Messe Dortmund

What Messe Dortmund does

Messe Dortmund is a trade fair and event venue operator headquartered at Strobelallee 45, Dortmund, Germany. It runs both own-organized (Eigenmessen) and guest-organized exhibitions across more than 40 events per year, spanning verticals such as tobacco and smoking accessories (InterTabac, InterSupply), classic automobiles (Techno Classica), hunting (JAGD & HUND), creative arts (CREATIVA), model building (Intermodellbau), industrial maintenance (maintenance Dortmund), financial services (DKM), eyewear (INTERLOOK), weddings, education, and lifestyle/entertainment (German Film & Comic Con, TattooCon, VeggieWorld). The company is part of the Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe GmbH, founded in 1925 and celebrating its centennial in 2025, and operates Messe Dortmund GmbH as a wholly-owned core operating subsidiary.

The venue's core products and services include exhibition-hall and conference-space rental, guest-organizer support (planning through execution), convention/congress sales for events with 600+ participants via the Kongress Dortmund sales team and Kongresszentrum, corporate event management, ticket sales, and a virtual tour (Virtueller Rundgang) of the grounds. The technology stack is built on TYPO3 CMS with server-side tagging on Google Cloud Run (EU West 3 Frankfurt), integrated ticketing via Eventim Light, Ticketareo, Eventfrog, Eventbrite and event-specific ticket shops, accessibility software (Eye-Able by Web Inclusion GmbH), privacy-preserving social share tools (Shariff), bot protection (CaptchaFox), payment processing (TeleCash), and an event-app integration (LINEUPR). Marketing and conversion tracking leverage Google Analytics 4, Google Ads, Meta Pixel, TikTok Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, and rapidmail newsletters.

The business model combines transaction-based venue rental fees, professional services fees for convention and corporate event management, and transaction fees on consumer ticket sales. Customer segments are guest organizers (external companies hosting their own events), exhibitors (renting booth space), and visitors (both trade visitors and public/family audiences). GTM is event-driven, with regional concentration in North Rhine-Westphalia and a German-and-EU data processing footprint. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly disclosed, and there are no disclosed revenue figures, customer logos, or funding rounds; the company is a private GmbH with no public listing.

Name

Messe Dortmund

Legal name

Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe GmbH

Website

https://messe-dortmund.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Messe Dortmund operates a leading trade fair and event venue in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, hosting 40+ annual exhibitions such as InterTabac and Techno Classica, and serving guest organizers, exhibitors, and B2B/B2C visitors with venue rental, convention, and congress services under the Westfalenhallen group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Fair & Exhibition Venue Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310)

akta.pro primary industry

Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB), Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM), Meeting & Event Space Services (Setup/Teardown) (BPABAFAL)

Keywords

• Trade fair venue
• Exhibition halls
• Event management
• Convention services
• Trade show organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Dortmund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Trade Fair Venue Rental: Revenue from renting exhibition halls and space to guest organizers and own trade fair events.
2. Event Services: Comprehensive services for conventions and corporate events including planning, execution, and venue management for events with 600+ participants.
3. Ticket Sales: Revenue from visitor tickets to public trade fairs and exhibitions.
4. Congress Services: Large congress organization (Kongress Dortmund) for events with 600+ participants, and smaller congress/event management through the Kongresszentrum.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Messe Dortmund operates a multi-purpose trade fair and exhibition venue in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, as part of the Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe. The company rents out exhibition halls and conference spaces to external guest organizers, organizes its own portfolio of more than 40 annual trade fairs (e.g., InterTabac, Techno Classica, CREATIVA, JAGD & HUND), and provides end-to-end event management services covering planning, execution, congress/convention hosting, and corporate event support.

Product overview

Messe Dortmund is a leading trade fair and event venue in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The company operates as a multi-purpose exhibition center offering venue rental services for both its own organized trade fairs and external guest organizers. The venue hosts over 40 diverse annual events spanning industries including antiques, automotive, tobacco products, creative arts, hunting, model building, electronics, insurance/finance, wedding planning, pet care, rescue services, and professional development. Core services include exhibition hall and conference space rental, event organization support for guest organizers, congress/convention management (including large congresses with 600+ participants), corporate event planning, virtual venue tours, and integrated ticket sales. The company is part of the Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Messe Dortmund Venue Rental Rental of exhibition halls and conference spaces at the Messe Dortmund venue in Dortmund, Germany, for trade shows, conventions, corporate events, and public exhibitions. Includes on-site venue services for both own-organized trade fairs and guest-organized events.
• Guest Organizer Services Comprehensive end-to-end support for external companies and organizations wanting to host their own trade fairs, exhibitions, or events at Messe Dortmund — from planning through implementation, with on-site venue services.
• Convention Sales Team (Kongress Dortmund) for Large Congresses Tailored solutions for large congresses with 600+ participants, delivered through Kongress Dortmund as part of the Westfalenhallen Group. Provides sales, planning, and execution support for major congress events.
• Corporate Events & Congress Center Services Individual event concepts for corporate events and smaller congresses of any size, managed through the Kongresszentrum. Targets business events below the 600-participant threshold.
• Ticket Sales Service Online ticket purchasing services for various events held at Messe Dortmund, distributed through multiple partner ticket shops including Eventim Light, Ticketareo, Eventfrog, Eventbrite, and event-specific platforms.
• Virtual Tour (Virtueller Rundgang) Interactive virtual tour service allowing visitors to remotely explore the Messe Dortmund venue facilities and grounds before or in lieu of an on-site visit.
• InterTabac World's largest trade fair for tobacco products and smoking accessories, held annually at Messe Dortmund. Targets B2B industry buyers, exhibitors, and trade visitors in the tobacco sector.
• InterSupply International trade fair for the manufacturing process of tobacco products, e-cigarettes, pipes, and water pipes, held alongside InterTabac at Messe Dortmund.
• Techno Classica Salon World trade fair for vintage, classic, and prestige automobiles, motorsport, motorcycles, spare parts, restoration, and world club meeting. Targets collectors, enthusiasts, and the classic-car industry.
• WM Werkstattmesse Dortmund Trade fair for car and commercial vehicle parts, workshop equipment, tools, paint, tires, and wheels. Targets the automotive aftermarket/workshop industry.
• DKM Leading trade fair for the financial and insurance industry. Targets banks, insurance companies, fintech, and related B2B service providers.
• JAGD & HUND Europe's largest hunting trade fair, covering hunting equipment, firearms, outdoor, fishing, and related lifestyle segments.
• CREATIVA Europe's largest creative trade fair, focused on handicrafts, creative design, and DIY segments. Targets both hobbyists (B2C) and retailers/small businesses (B2B).
• Intermodellbau World's largest trade fair for model building and model sports. Targets hobbyists, collectors, manufacturers, and retailers of model-building products.
• ANTIK & Sammlermarkt Dortmund International rare items and collectibles fair held multiple times per year at Messe Dortmund. Targets collectors, dealers, and consumers of antiques and collectibles.
• maintenance Dortmund Leading trade fair for industrial maintenance, covering maintenance services, equipment, and solutions for industrial facilities. Targets industrial B2B buyers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kongress DortmundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated organization for large congresses (600+ participants) and corporate events, operating as part of the Westfalenhallen Group to provide tailored solutions for major events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Messe Essen: Essen-based exhibition venue within the same NRW region as Messe Dortmund, hosting events such as IPM Essen and E-World. Comparable venue operator directly competing for NRW-based guest organizers.

Direct peers

• Messe Düsseldorf: Düsseldorf-based trade fair venue operator running leading events such as drupa, ProWein, and MEDICA. Closely comparable in business model (own events + guest organizers + congress services) and serves NRW's most international events.
• Koelnmesse: Cologne-based trade fair venue and event organizer hosting events like gamescom, ISM, and Anuga. Closest geographic peer to Messe Dortmund within NRW and operates a directly analogous own-events plus guest-organizer model.
• Deutsche Messe (Hannover): Hannover-based trade fair company operating the world's leading industrial fairs (HANNOVER MESSE, LIGNA, CeMAT). Closely comparable trade fair venue operator with dominant industrial B2B event franchise analogous to Messe Dortmund's vertical leadership.
• NürnbergMesse: Nuremberg-based trade fair organizer and venue operator hosting events such as Spielwarenmesse and BIOFACH. Directly comparable as a German Messe with a portfolio of category-leading flagship exhibitions.
• Messe Frankfurt: Germany's largest trade fair organizer and venue operator, hosting flagship events such as Ambiente, ISH, and ACHEMA. Directly comparable as a German Messe venue operator with both own events and guest organizer business models.
• Messe Berlin: Berlin-based trade fair and congress venue, home to IFA, ITB, and FRUIT LOGISTICA. Directly comparable as a combined exhibition/congress venue operator with strong public-sector ownership structure similar to Westfalenhallen.
• Hamburg Messe und Congress: Hamburg-based exhibition and congress center hosting events such as SMM and GET Nord. Comparable as a regional German Messe venue combining trade fair, public exhibition, and congress operations.
• Messe München: Munich-based exhibition center hosting BAU, IFAT, and IAA Mobility. Comparable as a German Messe venue with a mix of proprietary flagship events and guest-organizer rentals.
• Messe Stuttgart: Stuttgart-based exhibition venue and organizer, known for events like Vision and LogiMAT. Direct peer operating in a regional German industrial cluster with similar own-event plus guest-organizer revenue mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100090750665607
• Instagraminstagram.com/messe_dortmund

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Messe Dortmund