Germany

COLOGNE, GERMANY – Oktober 25, 2026 – Organizers of ORGATEC have confirmed that the trade fair for workspace and contract solutions will return to Cologne from 27 to 30 October 2026, bringing together roughly 500 exhibiting companies from around 40 countries. The event will be structured around two core segments, Workspace Solutions and Contract Solutions, reflecting the breadth of buyers now shaping office, hospitality and public-sector interiors. For procurement teams, architects and facility planners, the confirmed exhibitor list and program scope signal that Cologne remains a central sourcing and benchmarking point for the sector despite broader market headwinds in commercial furnishing and workplace design.

COLOGNE, GERMANY – October 9, 2026 – The 82nd HeatTreatmentCongress (HK), organized by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Wärmebehandlung + Werkstofftechnik e.V. (AWT), will be held from October 13 to 15, 2026, in Cologne, Germany, alongside the 31st IFHTSE World Congress, the European Conference on Heat Treatment (ECHT 2026), and the Steel Innovation conference. The combined event is positioned as a leading international gathering for professionals in materials, heat treatment, and surface engineering, with English as the conference language and a program spanning thermochemical treatment, sustainability, digitalization, and steel innovation. For operators, researchers, and industry decision-makers, the congress provides a concentrated platform for evaluating process technologies, simulation tools, and quality-control methods that directly affect production reliability and material performance.

COLOGNE, GERMANY – 22 September 2026 – Koelnmesse will stage DMEXCO 2026 on 23 and 24 September in Cologne under the guiding theme “Scaling Intelligence,” positioning the event as a platform for moving artificial intelligence from experimentation into concrete applications, processes and business models. Europe’s leading digital marketing and tech event will bring together decision-makers from AI, media, commerce and agencies across 17 stages, more than 500 sessions and over 230 hours of programming. More than 1,000 international speakers will participate, including executives from OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and major brands. For marketing and commerce operators, the agenda focuses on practical implementation, new business models such as agentic commerce and social commerce, and the full value chain of digital trade.

DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY – 22 September 2026 – Messe Düsseldorf will stage REHACARE 2026 from 23 to 26 September in Düsseldorf, placing community creators and people with disabilities at the center of the independent living debate. The trade fair is adding a Community Hub in Hall 7, organized by X Carstens and REHACARE, as a dedicated stage for around 20 creators and influencers across all four trade fair days. The program includes personal stories, talks, roundtables, readings, entertainment and Meet & Greet opportunities, with a Community Day on Saturday, 26 September. For care practitioners, specialist retailers, associations and institutional stakeholders, the move signals a stronger emphasis on user-led perspectives in rehabilitation, prevention, inclusion and nursing care.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- July 22, 2026 -- HD Advanced Technologies GmbH (HDAT), a wholly owned subsidiary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG), has signed a two-part industrial partnership with Swiss battery developer PHENOGY AG. HDAT will take over contract manufacturing of PHENOGY's sodium-ion energy storage systems, covering everything from procurement to installation and maintenance. The two companies are also preparing a joint venture to develop and mass-produce sodium-ion battery cells, combining PHENOGY's cell chemistry with a HEIDELBERG printing process. The goal is a European-based supply chain for battery storage that does not depend on manufacturing capacity outside the region.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- July 07, 2026 -- Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) has closed the transaction integrating the lifecycle business and global sales and service units of the manroland sheetfed group into its operations. The company also signed a separate agreement this week to take over full production of POLAR cutting and finishing machines and systems, folding POLAR's development work into the HEIDELBERG organization as well. Both moves extend a strategy HEIDELBERG has pursued for several years to consolidate technology, branding, sales and service under one roof. The company says the combined steps strengthen its position as a systems integrator in the packaging and label segment.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING -- July 07, 2026 -- Architecture publications md and db will host the fourth edition of their joint symposium series "anders! bauen im Bestand" on July 15, 2026, at the Hospitalhof in Stuttgart, with a parallel livestream option. The program centers entirely on renovation and adaptive reuse this year, bringing together architects, engineers and manufacturers to address resource-conscious, circular building and energy-efficient retrofitting. Speakers will present both conceptual frameworks and completed projects, including the redevelopment of Stuttgart's former Breitling department store into the newly opened Haus des Tourismus. The event carries continuing-education recognition from the Chamber of Architects of Baden-Württemberg.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING — July 03, 2026 — Bonner Wirtschafts-Akademie (BWA), a Bonn-based personnel development and outplacement consultancy, has warned that Germany faces job losses of historic scale as an energy cost crisis and rapid AI adoption compound one another. BWA managing director Harald Müller pointed to a recent survey from the Institute of German Economy (IW), which found companies plan to cut nearly 30 percent of positions this year, calling that figure only the starting point of a larger shift. He argued the combination of rising energy costs and AI-driven automation will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs across both industrial and office roles, layered on top of losses already underway in the automotive sector.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING — July 03, 2026 — The Hopper Hotel St. Josef in Cologne has completed a redesign covering all 65 guest rooms and parts of its public areas, including the library and lobby. The project was carried out by LFPI Hospitality Group, which has operated the hotel since 2022 inside a heritage-protected building dating to 1891. LFPI has partnered with BWH Hotels under the WorldHotels Crafted brand since 2025, positioning the Cologne property within a wider collection of independently managed hotels. The redesign focused on preserving existing architectural elements while introducing new materials intended to improve guest comfort.

SHERIDAN, WYOMING — July 03, 2026 — Stellantis Pro One will bring 13 vehicles and four professional brands to a 1,000-square-meter stand at IAA Hannover, anchoring the presence around the unveiling of Box on Wheels, a new autonomous concept vehicle. The stand also marks the first live public appearance of the Smart Compact Van, which had its digital reveal in mid-June, and will highlight Stellantis CustomFit conversion capabilities across the full commercial vehicle range. The Box on Wheels reveal, scheduled for the September 14 press conference in Hall 13, signals Stellantis Pro One's shift toward positioning itself as an integrated logistics solutions provider rather than solely a vehicle manufacturer.