Upcoming Trade Shows Essen, Germany for Home & Lifestyle

SHK+E ESSEN is one of the major events for the home and lifestyle industry in Essen and it has a long legacy as a cornerstone event for the sanitary, heating, and air conditioning industry. Since its inception in 1966, this trade fair has earned the trust of manufacturers, innovators, and industry leaders, who want a dedicated space to set the industry’s direction for the coming years. The 2024 edition drew around 30,000 trade visitors who explored innovations from more than 330 exhibitors representing 16 countries. This year marked a significant expansion with the introduction of the ""E"" in SHK+E: an enhanced focus on battery storage, photovoltaics, wall boxes, and inverters. A key highlight was the extensive supporting program, which covered contemporary topics such as artificial intelligence in the trade, political frameworks for heat pumps and strategies for recruiting skilled workers. The newly introduced Content Lab, where visitors learned all about leveraging social media in trades. One of the most anticipated additions was the event on hydrogen’s role in municipal heating network planning, held for the first time. Organized by the SHK NRW trade association, this session brought together experts who spoke of hydrogen’s pivotal role in Germany’s energy transition. Discussions centered on the prospects and design of a hydrogen market, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize municipal heating networks. The trade fair attracted a highly qualified audience, primarily practitioners from HVAC and electrical trades, technical building services planners, and wholesale trade representatives. Notably, 73% of attendees were decision-makers with purchasing and procurement expertise, an increase from 69% in 2022. The primary interests of visitors were in heating technology, followed by sanitation installations and drinking water solutions. Satisfaction levels were exceptionally high, with around 90% of visitors expressing complete or substantial satisfaction with the range of products and services on display.