COLOGNE, Germany ― The International Hardware Show planned in Cologne from March 1 to 4, 2020, has been postponed to a new date in February 2021. Koelnmesse, the show’s organizer, is responding to the increasingly acute global situation around the recent occurrence of the coronavirus.
As the virus spreads across Europe, travel there is becoming increasingly problematic. The concern began impacting specific companies, which began withdrawing from the show over the past week. These include some German firms, such as power tool maker Metabo, fastener company Fischer and Rose Plastic, a packaging company.
German abrasives manufacturer Klingspor pulled out, saying, in a press release, “The reason for this decision is the potentially considerable health risks for employees and business partners in connection with the coronavirus RS-CoV-2, which has been appearing worldwide since the beginning of the year, especially in view of the fact that the fair is expected to attract numerous exhibitors and visitors from regions affected by the virus.”
In view of these current developments and the high share of Asian exhibitors at the show itself, the management team at Koelnmesse has reassessed the situation and set the new date for next year.
