The doors have just closed on wire & Tube 2026 in Düsseldorf — an edition that marked the fortieth anniversary of wire in the Rhine city. A significant milestone for a trade show that has built, over the decades, a clear identity: the physical gathering place where the global wire, cable and tube industry meets, exchanges ideas and maps out its future.
The 2026 edition of wire & Tube took place against a backdrop that was anything but straightforward: tariffs, supply chains still being restructured, and energy cost pressures all shaped the five days of the show. Absolute visitor numbers have not yet been released; what we do know is that wire & Tube 2026 drew professionals from 130 countries — an international turnout that confirms the show's global pull, despite the logistical disruptions that marked the week. Chief among them: a Lufthansa strike coinciding with the event caused widespread flight cancellations and rebookings. The recurring debate between visitor quantity and quality applies here as well, and can shift the personal assessment considerably. Against this backdrop, Messe Düsseldorf highlighted the growing relevance of the defense sector, which is "gaining in importance; new visitor groups flocked to the exhibition stands, finding concrete solutions for high demands on materials and quality.”
Exhibitors: 2,600 companies, 16 halls, 65 countries
On the exhibitor side, wire & Tube 2026 brought together 2,600 companies from 65 countries, spread across approximately 119,000 square meters in 16 halls. The entire value chain was represented: from wire drawing and rolling machinery to tube technologies, from semi-finished metal products to measurement and inspection systems, through to lubricants, tooling and specialized services — a comprehensive cross-section of the industry's current technological landscape.
What did Expometals.net-listed companies think?
From our independent, cross-sector perspective — Expometals.net was present at the show with booth 9B04 — we once again had the opportunity to gather first-hand feedback from a number of companies featured on our platform who exhibited in Düsseldorf. Here they are, in alphabetical order:
«We are actually pretty happy with the wire Düsseldorf show this year. We heard that many people had trouble with flights coming into Germany due to cancellations, but overall our experience was very good. Visitor attendance at our booth was strong. It was a very good show, as always. A lot of suppliers are talking about tariffs and related issues. From our perspective, since these tariffs affect the import of many materials into the US, companies there are starting their own production of specific products. This is where it becomes relevant for us: we supply machines that allow customers to start local production instead of importing. At the same time, the political situation is still a bit unclear, and many companies have put investments on hold. Several projects have been delayed, which has directly affected us, as we expected to deliver more machines. So while the interest is there, some decisions are being postponed.»Adam Högqvist, Sales & Marketing Director at
Candor Sweden AB
«During Tube 2026, we emphasized a fundamental concept: in the global market, quality is not claimed, it is demonstrated—and above all, it is certified. Achieving the IATF 16949 certification and integrating its standards into the core of our production processes represents a concrete guarantee of reliability and allows us to stand out as a trusted partner not only in the automotive sector, but also in other strategic industries. This recognition confirms our continuous commitment to reducing waste and preventing defects, responding rigorously to the growing demands of this market that now aims for zero margin of error. The innovations presented this year highlight how real-time monitoring and new high-precision forming techniques are redefining efficiency standards. The result is sustainable production featuring consistent, uncompromising quality. Our presence in Düsseldorf reinforces a clear vision: automation and certified quality are the key tools to continue driving the business of our partners in the small-diameter, thin-wall stainless steel tube sector.»The
CSM TUBE team
«Every company puts a lot of effort into a trade show to ensure a successful presence. This year, the circumstances were very complicated. There are geopolitical issues, weak demand in many relevant industries, and many companies that have to watch their costs closely and therefore chose not to attend the trade show as a visitor. Added to this were problems with international air travel, which deterred potential visitors. Given this backdrop, it was foreseeable that visitor numbers would likely be lower. However, this gave us more time to focus on our customers and prospects, and they had specific inquiries. Our secret hope was that the trade show might send a positive signal, but unfortunately, that has not been confirmed.»Mr. Markus Giese, CEO of Drahtwerk Wagener
«The trade fair proved to be an important opportunity for networking and exchange with partners, clients, and suppliers at an international level. The visitor turnout at our stand was very strong and confirms the high level of interest in our solutions: we are fully satisfied with the results achieved.» The Manentimacchine Team
«We saw a strong turnout of high-quality contacts compared to the 2024 edition. Being present at Tube once again proves to be an important choice: for Mazak, it represents the right opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to tube laser cutting, an area in which we continue to invest with conviction. At the exhibition, we showcased the FT-250, which represents a key addition to our range, positioned in the segment with the highest demand: medium-sized tubes and profiles. The machine is designed to offer high versatility, allowing multiple processes to be carried out in a single operation. The main target sectors include metal furniture, agricultural machinery, and packaging, but we are also seeing significant growth among companies operating in logistics and data centers. At the same time, an increasing number of steel suppliers and service centers are adopting these technologies to expand their offering, including the supply of processed tube as a service.»
Gaetano Lo Guzzo, Director Laser Business Europe, Mazak
«Behind every project there are people, energy, and a lot of passion. The trade fair experience perfectly captures the spirit we bring to every challenge: collaboration, enthusiasm, and a shared drive to grow. A big thank you to the entire team for their commitment and dedication—and to everyone who stopped by to connect with us!»Lorenzo Fassa, Chief Sales Officer,
MTM Group
«wire 2026 once again demonstrated how important the trade fair is, both for networking with existing customers and for connecting with prospects and new customers, and how central it remains as a platform for news and innovation. With our globally new process, the oil- and VOC-free corrosion protection solution, we received a very strong response and are now looking forward to the first concrete projects. For us, this process is a real game changer with high market potential.»Christian Blasiak, Head of Global Sales at Traxit Wire Lubrication
«As a mechanical design engineer specializing in wire machinery, these were my impressions: from a qualitative standpoint, the 2026 edition showed no significant departures — the sector is going through a phase of substantial consolidation, with innovation still limited. The most recurring theme was the growing demand for automation to support or replace the human operator, driven by the difficulty of recruiting skilled labor. The real issue, however, remains cost: the importance of innovation is well understood, but appetite for investment remains limited — and for those working in design, this translates into increasingly restrictive choices. Emerging technologies, such as those based on intelligent systems, carry costs largely unaffected by the application sector and remain difficult for many companies in the industry to sustain financially. The hope is that a deeper understanding of technical and production needs will foster, over time, a more concrete openness to innovation.»Eng. Sergio Rusconi
«I think it all went well. We were exhibiting machinery, which requires significant logistics but makes a real difference in attracting the right audience. The opening days were affected by Lufthansa disruptions: numerous flights were cancelled on Monday and Tuesday, impacting connections from France, Italy, Austria, and the UK. Since Covid, we have seen fewer visitors overall, but of higher quality — those who come to our stand already know who we are and what we do. Our recent rebranding, supported by new videos and materials, has helped refresh our image while building on a solid foundation. The next exhibitions on our calendar are wire Expo Milwaukee in early May, wire China in September — where we will join the French Pavilion — and wire India.»Philie Colin, Marketing and Communication Coordinator,
Setic & Pourtier
For Expometals.net, the show was, as always, a valuable opportunity to meet in person the clients and partners we normally reach through our digital channels — and to welcome new companies looking to expand their online visibility year-round. Their online stands on Expometals will be up and running in the coming weeks. Now that the halls have emptied, the work continues: keeping the industry informed and connected. Stay tuned on Expometals.net.
And mark your calendars: wire & Tube Düsseldorf returns April 3–7, 2028.
Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / Tillmann
