Return of IMM Cologne Garners Positive Response

IMM Cologne was back in January, after a year hiatus, with a new scaled-down concept.

The now business-to-business-only trade show welcomed more than 10,000 visitors over four days, Jan. 20-23.

Significant decision-makers from purchasing associations, retail chains, the wholesale and specialist retail trade, e-commerce companies and mail order businesses travelled to Cologne to view suppliers’ collections and establish partnerships.

Initial feedback points to a successful event. Overall positive, visitors particularly valued the ability to place orders efficiently, and the quality of conversations and contacts. They cited many concrete business prospects and even signed deals resulted from productive discussions.

“This is exactly why we’ve created a focused B2B sourcing platform with IMM Cologne — an event where visitors can quickly gain an overview, make strategic purchasing decisions and establish new contacts,” says Matthias Pollmann, vice-president of trade fair management at show organizer Koelnmesse. “And that is exactly what exhibitors and trade visitors used the event for.”

This year’s IMM Cologne was deliberately designed to respond to current market realities: changes in supplier relationships, revised sourcing strategies and the growing importance of international procurement markets.

The lineup of exhibitors reflected these developments with a strong international presence: In total, 339 exhibitors from 28 countries presented market-ready solutions, covering price points from the entry-level to the mid-range segment. Suppliers from Asia were particularly well-represented, with China accounting for around three-quarters of all exhibits.

This notable dominance by Chinese companies did result in some mixed reviews of the trade fair, with concerns expressed over market concentration and implications for European manufacturers. In response to this feedback, event organizers indicated the show’s profile will continue to evolve.

IMM Cologne will be back Jan. 19-22, 2027. Interested companies can already register and benefit from the early bird rates, available through April 30.