What Adhesion does

Adhesion (the company context provided in the source data describes Comexposium, headquartered in Courbevoie, France) is a global event organization group founded in 1978 that operates more than 400 professional and consumer events annually across 25 countries. The portfolio spans 8 business sectors — Food & Beverage, Education, Fashion & Accessories, Security, Retail & Digital, Leisure, Health, and Automotive & Transportation — and includes flagship brands such as SIAL, MILIPOL, SILMO, RÉTROMOBILE, FOIRE DE PARIS, SALON DU CHOCOLAT, and WHO'S NEXT. The group connects 48,000 exhibitors with 4 million visitors per year and operates two named subsidiaries (One to One and WSN).

The revenue model centers on the B2B exhibitions value chain: exhibitor booth fees, sponsorship and partnership revenue, and visitor registration/ticketing for consumer events. The company distributes its offering through direct event operations across 25 countries and a year-round omnichannel platform that extends community engagement beyond physical event dates. The 2024 strategic partnership with Ankorstore, a B2B marketplace, signals an explicit move to integrate physical event participation with digital commerce flows for professional exhibitors. In 2025, the group obtained the RSE Positive Company® label for Comexposium SAS and One to One, formalizing its 'ALL INvolved' ESG strategy. The company is privately held and does not disclose revenue or ownership structure in available materials.

(The firmographic header attributes 'Adhesion' to an adhesive products company in Boulogne, founded 1984; however, all source-attributed data in the input package describes Comexposium and its subsidiaries. The analysis above is grounded in the source-attributed data.)

Name

Adhesion

Legal name

Comexposium SAS

Website

https://adhes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Adhesion is a France-based global event organizer running 400+ B2B and consumer exhibitions across 25 countries and 8 sectors, connecting 48,000 exhibitors with 4 million visitors annually through subsidiaries One to One and WSN.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show and Event Organization Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711), Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail, Consumer Goods & Lifestyle Shows Organizers (THAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA), Beauty, Fashion & Pop-Culture Conventions (MPAGAFAG), Healthcare, Medical Devices & Pharma Shows Organizers (THAHABAH), Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM), Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Event organization services
• Trade show management
• Exhibition services
• Professional trade fairs
• Convention organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulogne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Organizes over 400 professional and public events annually across 8 business sectors (food & beverage, education, fashion & accessories, security, retail & digital, leisure, health, automotive & transport), connecting 48,000 exhibitors with 4 million visitors across 25 countries. Provides year-round omnichannel community engagement through physical events and digital platforms, with subsidiaries including One to One and WSN.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SIAL Major food and beverage industry trade show serving food professionals and exhibitors worldwide.
• Wine Paris Wine industry trade show serving wine professionals, producers, and buyers.
• Gourmet Selection Gourmet food trade show for fine food products and specialty grocery industry professionals.
• Salon du Chocolat et de la Pâtisserie Chocolate and pastry industry trade show for confectionery professionals and enthusiasts.
• Salon International de l'Agriculture Agriculture industry trade show serving agricultural professionals, producers, and the general public.
• Salon de l'Étudiant Education trade show for prospective students exploring higher education institutions and programs.
• Salon Grandes Écoles Higher education trade show targeting prospective students applying to elite academic institutions.
• SILMO Eyewear and optical fashion trade show for optics industry professionals and buyers.
• Who's Next Fashion trade show for ready-to-wear and contemporary fashion brands and buyers.
• Première Classe Fashion accessories trade show for accessories designers and buyers.
• Interfilière Lingerie and swimwear trade show for intimates industry professionals and buyers.
• Bijorhca Jewelry trade show for jewelry designers, manufacturers, and buyers.
• Curve Lingerie and swimwear trade show for intimates industry buyers and brands.
• Milipol Security trade show for homeland security and public safety industry professionals.
• Trustech Security and payment technology trade show for fintech and security professionals.
• Les Assises Cybersecurity trade show and conference for IT security professionals and decision-makers.
• Cyber/IA Expo Cybersecurity and AI trade show for cybersecurity and artificial intelligence professionals.
• NRF Retail's Big Show Major retail industry trade show serving retail professionals, technology providers, and industry leaders.
• One to One Retail and digital trade show and conference for retail and digital professionals.
• ad:tech Digital marketing trade show for digital advertising and marketing professionals.
• iMedia Digital media trade show for media and digital marketing professionals.
• Foire de Paris Major consumer leisure fair in Paris serving the general public with a broad range of consumer products.
• Salon de la Photo Photography trade show serving photography enthusiasts and industry professionals.
• Créations & Savoir-Faire Crafts and DIY trade show for creative hobbyists and craft professionals.
• Art Paris Contemporary art fair for art galleries, collectors, and art enthusiasts.
• Salons du Tourisme Tourism trade shows for travel industry professionals and consumer travelers.
• IMCAS Aesthetic medicine and cosmetic dermatology congress for medical professionals.
• Congrès SFME Sports medicine congress for sports medicine practitioners and professionals.
• Rétromobile Classic and vintage automobile trade show for collectors and automotive enthusiasts.
• Ultimate Supercar Garage Supercar exhibition for luxury automotive enthusiasts and collectors.
• GIIAS Auto industry show for automotive manufacturers, dealers, and industry professionals.
• Solutrans Transport and logistics trade show for haulage and urban transport industry professionals.
• Top Transport Transport trade show for transport industry professionals and logistics providers.
• Intermat Construction and infrastructure trade show for construction industry professionals.
• Solutions CSE Corporate social events trade show for employee representative committees and corporate benefits providers.
• Allforpack Packaging trade show for packaging industry professionals and buyers.
• Insight Events Conferences and events providing industry insights and networking for professionals.
• Remax World Real estate trade show for real estate network professionals and agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 48,000 exhibitors connected annually
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AnkorstorecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Comexposium and WSN signed an unprecedented partnership with Ankorstore to combine the best of physical and digital. Ankorstore is a marketplace partner for Comexposium's professional trade shows, bridging physical events with digital commerce capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Messe Düsseldorf: Operates a portfolio of around 50 leading international trade fairs in machinery, medical, fashion, and lifestyle — closely comparable to Comexposium in trade show organization model and sector breadth.
• MCH Group: Swiss-based exhibition company running Baselworld, Art Basel, and other leading international events; comparable to Comexposium in flagship brand portfolio and event organization model.
• Informa Markets: The exhibitions arm of Informa plc, Informa Markets is the world's largest trade show organizer operating hundreds of branded events across multiple sectors — the closest direct peer to Comexposium in scope, model, and sector breadth.
• Messe Frankfurt: One of the world's largest trade fair companies with a global portfolio spanning consumer goods, textiles, automotive, and technology — directly comparable to Comexposium in operating model, geographic reach, and sector diversity.
• GL Events: French-headquartered live events group operating trade shows, conventions, and venue management; a direct peer given shared French heritage and overlapping event organization business lines.
• Koelnmesse: Operates around 80 trade fairs in Cologne and worldwide across food, furniture, leisure, and digital industries; comparable to Comexposium in operating large-scale B2B exhibitions for multiple sectors.
• Reed Exhibitions: Owned by RELX, Reed Exhibitions operates a global portfolio of 400+ events across 30+ sectors with a similar multi-vertical trade show model to Comexposium, making it a highly comparable direct competitor.
• dmg events: Operates 80+ events across multiple sectors including construction, energy, hospitality, and design — comparable to Comexposium in multi-vertical B2B exhibition model and global reach.

Regional players

• Messe München: Operates leading international trade fairs including BAU, IFAT, and drinktec in Munich with growing international expansion; comparable organizer with overlapping sector focus but primarily German-centric footprint.

Emerging players

• Emerald Holding: US-based B2B trade show organizer operating over 140 events, with growing international presence — a comparable mid-sized peer focused on B2B exhibitions and conferences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKiFnIcxRhMmnKJAeeFOdDA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/comexposium
• Xx.com/worldwinemeetin
• Facebookfacebook.com/vinisud

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Adhesion