‘The Bright World of Metals’ Powers Transformation

The metals industry is at a turning point. Energy has become a strategic factor, decarbonization is influencing investment decisions and new technologies are rapidly transforming production and value creation. At the same time, markets and supply chains are shifting, and international competition is intensifying. Companies are therefore faced with the question of how production along the metallurgical value chain can remain both competitive and sustainable in the future.

From June 21-25, 2027, ‘The Bright World of Metals’ in Düsseldorf will bring together the international industry to address these challenges. GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS, and NEWCAST will showcase technologies and solutions for the next generation of metal production and provide a forum for exchange, partnerships, and new perspectives across markets and national borders.

Looking ahead to 2027, the trade fair quartet is refining its profile with a further developed brand identity, new communication formats, and additional digital services. This makes clear, well in advance of the event, what Düsseldorf 2027 stands for: an industry in motion and the people, technologies, and ideas shaping its future.

The guiding principle ‘Explore the Power of Four’ embodies the strength of the trade fair quartet: four highly specialized world-leading trade fairs united as an international business platform for the entire metallurgical value chain. It encapsulates what the industry needs today more than ever: collaboration across disciplines and markets to drive cross-sector transformation. The new brand identity is based on comprehensive target audience analyses and findings from direct dialogue with the industry. The new visual identity, with the Sphere as its unifying element, reflects these perspectives. “It was crucial for us to develop the new identity from within the industry itself,” explains Malte Seifert, Director, Metals & Autonomous Technologies. “We looked closely at what drives our exhibitors and visitors today and what they expect from a leading international platform. The Sphere encapsulates this shared understanding: four strong world-leading trade fairs, each with a distinct profile, achieving more together.”

‘Explore the Power of Four’ symbolizes the close interconnection of the four world-leading trade fairs whilst preserving their specialist focus. GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS, and NEWCAST retain their distinct profiles. This enables visitors to explore the themes of their respective trade fairs in depth while discovering solutions and developments across industry boundaries.

Exhibitors already confirmed include ABP Induction Systems, ASK Chemicals, Eirich, Heinrich Wagner Sinto, Laempe Mössner Sinto, MAGMA, Norican Group, and Oskar Frech, amongst others.

“Our industry faces decisions that will determine its competitiveness for decades to come,” says Till Schreiter, CEO, ABP Induction Systems and President, THERMPROCESS. “This is precisely why ‘The Bright World of Metals’ brings the right people together: companies, researchers, technology providers, and users from around the world. Anyone who wants to help shape the future of the metals industry cannot afford to miss Düsseldorf.”

More Than Just a New Brand Identity

Communication and digital services are also being consistently developed. A central content hub brings together relevant industry topics throughout the year. The focus is on decarbonization and energy efficiency, smart factory, and artificial intelligence, the circular economy and resource efficiency, as well as innovations and future technologies.

With the new FairMatch system, visitors and exhibitors can identify business partners and arrange appointments even before the trade fairs take place. New Live Partner packages offer exhibitors additional opportunities to extend their trade fair presence through digital channels, editorial content and live coverage. “Our aim is to provide the industry with the best possible support in its transformation and to create an economically viable business platform for exhibitors and visitors,” says Seifert. “It is crucial that information leads to direction, that contacts develop into partnerships and that these in turn result in concrete business.”

New Impetus for Knowledge and Dialogue

‘The Bright World of Metals’ is also evolving in terms of content. The expanded supporting program will have an even stronger international focus. Together, VDMA Metallurgy & Thermoprocessing and the Federal Association of the German Foundry Industry (BDG) are organising key specialist events, creating a forum that brings together plant manufacturers, foundries, the metallurgy sector, research organizations and end-users. Machinery and plant manufacturers will thus play a greater role in shaping the program’s focus.

The existing THERMPROCESS Forum is evolving into the THERMPROCESS Forum & ecoMetals Hub. Organized by VDMA Metallurgy & Thermoprocessing, it is dedicated to forward-looking topics such as energy efficiency, decarbonization, the circular economy, and innovative thermal process technologies.

Furthermore, ‘The Bright World of Metals’ places dialogue between industry and politics at the center. At a new central opening event, senior representatives from politics and business will come together to discuss the industry’s key future topics for the first time. This builds on the ‘Politics meets Business’ dialogue launched in 2023 and integrates it more closely into the core program of the four world-leading trade fairs. The transformation of the industry requires not only technological innovation but also a reliable political framework.

Image Source: Messe Duesseldorf