IJV - IFAS

What IJV - IFAS does

IJV-IFAS vzw is a Belgian private non-profit organization (vzw/asbl) founded in 1946 in Gent, headquartered on the 6th floor of the International Congress Centre (ICC). The organization specializes in organizing trade fairs, congresses, and events for professional associations, companies, and third parties, operating both nationally (Belgium, Benelux) and internationally. Its core activity is event organization, not technology development: it delivers consultancy, location management, logistics and administration, marketing and communication, project management, sponsorship services, and exhibition space sales.

The company manages a portfolio of branded event products across diverse verticals: Estetika and Beauty Spring Break (beauty, with BESKO), Funeral Expo (funeral services), Bike Brussels (cycling and active mobility, via subsidiary I&D bvba), Contractor Days (agriculture, with Agro-Service), International Diamond Fair Brussels (diamond, jewelry, watches), Feerie Florale (floral, with KUFB), Decosit (upholstery and decoration fabrics, with Fedustria), BADAFF (art and design at Het Arsenaal), Art on Wheels (motorcycle exhibitions with Squadra), Mahy family car collection exhibitions, Innovatiebeurs (innovation), and Flanders Technology (technology showcase). The organization also provides white-label event organization services to third parties, including international consulting for trade fair complex development in Algeria, Poland, and Tunis.

IJV-IFAS is governed by a board that includes Ronald Everaert (Chairman), Jan De Geest (General Manager), Paul Teerlinck (Vice Chairman), and André Francq (Secretary), with board representation from federations such as BESKO, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce, UNIZO Oost-Vlaanderen, and Embuild O-Vl. Revenue is generated through event management fees, exhibition space sales, sponsorship packages, and consultancy, all tailored to client budgets rather than publicly disclosed pricing tiers. The organization is a member and board member of Febelux, UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry), and the Event Confederation.

Name

IJV - IFAS

Legal name

IJV-IFAS vzw

Website

https://ijv-ifas.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IJV-IFAS vzw is a Belgian non-profit founded in 1946 in Gent that organizes trade fairs, congresses, and events for professional associations, federations, and companies across the Benelux and internationally. It operates a portfolio of branded events spanning beauty, funeral, cycling, agriculture, diamond, floral, and art sectors, plus white-label event organization services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Gent

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Trade Fair and Event Organization: IJV-IFAS organizes trade fairs, congresses, exhibitions, networking events, learnshops, annual meetings, award presentations, and events for its own account and for third parties. As a non-profit organization, revenue is generated through event management services, exhibition space sales, sponsorship packages, and consultancy fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

IJV-IFAS is a Belgian non-profit organization that organizes trade fairs, congresses and events both for its own account and as a neutral non-profit partner for third parties. It delivers full-service event organization including consultancy, location management, logistics and administration, marketing and communication, project management, sponsorship services, and exhibition space sales. Its branded portfolio spans the beauty, funeral services, cycling, agricultural, automotive, diamond and jewelry, floral, art and design, and innovation sectors.

Product overview

IJV-IFAS is a private non-profit organization (vzw/asbl) that operates as a unified platform for organizing trade fairs, congresses, and events. The company offers a portfolio of branded event products across diverse sectors (beauty, funeral services, cycling, agriculture, automotive, diamond/jewelry, floral, art/design, innovation) alongside comprehensive event organization services (consultancy, location management, logistics, marketing, project management, sponsorship, and expo space sales). The core product portfolio includes Estetika (beauty), Funeral Expo, Bike Brussels, Contractor Days, Mahy classic car expo, International Diamond Fair Brussels, Feerie Florale, BADAFF, Art on Wheels, Beauty Spring Break, Decosit, and Innovatiebeurs. IJV stands for 'Internationale Jaarbeurs van Vlaanderen' (Flanders International Trade Fair), and IFAS means 'International Fair and Congress Services'. The organization was founded in 1946 and offers more than 70 years of experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Estetika: Meeting place in the Benelux for professionals in the beauty sector, featuring equipment, products, techniques and training.
• Funeral Expo for Professionals
• Bike Brussels
• Contractor Days
• International Diamond Fair Brussels
• BADAFF
• Decosit

Products and services

• Estetika The premier professional beauty trade fair in the Benelux, providing a comprehensive overview of equipment, products, techniques, and training for beauty sector professionals. Organized by IJV-IFAS in partnership with professional association BESKO.
• Funeral Expo for Professionals The first official international trade fair for funeral directors in the heart of Europe, organized by IJV-IFAS as the sector-neutral partner.
• Bike Brussels A trade fair dedicated to cycling and active mobility, organized in partnership with subsidiary I&D bvba at Tour&Taxis venue.
• Contractor Days A two-day professional trade fair organized by and for agricultural service providers (loonwerkers) in the agricultural sector.
• Mahy - a Family of Cars An exhibition showcasing the hidden classic car collection of the Ghent-based Mahy family, with IJV-IFAS responsible for concept and organization at various locations.
• International Diamond Fair Brussels A trade fair organized for all professionals active in the diamond, jewelry, and watch industry, located in the heart of Europe.
• Feerie Florale An event for floral industry enthusiasts focusing on floral art, decoration, and greenery, featuring creative workshops and interactive demonstrations, organized with KUFB.
• BADAFF A unique art and design fair at Het Arsenaal in Ghent bringing together collectible artworks, design objects, galleries, studios, and emerging talents, including digital art offerings.
• Art on Wheels A temporary motorcycle exhibition bringing together Italian and Belgian motorcycles as rolling works of art, organized by IJV-IFAS in collaboration with Squadra.
• Beauty Spring Break A professional beauty industry event focusing on skincare, make-up, wellness, and aesthetics, combining seminars, product presentations, demonstrations, and workshops, organized with BESKO.
• Decosit The professional trade show for upholstery and decoration fabrics, organized by IJV-IFAS in collaboration with federation Fedustria.
• Innovatiebeurs (Innovation Expo) An innovation event where knowledge institutions, financiers, and consultancy agencies shared expertise around innovation with SMEs, with IJV-IFAS providing full operational guidance for the Flemish Innovation Centres.
• Event Organization Services Comprehensive event organization services including consultancy, location management, logistics and administration, marketing and communication, project management, sponsoring, and exhibition space sales, delivered nationally and internationally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 172,000+ visitors at first post-war International Trade Fair (1946)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BESKO vzwcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association of the beauty sector. BESKO has entrusted the entire organization of the Estetika trade fair to IJV-IFAS for over 40 years. IJV-IFAS also organizes Beauty Spring Break in cooperation with BESKO.
• FebeluxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian exhibition and event industry association. IJV-IFAS is a prominent member and board member of Febelux.
• Event ConfederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvent industry confederation. IJV-IFAS is a member and board member.
• FedustriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian federation for the textile and furniture industry. IJV-IFAS organizes Decosit (professional trade show for upholstery and decoration fabrics) in collaboration with Fedustria.
• Flanders China Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of commerce facilitating trade between Flanders and China. Represented on the board of IJV-IFAS.
• UNIZO Oost-VlaanderenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlemish entrepreneurs' organization for East Flanders. Represented on the board of IJV-IFAS.
• I&D bvbacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary company of IJV-IFAS that organizes Bike Brussels cycling and active mobility fair in cooperation with IJV-IFAS.
• SquadraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizes Art on Wheels motorcycle exhibitions. IJV-IFAS provides operational organization for the temporary exhibition in collaboration with Squadra.
• KUFBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Feerie Florale event focusing on floral art, decoration and greenery. IJV-IFAS organizes the event in cooperation with KUFB.
• Embuild O-VlminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction industry federation for East Flanders. Represented as a member of IJV-IFAS.
• Flanders Investment & TrademinorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernmental organization promoting foreign investment and trade in Flanders. Partner organization of IJV-IFAS.
• Agro-ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Contractor Days agricultural contractors trade fair. Collaboration with IJV-IFAS for the two-day professional event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Comexposium: French-headquartered organizer of professional and consumer events across numerous sectors globally. Comparable in delivering sector-specific trade fairs and congresses for industry associations.
• Jaarbeurs Utrecht: Dutch trade fair venue and organizer with a long history of branded sector exhibitions in the Benelux region. Highly comparable regional peer with overlapping sector coverage and association-driven event model.
• easyFairs: Belgian-headquartered trade fair organizer running branded B2B exhibitions across multiple sectors across Europe. Closely comparable business model and multi-vertical event portfolio to IJV-IFAS, and the most directly relevant regional peer.
• MCH Group: Swiss exhibition group operating trade fairs, congresses, and venues with multi-sector coverage in Europe. Comparable through its community-interest shareholder structure and broad event portfolio.
• GL Events: French integrated event services group covering venue management, trade fair organization, and live event production. Comparable through its full-service event organization model and association-style client relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Koelnmesse: German trade fair organizer running sector-leading exhibitions in food, furniture, digital, and multiple other verticals. Broad incumbent with overlapping trade fair capabilities and association partnerships.
• Messe Frankfurt: One of the world's largest trade fair organizers with a global portfolio of branded exhibitions across consumer and industrial sectors. Broad incumbent whose multi-sector coverage overlaps IJV-IFAS's verticals.
• RX Global (Reed Exhibitions): Global trade fair organizer operating hundreds of branded B2B exhibitions worldwide, including sectors that overlap with IJV-IFAS's portfolio (gifts, beauty, mobility). Broad incumbent with vastly greater scale.

Regional players

• Fira de Barcelona: Spanish trade fair institution organizing large-scale sector exhibitions and congresses. Comparable in event organization capabilities and association partnerships, but primarily serves the Spanish market.
• Flanders Expo: Belgian exhibition venue based in Ghent that hosts sector events and trade fairs. Adjacent regional player that competes for the same exhibitor and federation base in the same Belgian geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ijv---ifas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 IJV - IFAS