LEIPZIG, Germany — Leipziger Messe has taken over the PaintExpo from FairFair GmbH. Since the trade fair was first established in 2006, PaintExpo has taken place every two years in April at Messe Karlsruhe in Karlsruhe, Germany. The event has become the world's leading trade fair for industrial coating technologies, with 537 exhibitors from 29 countries and 11,790 expert visitors from 88 countries attending the last event. The next PaintExpo will take place from April 26 to 29 in Karlsruhe.  

"PaintExpo is a perfect fit for us. I look forward to working with PaintExpo's strong partners, the international exhibitors, and visitors and the current exhibition team. With our extensive expertise in industrial fairs, together we will continue to expand PaintExpo as the world's leading platform," said Markus Geisenberger, Chief Executive Officer of Leipziger Messe. "PaintExpo is now part of the Leipziger Messe portfolio; this sends a strong signal. We want to take this opportunity to further strengthen our portfolio and market position, particularly at such a challenging time."

Jürgen Haußmann, Managing Director of FairFair GmbH, explained, "I am pleased that PaintExpo has now become part of Leipziger Messe and that this will ensure the necessary continuity for customers. Leipziger Messe's proven expertise in organizing successful international trade fairs and its strong service orientation will help lead the way for PaintExpo's future development. I am sure the event's success story will continue."

Haußmann, who founded PaintExpo in 2006 and expanded it to the world's leading trade fair for industrial coating technologies, will continue to play an advisory role. In addition, Leipziger Messe is taking over the PaintExpo exhibition team and site in Oberboihingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Leipziger Messe will continue the event's cooperation with its existing partners, JOT - Journal für Oberflächentechnik (Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH) and Messe Karlsruhe - the PaintExpo venue.

Gerhard Ohmacht, Executive Director of the Trade and Industrial Fairs Division at Leipziger Messe, is responsible for PaintExpo's future development. Ohmacht, an industrial engineer specializing in technical sales and sales communication, has many years of management experience in industry and B2B environments. Since March 2020, he has been responsible for the industrial and trade fair portfolio at the Leipziger Messe Group of companies.