Pioneering the Future of Work with Record Visitor Numbers
Innovative Trade Fair Concept Captivates Attendees, Setting New Standards for Industry Engagement
From October 22-25, 2024, ORGATEC reshaped the global workplace discussion with its reimagined trade fair concept, showcasing innovations, ideas, and insights that emphasized the transformative power of design in the future of work. The event, organized by Koelnmesse in collaboration with the German Interior Business Association (IBA), brought an impressive lineup of 729 exhibitors from 40 countries across 140,000 square meters of exhibition space. With its new hall arrangement, curated Focus Areas, and the introduction of the Work Culture Festival, ORGATEC drew a 25% increase in attendance compared to the 2022 event, with around 50,000 industry professionals from 126 countries making it an unmissable platform for professionals, manufacturers, and visionaries.
Highlighting the fair’s innovative approach, Gerald Böse, President and CEO of Koelnmesse, praised the strong international turnout, noting that this year’s record attendance reinforces ORGATEC’s position as a key trade fair for shaping tomorrow’s work environments. IBA President Helmut Link echoed this sentiment, crediting the collaborative new approach with sparking industry-wide engagement. He emphasized that ORGATEC 2024, with its balance of product showcases and concept discussions, had evolved into a true “industry spectacle.”
Themed Focus Areas and the Premier Work Culture Festival Offer a Multi-Dimensional Experience
The event’s newly designed Focus Areas provided practical, themed insights into pressing issues like circular economy, hybrid workspaces, sustainable material technologies, and smart building solutions. Interactive displays were complemented by nearby exhibitors, who demonstrated cutting-edge solutions tailored to these themes, offering visitors hands-on, commercially viable ideas for modern workspaces.
A standout feature of ORGATEC 2024, the inaugural Work Culture Festival, brought together over 100 international speakers from diverse fields, including architecture, design, New Work, and trend analysis. Structured around three tracks—TEAM, IMPACT, and LIFE—the festival presented a mix of keynote speeches, panel discussions, and presentations. Visionary experts, such as Sascha Lobo, Jette Hopp, and Sabine Marcelis, shared their insights on reimagining the workplace, while sector-crossing personalities like Smudo and Ralf Rangnick offered unique perspectives on creating resilient, adaptable work environments that cater to the evolving needs of industries worldwide.
The Hybrid Interior Design Concept Bridges Work and Leisure Spaces
ORGATEC 2024 also saw the debut of the Hybrid Interior Design concept, a section dedicated to blurring the lines between home, hospitality, and office furnishings. Here, leading brands showcased collections that seamlessly integrate residential and professional aesthetics, highlighting the intersection of comfort and functionality in workplace design. In innovative gallery-like displays and circular formations, premium exhibitors revealed their latest designs, underscoring the relevance of hybrid spaces in today’s flexible work culture.
ORGATEC’s Path-Defining Role in Future Trade Fairs
Reflecting on the fair’s success, Koelnmesse’s Chief Operating Officer Oliver Frese noted that this year’s ORGATEC demonstrated an ideal model for the future of trade fairs: dynamic, content-rich, and highly engaging. ORGATEC’s innovative approach as a “business festival” offered a vision for tomorrow’s industry gatherings—one that combines deep insights with meaningful connections and experiential learning.
ORGATEC 2024 By the Numbers
The 2024 edition featured 729 exhibitors, with international exhibitors making up 76% of the total, and drew roughly 50,000 visitors from 126 countries, 56% of whom traveled from abroad. Looking forward, ORGATEC will continue to set the agenda for the modern workplace, with the next fair scheduled for October 27-30, 2026, in Cologne.
