ES. Can you share the story behind SNIEC’s establishment? What inspired the creation of a Sino-German joint venue in Shanghai?
Michael Kruppe. In the late 1990s, three major German exhibition companies—Hannover, Düsseldorf, and Munich—recognized the significant potential of the Chinese market, even though it was still very early in China’s exhibition era. At that time, Shanghai’s largest venue was the Shanghai Expo Venue, which covered only 25,000 square meters.
The plan for SNIEC, however, was more than ten times larger, marking a bold and ambitious investment decision. Shortly thereafter, a Chinese joint venture partner was identified in the Lujiazui Property Development Group. This partnership led to the formation of a 50/50 joint venture, which was rare at the time, as Chinese companies typically held the majority share in similar ventures during the 1990s.
ES. How does SNIEC’s unique management model contribute to its success and international appeal?
Michael Kruppe. The success of SNIEC lies in bringing together the best of two worlds by adapting German exhibition expertise to Chinese culture and business practices—creating a winning formula. This unique model has attracted a large number of international organizers, and today, most, if not all, of the world’s top 10 show organizers host at least one event at SNIEC.
ES. Shanghai is a bustling metropolis. In your view, what advantages does SNIEC’s location provide to exhibitors and visitors?
Michael Kruppe. The development of Shanghai into a global metropolis has favored SNIEC’s success.
With this advantage, we have further built on SNIEC’s strengths in convenience, infrastructure, and, not least, the delivery of top-quality service. In recent years, safety and security have become increasingly important, and SNIEC continues to uphold the highest standards in these areas as well.
ES. How does SNIEC serve as a gateway for international businesses looking to enter the Chinese market?
Michael Kruppe. Again, the location is key, and nowadays there are direct flights from almost every major country in the world directly into Shanghai. From Shanghai Pudong International Airport, SNIEC can be reached within 10 minutes by the world’s only operational high-speed train traveling at 430 km/h, or alternatively by car within 30 minutes. Why Shanghai? Because it is the major and most important commercialization hub in China.
ES. The exhibition industry has faced significant challenges recently. How has SNIEC adapted to changes in global trade and what innovative strategies has SNIEC implemented to ensure safety and engagement for attendees in this evolving environment?
Michael Kruppe. The key changes are the focus on safety and security, implementing a green and/or ESG strategy, and being open to new business formats like B2B2C or even festivals. All this we are doing at SNIEC, making us one of the top choices for any organizers.
ES. Can you elaborate on the flexibility that SNIEC’s convention halls offer for hosting various types of exhibitions and events?
Michael Kruppe. Flexibility is the key, and so are our operations and facility teams. We can set up a fashion show catwalk, a big concert music stage, or even a huge swimming pool to let our customers showcase their products and services.
This is one of the key works we have delivered over the last 20 years. So, our slogan “EXPERIENCE & EXCELLENCE” is our major sales point.
ES. What specific kinds of exhibitions have proven most successful at your venue, and what factors contribute to their success?
Michael Kruppe. We have to realize that despite all the hype around B2B2C, B2C, conference, or consumer events, B2B is still our bread and butter.
Having this as a basis, our most successful shows, which are all B2B expos, include bauma, Furniture, KBC (Kirchen and Batth), ChinaJoy, etc. The list is long, but I cannot name all 120 shows we run annually.
ES. As the CEO, what is your vision for SNIEC over the next five to ten years? Are there specific goals or projects you’re excited about?
Michael Kruppe. As mentioned above, the new formats are interesting, and we will keep an eye on the technical and digital developments; however, we will not change our strategy. Service and safety are the keys to customer satisfaction. So, we created the tagline “S+”.
ES. In light of emerging technologies and shifting visitor expectations, how do you foresee the evolution of the exhibition industry? What trends do you believe will shape its future?
Michael Kruppe. I repeat what I said above: we are ready for it. However, digitization, technical evolution, and/or AI will not change the fundamental idea of a face-to-face event or exhibition. Such tools will support the development of expos, no doubt, but they will not control it.
ES. Could you share details about some of the most successful exhibitions hosted at SNIEC recently? What made these events stand out?
Michael Kruppe. I repeat what I said above: B2B shows are the most successful and will remain our focus. They stand out because they are the window to an economy and industry’s further development.
ES. How does SNIEC incorporate sustainability into its operations? Can you provide specific examples of initiatives or practices that have been implemented to minimize the environmental impact of exhibitions held at your venue?
Michael Kruppe. We started sorting garbage 5-6 years ago. We have demanded that our exhibitors use less one-way material and ensure that they increasingly use recyclable material. Even though this is not a standard now, it’s the right way to go. Additionally, we have had green booth competition awards since 2017, further incentivizing exhibitors to use more environmentally friendly materials.
ES. In your opinion, which emerging technologies hold the most promise for the future of the exhibition industry?
Michael Kruppe. Basically, most digital tools will enrich our industry. Not only from an exhibitor’s or visitor’s point of view, but they will also massively help us improve all our operations, including traffic and parking management, facility energy control, etc.
ES. Finally, what message would you like to convey to the broader exhibition industry? Are there key takeaways or insights that you believe are essential for stakeholders to consider as we move forward?
Michael Kruppe. I always tell my team that we should remember that we are in the service industry. So, listening to what the customer wants is key. Then, detailed communication is required to ensure customers’ goals can be reached. Again, I like to refer to our new tagline, S+: we are confident that our customers will appreciate that, but it always takes two sides to listen to each other. Face-to-face interactions will also be here in 100 years.
