Updated: February 12, 2021

Construction trade fairs are notorious for being a hub for technological innovation and various business opportunities. Professionals from all branches of the building industry come together to meet, exchange valuable know-how, present their latest products and discuss important matters like corporate responsibility, environmental impact, selection of the materials in usage, and positive influence on the local community. The majority of the visitors are decision-making representatives, CEO’s, engineers and architects. It is the ideal environment for networking, developing new concepts and making business.

Why Should You Go to a Building Trade Fair?

Let's briefly point out 5 reasons to visit the next building, construction or real-estate expo. * As a business owner, you can create partnerships with other companies and organisations. * As an expert/professional, construction trade fairs and expos, in general, allow checking out the new trends. * Learn about new IT technologies that are going to be implemented in the sector. * Attendees have the chance to hear lectures, led by decision-makers in the industry. Participating in a workshop session is also a big pro of visiting an expo. * Atmosphere! Being there, with thousands of fellow professionals, can be inspiring. You can come up with new ideas for your business.

The Biggest Construction Trade Fairs in West Europe

It is no surprise most trade fairs and exhibitions are in Germany, as the country is a major economic centre. But things don't stop here. Around West Europe, many more large expos take place, attracting thousands of brands and offering countless business opportunities.

BAUMA Munich

Started back in 1954, BAUMA Munich has become a leading event and a must-visit for everyone involved in the industry. It is both the largest construction expo and the biggest trade fair in the world. With its +610,000 square meters of exhibition space, BAUMA is an exploration hub for the innovations in the construction, building and mining sectors. From vehicles and machines to concrete production, fluid technology and job safety, all aspects of the industry are showcased. Around 3500 exhibiting companies and more than 620,000 visitors attend the show, and the numbers are expected to grow with every edition.

B.I.G., Hannover

Held in Hannover, B.I.G specialises in construction equipment, interior and exterior design. Modernisation in building, real estate, garden and recently furniture and fittings will be reviewed. The trade fair is attended by more than 700 exhibiting companies and almost 95,000 visitors. The show has a supporting program of different workshops and lectures. You can find out which are the latest trends and solutions in the industry, as well as meet some of the biggest names in the branch. It is expected the future edition of the event will surpass the previous one in terms of attendance.

BAU, Munich

Held in Munich, BAU focuses on architecture, building materials and systems. Considered one of the largest events, with the astonishing nearly 250,000 visitors and an area of 198,000 sq., this show hosts more than 2000 exhibitors. Everything from stones, ceramics and bricks to gates, windows and glass is presented in front of a diverse audience. IT technology has its place in this event as well, as the trade fair showcases different building and architecture software, measurement, finance, project planning. Climate change and sustainable resources are some of the main topics addressed during the expo. Representatives and company leaders gather to discuss strategies for creating climate-neutral facilities and developing innovative building management solutions.

Barcelona Building Construmat

BB Construmat is one of the most popular trade fairs, covering the entire chain of creating a building from architecture and construction to real estate and facility management. The show is a platform for innovators and manufacturers where they can focus on the newest technological inventions. The concept of smart buildings is presented in many forms throughout the various accompanying events. The expo is held every two years at Fira Barcelona - Gran Vía and attracts more than 1000 representing companies and over 50,000 visitors and media partners.

BouwBeurs, Utrecht

BouwBeurs expo, located in Utrecht, is recognised as the largest platform for the building industry in the Netherlands. Every two years, over 550 exhibitors gather to present their latest products and services with the main focus being the increasing the sustainability and functionality of buildings. More than 75,000 visitors have the chance to check the newest services and products in the areas of Construction, Home automation, Finishing, Renovation and maintenance, Building structures. BouwBeurs offers a variety of networking opportunities for representatives of the leading companies in the business.

hanseBAU, Bremen

The hanseBAU fair is held every year in Bremen and is a significant event for the building, reconstruction and real-estate sectors. The expo welcomes more than 15,000 visitors and over 350 exhibitors. The trade show offers many accompanying events centred around smart building solutions, responsible utilisation of natural resources, sustainability, garden and home decor and much more. HanseBAU is an ideal place for creating strong business connections and finding reliable partners, as 90% of all visitors are decision-makers from different organisations.

MADE expo, Milan

Founded in 2008, the MADE expo has quickly gained popularity and has established itself as one of Italy’s must-attend construction trade fairs. The show has four key themes - Technology & digital, Climate effect, Resources & Recycling and Next Living. Each one exploring a different important topic discussed throughout the many meetups and lectures. The trade fair has four additional exhibitions - BIM & Technologies, Construction & Materials, Building Envelope & Outdoor and Doors, Windows & Industrial Closures. It comes with no surprise that MADE expo has a high attendance rate, with nearly 1,000 exhibitors and +80,000 visitors from all around the world.

Bautec, Berlin

Bautec is the most important building and construction trade fair in Berlin. Its Career platform is the ideal format for discovering young professionals and trustworthy partners. The show has many accompanying events in the form of summits and lectures where industry professionals discuss the newest tech trends. With over 400 exhibitors and more than 21, 000 visitors from across the world, Bautec is a key event for the German construction business. Held every two years at Berlin ExpoCenter City, it is a must-attend event.

CONSTRUTEC, Madrid

CONSTRUTEC is a trade fair for construction materials, techniques and building solutions with a large international attendance. Visitors and exhibitors from over 100 countries gather biennially at IFEMA Feria de Madrid to network, discuss the current innovations and present the newest products. The expo includes over 100 additional events, making it the ideal place for doing business. With around 90,000 participants, CONSTRUTEC is one of the largest construction trade fairs in Spain.

SWISSBAU, Basel

SWISSBAU is Switzerland's leading trade fair for the real estate and construction industry. The event is focused on presenting the latest solutions and innovations in building systems, machinery, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, as well as refrigeration and ventilation technology. Founded back in 1974, the expo is held every two years in Basel and attracts over 1000 exhibitors and more than 95,000 visitors from around the world. The show offers a plethora of accompanying events like lectures, symposiums and networking meetings. Energy efficiency and sustainability are some of the main topics discussed amongst the top companies in the industry.

But that is not all. Many notable construction and building expos in West Europe specialise in particular sectors of the industry.

BAUMAG, Luzern

BAUMAG is held at the Messe Luzern in Switzerland every two years. It is one of the biggest trade fairs for construction machinery, equipment and tools. The expo attracts more than 200 exhibitors and over 18,000 visitors. If you want to learn about the latest technological solutions, BAUMAG is the place to visit.

InfraTech, Rotterdam

InfraTech is one of the leading international trade fairs for infrastructure. The expo showcases the latest innovations and solutions in underground engineering, building machines for above-ground and road construction. Held biennially, the show welcomes around 600 exhibitors and over 20,000 visitors.

MARMOMACC, Verona

Founded in 1961, MARMOMACC is one of the oldest trade shows for marble, stone and technology worldwide. The fair showcases different types of materials, equipment and products. With the staggering 199,000 square meters of exhibition space, MARMOMACC hosts over 1,600 exhibitors and more than 65,000 visitors from all corners of the globe.

EISENWARENMESSE, Cologne

EISENWARENMESSE is an international hardware trade fair that focuses on tools, building and industrial equipment. The show attracts over 2,700 exhibitors from which almost 87% are foreign companies and host more than 47,000 visitors from whom 70% international. It is a must-see trade fair if you want to be on track with the latest technological solutions.

INTERMAT, Paris

Held every three years at VIPARIS, INTERMAT is a prestigious exhibition for construction and infrastructure. Over 1,100 exhibitors and around 90,000 visitors attend the fair to present their products and services and discover the newest trends in tunnel, road, railway and canal construction, building solutions, professional equipment, engineering and architecture.

FENSTERBAU FRONTALE, Nürnberg

FENSTERBAU FRONTALE is a noteworthy trade fair for innovations in the window, door and facade construction sector. The expo is massive with its almost 152,000 square meters of space, welcoming nearly 1,400 exhibitors and over 111,000 visitors. The show is held every two years at Messezentrum and is definitely worth attending.

SAMOTER, Verona

SAMOTER is one of the leading international construction equipment trade fairs. Held every three years at Veronafiere, the expo is attended by nearly 450 exhibitors and over 50,000 visitors. You can check the latest innovation when it comes to drilling technology, earthmoving machinery, construction vehicles, tunnel building and more.

CERSAIE, Bologna

CERSAIE is a famous trade fair for ceramic tiles, sanitary installations, bathroom furniture, equipment and materials. It attracts large international attention, as almost half of all exhibitors, visitors and media are foreign. With its impressive 161,000 square meters of exhibit space, the show welcomes over 110,000 attendees and guests each year.

Glasstec, Düsseldorf

Glasstec is the largest global trade fair focused on glass production and processing. With an impressive exhibition space of over 123,000 square meters, this biennial event gathers more than 1200 exhibitors and nearly 43,000 visitors from all around the globe. The accompanying program focuses on the best technological innovations in the glass industry.

Stone+tec, Nürnberg

Stone+tec is an international trade show dedicated to natural stone and stone processing technology. Hosted every two years at Messezentrum in Nuremberg the event welcomes more than 300 exhibitors and 10,000 professional visitors from over 20 countries. Stone+tec is an important meeting point and offers many business opportunities for its attendees.

The Biggest Construction Trade Fairs in East Europe

There are not as many building and construction trade fairs in East Europe when compared to the West. However, the countries in this region show big potential and present valuable investing opportunities. Here are some trade fairs you might find useful in terms of establishing strong partnerships and discovering new products, manufacturers and resources.

SEEBBE, Belgrade

The South-East Europe Belgrade Building Expo or SEEBBE is an international construction trade fair that's been running for more than 40 years. It has been a member of the Union des Foires Internationales (UFI), since October 1998 which makes it an even more prestigious and important for the region. The show gathers more than 600 exhibitors from around 30 different countries and welcomes nearly 30,000 visitors each year. With 6 halls and a couple of conference rooms, SEEBBE can offer a plethora of accompanying events focused on the development of the construction sector, smart utilisation of materials, innovations and sustainability.

CONECO-RACIOENERGIA, Bratislava

The international building trade fair CONECO is co-located with another global event -RACIOENERGIA the expo for heating, air-conditioning and saving energy. The two shows are held annually at INCHEBA in Bratislava and are focused on construction, refrigeration and ventilation technology, professional materials and equipment, interior fittings, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning. The organisers have the full support of the Ministry of Transport and Construction and the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic. The show is visited by around 20,000 guests and more than 800 exhibitors from different countries.

Yapı - Turkeybuild Istanbul

Yapı - Turkeybuild Istanbul was founded over 40 years ago and is the highest-rated building and interiors exhibition in Turkey. The event has a serious media coverage as it gathers more than 500 local and international exhibitors. +65,000 visitors from all around the world attend the trade fair each year, participating in the +30 accompanying conferences, networking meetings and product presentations. More than 90 expert speakers participate in the summit part, discussing major topics like smart building systems, sustainability and energy-preservation.

ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING WEEK, Sofia

The Architectural Building Week is an international trade fair for energy-efficient, ecological and functional construction. Each year more than 200 exhibitors from different countries gather in Sofia to take part in this massive event. Over 400 international brands present their products and services in the course of the expo in front of +7000 professional visitors. Managers, architects, company CEOs and inventors make a significant part of all guests. The Architectural Building Week works as a hub for construction experts to meet up, exchange ideas and start profitable partnerships.

BUDMA, Poznań

Budma is one of the oldest and largest international trade fairs for construction and architecture in Poland. The expo presents the latest product, technology and service offered by over 1000 local and foreign companies. The 4 day-show is packed with events from market premieres and product presentations to competitions and summits. Each year around 800 exhibitors and +30,000 visitors gather at Poznań’s fairgrounds to learn the latest trends and innovations in the industry.

Construction Machinery Expo, Warsaw

Construction Machinery Expo is the largest trade fair of its kind in Poland. The expo is a demonstration show for civil engineering and recycling. Each visitor can be able to observe the spectacular earth and demolition procedures as well as participate in more than 30 accompanying lectures, conferences and meetings. The massive event welcomes around 5,000 professional guests and nearly 120 exhibitors. The 143,00 square meters of exhibition space and the 6 halls are designed to provide all attendees with an unforgettable experience.

Budpragres, Minsk

Budpragres is the largest and most prestigious construction trade fair in Belarus. The event has successfully established itself as a must-attend fair, as it gathers professionals from all sectors of the industry. The show offers a platform to showcase the latest technological innovations in this part of the continent. If you want to invest in a construction-related business in East Europe, Budpragres will allow you to meet many local and international representatives. The expo hosts +100 exhibitors from around the globe and welcomes around 12,500 professional visitors from +20 different countries.

What do you think of our selection? Did you pick which construction trade fairs to attend next? Thankfully, we can help you with the accommodation organisation for your future business trip so you can focus on more important tasks. The experienced team at Fair Point can offer you the best deals, at the most convenient locations. Our flexible COVID policy will protect you in case of cancellations and rebookings. All it's left for you is to gather a team and start developing the plan to conquer your next trade show.