Koelnmesse inaugurates new Confex Center on its 100th anniversary

Germany's renowned Koelnmesse is celebrating a century of existence this year, marking this important anniversary with the opening of a new state-of-the-art event and congress center called Confex.

Strategically located next to the ICE Cologne Messe/Deutz train station, the new Confex center can accommodate up to 6,200 attendees and represents an important step in the evolution of Koelnmesse. This state-of-the-art location in the heart of Europe with excellent transport connections raises the bar for congresses, trade fairs and corporate events.

The Confex Center, with a total surface area of 20,500 square meters, includes a main hall divisible into three sections with a capacity of 4,300 people. In addition, it has two conference levels with 22 rooms of various sizes, a spacious foyer and a 5,600-square-meter outdoor terrace called Confex Plaza.

Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH, emphasizes the importance of the new facility: "Confex creates an infrastructure that will decisively support the positioning of Koelnmesse events in the future of the trade fair world. This location represents flexibility, efficiency and emotional appeal - and thus the future of the trade fair industry."

It is interesting to note that Koelnmesse was founded in 1924 by Konrad Adenauer, then mayor of Cologne, with the aim of stimulating the West German economy and as a European peace project. Over its 100 years of existence, Koelnmesse has become a vital center for innovation, trade and international cooperation.

The new Confex center is also in line with Koelnmesse's commitment to sustainability, receiving Platinum pre-certification from the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) during the construction phase.

For the wood and furniture industry, this expansion of Koelnmesse could bring new exhibition and networking opportunities at future trade fairs organized here, such as interzum or IMM Cologne.

The Koelnmesse Centennial Celebration, under the motto "Yesterday | Today | Tomorrow - Koelnmesse connects", offered sensory experiences from the past, present and future, including multimedia shows and culinary delights prepared by the famous TV chef Johann Lafer.

This new chapter in the history of Koelnmesse promises to strengthen the exhibition center's position as a platform for innovation and international collaboration for decades to come, including for the wood and furniture sector.