ICE Europe 2025: Around 350 exhibitors on board
From 11 to 13 March 2025, the international coating and converting industry will gather in Munich for the 14th edition of ICE Europe. More than ever, the trade fair is seen as a barometer for the future of the industry.
According to British organiser RX, the next ICE Europe, taking place in Munich, Germany from 11 to 13 March, will be nothing less than a "major milestone." The travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which impacted ICE Europe in 2023, are now a thing of the past. The show is once again fully accessible to attendees from around the world.
Number of exhibitors slightly higher
Organiser RX anticipates a full house at the biennial leading trade show for the international coating and converting industry. The number of exhibitors is slightly higher than in 2023, with around 350 expected. As a result, ICE Europe will occupy the whole of Hall A6 at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre, as well as part of Hall A5, which it will share with around 100 exhibitors from CCE International, the trade fair for the corrugated board and folding carton industry. In 2023, ICE Europe hosted 338 exhibitors, covering an area of 8,700 square metres. Nearly 4,900 attendees from 64 countries were present.
In addition to Germany, the leading exhibitor nations this year include Italy, Turkey, China, the UK, Spain, the USA, Switzerland, France and the Netherlands. Companies that have already confirmed their attendance include BST, Davis-Standard, Erhardt + Leimer, Guidolin Girotto, IMS Technologies, Jagenberg Group, KOCH Industrieanlagen, Kroenert, Matthews International, Neuenhauser Maschinenbau, New Era Converting Machinery, tesa and many more.
New for 2025: ICE Conference
Launching for the first time, the ICE Conference will offer an engaging programme of expert talks and presentations on leading topics, technologies and trends in converting. The ICE Conference is jointly organised by C2 Coating & Converting, dfv Conference Group (dfv media group, Frankfurt am Main, Germany) and RX.
Prestigious and popular: ICE Awards
The much-anticipated ICE Awards will make a return, promising an exciting showcase of outstanding achievements in technical excellence and innovation. This year’s award categories are: 1. Workflow Connectivity and Automation; 2. Sustainability; and 3. New Technology. The ICE Awards are hosted in cooperation with C2 Coating & Converting Magazine. The winners will be selected via verified online voting by the converting community. The official Award Ceremony will be held on the first exhibition day.
Strong interest in innovation
For many exhibitors, ICE Europe and CCE International will play a particularly important role this year as a barometer for business development in the converting industry. "Like many other industries, the converting sector is undergoing a period of significant transformation," says Patrick Herman, Exhibition Director for Converting, Paper and Print at RX. "Although we are seeing a cautious investment climate due to global economic challenges, there is, at the same time, an incredible amount of new development coming from technology providers, and interest in exciting innovation remains as strong as ever – if not stronger. Even companies that do not have specific investment plans at the moment are actively looking for new technologies to improve their processes in the medium and long term in order to remain competitive," says Herman. "Looking ahead is particularly important now – especially as efficiency and sustainability become increasingly vital."
Caption: Digitisation, automation and robotics will be important topics at the next ICE Europe. The industry is very interested in innovations that reduce costs, increase efficiency and improve sustainability. (Image: RX/ICE Europe 2023)
Source: ICE Europe, C2 Coating & Converting