Exhibitors and their customers are signalling:
Out of crisis mode NordBau and CONBAU Nord 2024
For five days, the 69th NordBau was all about new beginnings and transformation. Shortly before the official opening of the fair, the new CONBAU Nord Congress was launched. This two-day networking event focused on the key topics of housing construction and the energy transition, and it was already a huge success for participants and organisers at its premiere. Here, representatives from worlds of science, business, the financial industry, trades, and politics could engage in direct discussions. The Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein, Daniel Günther, emphasised the importance of this exchange and political support in his opening speech: “This congress offers a fantastic new Northern European platform for the pressing issues of housing construction and the energy transition. We want to shape the transformation together with you.”
Dr Matthias Frederichs, the Managing Director of the Bundesverband Baustoffe – Steine und Erden e. V., also welcomed the interdisciplinary approach of the event: “We need platforms like these to engage in dialogue. Investors, planners, suppliers, and politicians, together with the entire construction value chain. The key is to move out of crisis mode and look towards the future together. And that is exactly what these two platforms, NordBau and CONBAU Nord, are particularly suited for.”
The future was especially on the minds of the students who visited the fair on Thursday as part of the nordjobBau Day, where they directly interacted with exhibiting companies from the construction sector. For the first time, companies such as construction companies also specifically presented themselves as employers in a dedicated recruitment area, aiming to inspire young talent and skilled professionals to join them. Kathrin Walsch, Managing Director at the Institute for Talent Development and organiser of the 14th nordjobBau, knows from many surveys: “Young people want to take on responsibility. We need to trust them more and give them space to develop. They can bring new ideas into companies, helping to break away from perhaps entrenched practices – also in terms of further recruitment.” The new group of exhibiting construction companies praised this opportunity and also used it to maintain contacts on the exhibition grounds.
Despite the high summer temperatures and the downturn in the housing and construction sectors, 44300 visitors attended NordBau and its more than 700 exhibitors. They in turn gave a lot of positive feedback on the trade fair. Jens Heinrich from Schwing Stetter said, “We experienced very successful days at the trade fair with a great atmosphere, many stand visits, good contacts, and productive discussions for the future. We’re looking forward to next year.” Andrée Schacht, representing Fliegl Fahrzeugbau GmbH, confirmed the optimistic attitude. Many of his customers did not want to keep complaining. Even though the condition – such as material costs, interest rates, staffing, and regulations – remain challenging, many were ready to roll up their sleeves and help shape the turnaround in the construction sector. Some exhibitors echoed this sentiment, reporting a number of spontaneous sales and early achievement of their fair targets.
The special exhibition on interior design and decoration attracted visitors with innovative ideas for redesigning and repurposing their homes according to different life situations. Many visitors were also drawn to Hall 7, where manufacturers of heating and air conditioning technology were present, along with a free advice stand from Haus & Grund and the Consumer Advice Centre Schleswig-Holstein. New solutions and technologies were also frequently found in the area dedicated to construction machinery, equipment, and commercial vehicles, which filled the entire outdoor area. Inside the halls featuring tools and machinery, hybrid models, electric drives, and battery-powered devices were on display and available for testing. An important meeting point for road construction engineers and manufacturers of construction machinery and equipment was, among others, the Schleswig-Holstein Road and Transport Authority (LBV.SH) in the forum. Their staff provided information on construction projects in the region and used the five days for intensive exchange with neighbouring federal states.
Exchanging knowledge, networking, and coming together were also the focus of the more than 40 well-attended seminars and congresses held as part of NordBau. The traditional Day of the Building Minister was particularly interesting for housing companies and institutions in the housing market. To counteract the tense situation in this sector, from 1st September 2024, subsidies for social housing construction in rental housing in Schleswig-Holstein can once again be applied for. This is another step to help revitalise the housing and construction sector. The exhibitors at NordBau showcased a wide range of ideas and a strong willingness to move things forward, as did their customers, who did not hold back with purchases.
70th NordBau: 10th- 14th September 2025, 9 am - 5 pm, Holstenhallen Fairgrounds, Neumünster.
