All lights out! Exhibitor voices and chronicles from wire & Tube 2024

The spotlight has just faded on the 2024 edition of the wire & Tube trade fair in Düsseldorf, a global reference point for all companies linked to the wire and tube sectors. What is the assessment of the most anticipated event of the year?

A surge in exhibitors for the 2024 edition of wire & Tube

From the exhibitors' perspective, it was a record-breaking edition. From steel production to finished products, companies across the entire wire and tube manufacturing sector, along with related industries, filled the Messe Düsseldorf fairgrounds. The wire segment boasted 1,500 exhibitors from 60 countries on 67,400 square meters – the highest result ever achieved in almost 40 years of the fair's history in Düsseldorf. Tube 2024 featured 1,200 exhibitors from 54 countries, covering an exhibition area of about 52,200 square meters. As in previous years, the fair lasted five days, from April 15 to 19, aiming to provide machine manufacturers with a platform to showcase their technologies, justifying the considerable logistical efforts involved.

High-level visitors at the latest wire & Tube fair

The wire & Tube fair in Messe Düsseldorf drew top-level executives and decision-makers from leading global manufacturing entities. While the final official press release didn't disclose total visitor numbers, it did highlight the event's impressive global reach, attracting attendees from 135 countries. Alongside Germans, visitors hailed from Italy, Spain, Belgium, France, Austria, the Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, the United States, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, India, and Japan.

What were Expometals.net advertisers’ impressions of wire & Tube?

From our independent and comprehensive perspective, we at Expometals.net - present on-site with a booth - had the opportunity to gather first-hand, unfiltered comments from some companies featured on Expometals that participated as exhibitors in Düsseldorf. Here are their thoughts, listed alphabetically by company name:

The visitor turnout was slightly less than expected. The presence of satellite fairs of this event in various parts of the world might have deterred some visitors from attending this edition. Additionally, the Russia-Ukraine conflict could have had an impact. That said, we had serious customers and inquiries from the EU and South America, who have doubled their confidence in Indian equipment, but fewer from the Middle East compared to previous years. From the perspective of general market trends, we, as wire machinery manufacturers, have observed that the steel wire sector is particularly buoyant.
Nirmal Singh, Assomac Machines Ltd.

Participation in the wire trade fair, held every two years, is an absolute "must" for all companies in the wire and cable industry. It's the place where cutting-edge advancements are showcased, and far-reaching developments become a reality. This year, the energy was palpable. Meetings with long-term customers, new contacts, industry colleagues, and of course our international representatives, provided us with a wealth of new ideas.
Sigrun Möbus, August Strecker GmbH & Co. KG

Exceeding modest expectations, we saw a strong turnout of key decision-makers from all our major clients. Despite the current market conditions, it's heartening to see our existing customers highly satisfied with our machinery. Our co-presentation with Hatebur proved to be a strategic advantage, allowing us to showcase a comprehensive diameter range, from 0.6mm to a remarkable 90mm.
Federico Uslenghi, Carlo Salvi S.p.A.

During this edition of wire & Tube, we were delighted to greet both old and new acquaintances and host a significant 'event within the event', namely the presentation of the New E-Vision System, our optical projector that represents a technological advancement in roll calibration... (read more >>)
Giulio Properzi, Continuus Properzi

A last-minute change to the fair's opening hours communicated poorly caused confusion and surprise among many visitors and exhibitors. At least on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the fair was well-attended. On Monday, the start was hesitant as always, and Friday saw a significant drop in attendance - for us, it was a wasted day. The discussions were mainly characterized by concerns about the further economic development in Europe, especially in the wire-processing industries. Other topics included the transformation to climate neutrality and the further development of "green steel." The general mood can be described as "cautious." There is concern about global overcapacity along the value chain and the push by foreign suppliers into the European markets. Associations are preparing for unfair competition with plans for anti-dumping. Technical developments were present at the trade fair. As usual, the industry is developing evolutionarily.
Markus Giese, Drahtwerk Wagener GmbH & Co. KG

We were proud to showcase our commitment to sustainable wire production. Over 60% of attendees we met were interested in collaborating on eco-friendly projects, which speaks volumes about the industry's current focus. With 30+ plants installed globally and a strong portfolio of solutions, DRUIDS is the go-to partner for anyone wanting to achieve sustainability in their wire drawing operations.
Carlos Bittner, DRUIDS Process Technology

Participation in this fair was an outstanding opportunity for us to present our wide range of products for the wire industry, including cassettes and rolls for rolling various types of wire. We were pleasantly surprised by the enthusiasm and interest shown by visitors and industry professionals, which allowed us to showcase our excellence in the wire industry and strengthen our ties with international customers and partners. We look forward with confidence to new challenges and opportunities in our industry.
Stefano Dal Nin, Eurolls SpA

I’m thrilled about our experience at wire Düsseldorf this year. Our reputation has soared within the industry, with an influx of both new and returning customers eagerly engaging in lengthy, productive meetings. Despite the increased attendance, our team appreciated the direct approach in discussions with technicians, engineers, and machine operators..
Jonas Hagstedt, Lämneå Bruk

The Tube trade show was well-organized and industry-specific. Generally speaking, the quality of leads was solid. As Mazak, we're satisfied and secured some orders to upgrade existing models. Five days is a bit long, and we feel 9 am to 5 pm opening hours would be more appropriate, but overall, it was a positive experience.
Gaetano Lo Guzzo, Mazak

We were indeed satisfied with both the quantity and quality of visitors we encountered at the exhibition. The first three days were particularly bustling, with a notable surge in attendance compared to the final two days.
Kamal Babu, Mikrotek Machines

We had a really good turnout, especially from European countries. It was exciting to connect with professionals from nations we hadn't engaged with previously, such as Lithuania and Latvia. While we were able to link up with existing customers in the fence industry and railway sector, the real highlight was discovering the potential in engineering products like hooks, including fishing hooks, which is a novel sector for us. Notably, we received considerable interest in our thermal metalizing wire, including zinc and aluminum variants. This positive response marks a promising debut for this new addition to our product line.
Shrishti Saraf, Nirmal Group

If I were to summarize this week in one word, I would say 'busy,' or, in two words, 'extremely busy'! After the last edition in 2022, post-COVID and 'slow,' this wire & Tube saw us return to full speed, with many existing and new customers visiting our booth. Our overall offering, from small wet draw dies to large cold heading dies with insert systems, caters to a significant portion of wire producers. Complementary products like shapes, extrusion dies, PCDs, large bare dies, and coated dies complete this range. Our international sales team, available at the booth, covered more than 15 languages.
Martin Hahn, Paramount Die

The trade show once again attracted an impressive audience from all over the world. The diverse product range showcased at our booth generated significant interest among cable manufacturers. Overall, we are very happy with the show’s outcome and the industry’s response to our manufacturing solutions.
Bianca Kranz, Rosendahl Nextrom

The show was a success for us, with a high volume of visits, most of which were of excellent quality. We were busy all week and now have a lot of inquiries to address. We showcased two machines: the GV2-10 thread rolling machine and the MPA14CL secondary operation machine. Both machines were well-received, with visitors impressed by their technology and quality. While we received numerous inquiries for quotations, the MPA14 was already sold. Although our primary focus isn't the German market, wire Düsseldorf serves as a valuable global platform, attracting visitors from across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Mikel Zaldua, Saspi

We’re delighted to share the incredible success we achieved at the wire fair. It was a remarkable opportunity to connect with industry peers and clients worldwide showcasing our latest innovations like the phosphate-free drawing process (Sebir TSF) that sparked significant interest. The constructive conversations and new connections established will propel our growth and improvement in the sector. A big thank you to all who visited our stand and contributed to SEBIR's success. We look forward to continuing this extraordinary collaboration and achieving new milestones together!
Alessandro Venosa, SEBIR SA

On the Expometals.net side, the fair experience was positive. It was a unique opportunity to shake hands with over 100 of our customers who were present on the Düsseldorf fairgrounds, representing a strong showing from our platform of 5,000 companies. Now that the fair is over, we'll keep the momentum going online to ensure all professionals stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends and connect with potential partners. Stay tuned to Expometals.net for exciting new content and resources.

And - mark your calendars! wire & Tube Düsseldorf will be back in 2026, taking place from April 13 to 17.