Messe Frankfurt’s Expansion into the U.S. Market with LightFair Acquisition
On February 26, 2024, Messe Frankfurt, a major German trade fair organizer, announced its acquisition of a stake in LightFair, the largest architectural and commercial lighting tradeshow in the United States. This marks Messe Frankfurt’s entry into the U.S. market.
Global Presence
Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building trade fairs are currently held in various regions including Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and South America, with a total of 13 events. Exhibitors typically include manufacturers in lighting, electrical engineering, home and building automation, and networked security systems. The target audience comprises architects, interior designers, lighting designers, municipal planning authorities, building engineers, and retail facilities managers.
Transition of LightFair
LightFair was previously managed by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), and furnishings channel marketing firm ANDMORE (formerly known as International Market Centers). Effective February 23, ANDMORE sold its interests in LightFair to Messe Frankfurt.
Strategic Decision by ANDMORE
Bob Maricich, the Chair and CEO of ANDMORE, stated, “ANDMORE has sold its interests in LightFair to Messe Frankfurt, effective February 23. Messe Frankfurt will continue to partner with IES and IALD, creating new opportunities for the LightFair brand and the event’s exhibitors and attendees.” Maricich concluded, “This was a deliberate decision by ANDMORE to redeploy capital to growing industries in our universe. The change also gives us the opportunity to fully focus on delivering value to customers in our core gift, home furnishings, and apparel markets.”
Support and Transition
Messe Frankfurt’s North American team will support LightFair, while existing ANDMORE team members will not be involved in the transition.
Equal Ownership
According to a spokesperson for Atlanta-based Messe Frankfurt, Inc., IES, IALD, and Messe Frankfurt maintain equal shares in LightFair. The spokesperson said, “The expertise in B2B tradeshow management and the success in the field of lighting technology with the Light + Building portfolio make Messe Frankfurt a great fit to take over the operations and management portion of the show