, suppliers, existing and potential business partners from all over Europe approached us specifically – including numerous companies from Italy, as well as from other parts of Southern Europe, Northern Europe, and Germany. The range spanned from regional waste management companies to large international combined heat and power plants.
“To put it simply: IFAT was outstanding,” summarises Matthias Warnke. “Of course, beforehand we did not know exactly what to expect: whether our staffing plans would work out, how many conversations we would have, or who would approach us. But the very first days already showed that we had made exactly the right decisions.” Our focus was on personal exchange – the ideal opportunity to strengthen existing business relationships and forge new contacts. “Many conversations take on a completely different dynamic in person than they do over the phone or in online meetings,” says Matthias. “It is more direct, more personal, and often significantly less complicated.” A particular success in this regard was the signing of a contract with a Finnish port to handle waste there.
The international dimension of the trade fair was also evident. Claudio Bucci, Country Manager Italy, reports: “During the fair, our stand attracted numerous Italian producers as well as Italian logistics companies specialising in the international transport of waste. This highlights the importance of IFAT not only for the German market but also at an international level, particularly within the waste-to-energy trading sector.”
Even beyond the traditional trade fair schedule, we deliberately focused on personal dialogue. During our own networking evening, around 40 invited customers, suppliers, and partners gathered in a smaller setting – a format that fully proved its value for us. Alongside the professional discussions, it was above all the atmosphere at our stand that shaped our presence at the fair. Openness, hospitality, and the strong personal commitment shown by the entire team were positively recognised by many visitors. “Professionalism and enthusiasm were palpable throughout,” Matthias describes the spirit of the event.
A SUCCESSFUL TRADE FAIR APPEARANCE WITH MORE TO COME
Our first own stand at IFAT Munich exceeded our expectations in many respects. Numerous encounters and the intensive exchange once again illustrated just how important direct personal contact remains within our industry. Therefore, one thing is already certain for us: following this successful debut, we will be back with our own stand at IFAT in Munich in 2028.