R+T, the world’s leading trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun shading systems, opened its doors again from 19 to 23 February 2024. A total of 1,020 exhibitors from 43 countries presented their innovations at R+T 2024. The entire Stuttgart Trade Fair Center was booked up solid with a gross exhibition area of 120,000 square metres. 61,232 trade visitors from 146 countries came to Stuttgart in order to experience the latest products and services in the industry in a live setting.
“R+T therefore reaffirmed its role as the world’s leading trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun shading systems strengthening its importance as a global industry meeting point even further. We are delighted that we were able to replicate the successes from the previous event and increase the quality of the visitors even more,” concluded Roland Bleinroth, President and CEO of Messe Stuttgart.
“Due to the six-year break, we admittedly had very high expectations regarding the exhibitor and visitor numbers. We are therefore now all the more pleased that these numbers were fulfilled and actually exceeded.” Sebastian Schmid, Vice President of Messe Stuttgart, added: “We drew very positive conclusions from R+T 2024. The global industry for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun shading systems gathered once again at Messe Stuttgart.
That makes us more than proud! It would not have been possible without the loyalty of our long-standing partners and exhibitors. R+T certainly again lived up to its reputation as the highlight and innovation platform for the industry.”
Motto and accompanying programme captured the spirit of the times
The motto of R+T 2024 “Create. Sustainable. Future. TogetheR+T.” helped the world’s leading trade fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun shading systems to continue its success story. Sustainability was the topic of the current event. The trade visitors were able to see live demonstrations of a large number of innovative solutions with which they fully meet the high standards of consumers. Some of the contents of the accompanying programme were also closely oriented towards the topics of sustainability and energy efficiency, and ensured that the trade visitors could purposefully extend their own technical knowledge.
Other first-class accompanying programme items also attracted visitors to R+T 2024: the first of these was the presentation of the renowned R+T Innovation Award on the evening before the first trade fair day. A total of 29 products from 25 companies were honoured. Special Awards were presented in the areas of sustainability and design.
The jury also presented a Special Award. Sebastian Schmid concluded: “With the 32 Awards for the impressive and future-oriented innovations, R+T once again clearly demonstrated during the presentation ceremony its importance as an innovation platform.”
Well-established accompanying programme items, e.g. the Doors/Gates Forum, the R+T Smart Home Forum, the ES-SO Seminar, the special show entitled ‘Young talents’ or the Craftsmen’s Battle, were staged with the support of the partner associations and media partners. Programme items relating to specific target groups were also offered.
For example, a large number of architects came to the R+T Architects’ Day during R+T 2024. The special show entitled OUTDOOR. AMBIENTE. LIVING. attracted many visitors to the outdoor area of the Stuttgart Trade Fair Center where solutions for an open-air season all year round were presented. “The large crowds of visitors proved conclusively that the contents of the accompanying programme precisely captured the spirit of the times in the industry,” added Sebastian Schmid.
Totally positive feedback
R+T 2024 was also a total success from start to finish. “We only saw contented faces on every day of the trade fair,” enthused Roland Bleinroth. “And that really applied to everyone: exhibitors, visitors, partners and journalists.” All the exhibition stands – in every hall – were very well-attended.
R+T 2024 attracted 61,232 visitors, i.e. roughly the same number as at the previous edition in 2018. The visitors came to Stuttgart from 146 countries: 96 per cent of them confirmed the great importance of R+T, thereby demonstrating the need for personal contacts and discussions.
65 per cent of visitors came from abroad, a clear indication of the international character of the world’s leading trade fair. The technical expertise of the visitors increased again compared with 2018. Nine out of ten survey respondents are involved in purchasing and procurement decisions.
There was an increase in investment intentions and/or purchasing intentions: over 80 per cent of decision-makers were planning to make investments. Since the last event in 2018, the sequence of days for R+T was changed to Monday to Friday instead of originally Tuesday to Saturday. “The visitor numbers clearly showed us that this was the right step to make,” concluded Roland Bleinroth.
The next R+T will be held at Messe Stuttgart in February 2027.
Statements about R+T 2024:
Frank Rönnfeld, Vice President, Federal Association for Manufacturers of Roller Shutters and Sun Shading Systems (BVRS): “Everyone involved was delighted that our world’s leading trade fair was held as a live event in Stuttgart again. Once more, R+T proved to be a highlight for our industry.
It felt like a huge family meeting: on our stand we welcomed numerous guilds, vocational schools and young craftspersons during the trade fair. We were also able to answer a large number of questions relating to the topics of training or the master craftsman’s examination. All in all, everything went fantastically well – a dream!”
Dirk Meyer-Tonndorf, Chairman of the National Federation of Door and Gate Manufacturers (BVT): “R+T 2024 was a total success both for our Federation and our members. In particular, the Doors/Gates Forum with its interesting talks makes R+T an informative and successful event. My personal highlight and the most important topic during the trade fair was definitely the meeting between every market participants. Whether suppliers, customers or colleagues, really everyone was here. These discussions are vital for business success.”
Sandra Musculus, President, Industrial Association for Technical Textiles, Roller Shutters and Sun Shading Systems (ITRS): “R+T 2024 was fantastic for our Association. I had first-class contacts with decision-makers, managing directors and authorised representatives. It can be said that the Who’s who in the industry met in Stuttgart. I have also rarely seen such excellent support for exhibitors. R+T is the best thing that could have happened to me. I have been coming here since 2003 and never want to leave the trade fair.”
Christian Steinberg, Global Market Director, WAREMA Group: “R+T was a total success for our Group! We couldn’t have wished for anything better! We met precisely the right target group here – first-rate trade visitors who were very interested in our products and services. We were literally overrun right from the first day. The internationality of this trade fair was impressive: we even had customers from Australia on our stand. We are naturally extremely proud that our SecuKit for Venetian blinds won an Innovation Award. We are absolutely delighted!”
Christopher Musculus, authorised representative, Georg Musculus GmbH & Co. KG: “R+T is a must-attend event for our company! It is an ideal format for customer retention and an excellent platform through which we generate a large number of our orders. Personal discussions with our customers are still very important for us. The halls were very full and you could feel that the entire industry had a desire for this trade fair. It was very special for us to celebrate the centenary of our company at R+T 2024.”
Francesco Franchini, Head of the Central Europe Business Area, Somfy GmbH: “After a six-year break, there were high expectations for R+T. However, they were more than fulfilled. The focal points of our presentation at this edition of the trade fair were sustainability and the message that we offer solutions to combat climate change. We were able to communicate this very well to the visitors at R+T 2024. The responses showed us that we are on the right path. It was a fantastic trade fair!”
Friedrich W. Petrat, Managing Director, Hunter Douglas: “We are very satisfied with R+T 2024. Although the first day is normally quiet, our stand was full of visitors from morning to evening on Monday. After six years, personal discussions with the large number of customers from all over the world are our absolute highlight. I have been involved in the industry for more than 50 years and feel as if I have been just as long at R+T. There is no comparable trade fair of this size and importance in Europe. We would also like to come back again.”
Manfred Heissenberger, Sales + Marketing Director, Sattler SUN-TEX GmbH: “Right from the start, we welcomed extremely interested visitors from all over the world to our stand. Sustainability was a key topic which we focused on for the first time during a trade fair. It was therefore a genuine highlight for our company when we won the R+T 2024 Innovation Award for our new Öko Weave. R+T is a strong trade fair for a strong industry. It is also very well-organised. We felt very well looked after here and want to come back again!”
Marc Meissner, Managing Director, Meissner GmbH Toranlagen: “R+T is a must-attend event for our company since the entire industry meets here. We have been exhibiting at the trade fair for more than 20 years and have now won the Innovation Award on several occasions. We are delighted that more emphasis is being placed on sustainable products. Our Greonik roller doors made of recycled material not only attracted new prospective customers, but also generated new interest among old acquaintances.”
Pascal Cros, Head of Communications, Stella Group: “R+T was a great success for us. We are totally satisfied. We had a superb stand location, met very interested international visitors and were able to present the complete range of our portfolio. One highlight for me was the Seminar of the European Solar Shading Organisation.
During times of change it is very important to discuss the future. The topic of sustainability was therefore a focal point in this respect. If we want to change something, this can only be achieved through joint action. In light of this aspect, R+T 2024 was also an ideal forum.”
Paul Renson, CEO, Renson Sunprotection Screens N.V.: “We are very satisfied with the outcome of R+T 2024. You have to see, feel and smell quality. Trade fairs therefore have a future in spite of all the digital alternatives. We managed here to present not only products, but also experiences.
On our stand we met customers from all over the world who provided us with a great response to our products. This feedback is extremely important to our company. R+T is simply a wonderful event!”
Stephan Kleine, Managing Partner, GfA Elektromaten GmbH & Co. KG: “In our opinion, we had an ideal mixture of decision-makers, managing directors, buyers, fitters and technicians at R+T 2024. The title “world’s leading trade fair’ definitely applies to R+T. It is a very international trade fair which attracted every major player in the industry. We are already looking forward very much to the next event in 2027.”
Steffen Schaaf, Head of Sales, Sommer Group: “R+T was a great success for our company. We attained all our objectives. It was noticeable that an entire industry is pulling together and was jointly looking to the future. Our stand was full right from the first day. We conducted many positive discussions with excellent visitors from a wide range of countries.
They were interested in our new flood sectional door and our smart home solutions. We not only managed to attend to our regular customers, we also reached a very large number of new potential customers. There was a fantastic atmosphere and the entire organisation was simply superb!”
Dr. Theresa Schöne, Head of Marketing, heroal – Johann Henkenjohann GmbH & Co. KG: “Everyone was very happy about the fact that R+T 2024 was finally held again live and in colour. We used our attendance at the trade fair to present innovations and communicate and interact with customers. Our main focal points were processing efficiency and the integration of different solutions.
The reach and importance of R+T are unique both in Germany and internationally. We celebrated two anniversaries during R+T 2024: firstly, the 150th anniversary of the founding of our company and secondly, the introduction of the double-walled, foam-filled aluminium roller shutter slat exactly 55 years ago – at R+T in 1969!”
Tobias Löhner, Head of Marketing, ROMA KG: “We are very satisfied with the outcome of R+T 2024. There was a positive atmosphere at all times on our openly designed stand. We met a large number of customers, but also aroused interest in our products among some prospective customers. We conducted some interesting discussions, for example on the topics of sustainability and digitalisation. The service by Messe Stuttgart was also always first-rate. We have nothing but praise! R+T is and will remain a large family meeting point for the industry!”
