The organizers of the METPACK trade fair reached an agreement to reduce its duration to four days, with the intention of optimizing the event and making it more attractive to attendees.
A few months after the 2023 edition, the organizer and the METPACK Committee have METPACK have agreed to adjust the trade fair period to four days – and thus make the event more efficient and attractive. This means that the international metal packaging industry will meet from May 5 to 8, 2026 in Halls 1, 2 and 3 at Messe Essen to discuss innovations and trends in the sector. From Tuesday to Thursday, METPACK will be open for an additional hour, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and on Friday, the last day of the fair, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
On the other hand, the METPACK fair will extend its opening hours by one hour from Tuesday to Thursday, starting at 9 am and ending at 6 pm. For the last day of the fair, which will be a Friday, the hours will be from 9 am to 3 pm.
The 2023 version lasted five days. According to Messe Essen CEO Oliver P. Kuhrt, the traditional model of holding events only on Saturdays is no longer effective. According to the results of the surveys conducted with exhibitors and visitors, it has been determined that many of the attendees leave the fair on Friday. Therefore, Kuhrt argues that extending the event into the weekend is no longer necessary.
Due to some changes, the opening hours of the fair have been modified. Instead of opening at 5 p.m. as usual, Messe Essen has now decided to extend the opening hours to 6 p.m. at the METPACK exhibition on weekdays from Monday to Thursday.
According to Christina Kleinpaß, who is METPACK’s project manager, they are working to meet the needs of the industry in terms of increased coordination and efficiency, and are confident that the path they have chosen will lead to a successful event in 2026.
“We are thus responding to the industry’s desire for further harmonization and greater harmonization and efficiency, and we are confident that the path we have taken will lead us to success in 2026,”
reiterated Kleinpaß, who is looking forward to the next edition of the fair.
METPACK is the world’s leading trade fair for metal packaging. It is held every three years at Messe Essen. This is why the fair brings together numerous global players presenting sustainable and cost-effective solutions for the production, refinement, painting and recycling of metal packaging.
On the other hand, METPACK is both an innovation hub and a communication platform. The METPACK Innovation Award is presented at each trade fair. It recently went to the manufacturer of a high-performance UV LED system for curing printing inks, coatings and adhesives on metal containers.
The fair is an important meeting point for the international metal packaging industry. Market leaders and many specialized companies from the metal packaging sector present their innovations at this world-leading trade fair.
