INT. HARDWARE FAIR ITALY

Press Release

DIGITALISATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND NEW CONSUMERS: THE CHALLENGES OF HOME IMPROVEMENT AT INTERNATIONAL HARDWARE FAIR ITALY 2025

There are, fortunately, a number of unchanging focal points in the complex, ever-changing macroeconomic scenario surrounding Italy’s and Europe’s dynamic hardware and DIY industry. One of these is International Hardware Fair Italy, back in 2025 with important confirmations of participation from the biggest names in the industry and a packed programme of events focusing on the most important issues and the most interesting opportunities in the Italian and European hardware market.

Thomas Rosolia, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Italia, reports less than 6 months after the second edition of the fair: “We have more than 250 exhibitors on board who have already confirmed their participation and working with us to make the most of the trade fair coming up on 8-9 May 2025. They include home improvements’s most prominent and recognised brands, with the support of the biggest international trade associations”.

Alice Brambilla, Project Manager for International Hardware Fair Italy, comments: “The participation of major Italian and international companies confirms that the event responds to a need for profitable in-person networking, in a streamlined two-day format packed with initiatives and proposals for the market. The next edition will interpret crucial issues in the industry, offering a broad overview of possible solutions.”

While home improvement, like all industries, has felt the effects of the digital and climate transition, it continues to be a sector of great interest for the development of retail chains, e-commerce projects and diversification of products and proposals. In this context, the International Hardware Fair Italy committee is working on the completion of a conference programme offering plenty of food for thought and in-depth analysis to guide its strategies and promote its growth.

Two days of conferences and matchmaking, an incoming programme for buyers from all over Europe, and an outdoor area for exhibiting tools and machinery are among the highlights of the event. Service, the evolution of formats, and sustainability will be among the key themes of the fair, coming up 8-9 May 2025 in Bergamo and inspired by EISENWARENMESSE, the world’s leading hardware and DIY trade fair, held in Cologne in even-numbered years.

Bergamo’s fairground is strategically located near Orio al Serio international airport, making it easy for visitors to come from all over Europe, and close to the A4 motorway serving all of northern Italy. This location and plentiful parking make it the ideal place for concentrating on doing business without wasting time. The International Hardware Fair Italy format, taking place on Thursday and Friday in this second edition, makes it concretely possible to get the most out of a visit on one or both days of the event.

The Bergamo area is also a lively financial centre, with plenty of enterprises, logistics centres and retail space. International Hardware Fair Italy has signed a partnership with ASCOM Bergamo to optimise relations with the local community and offer more business opportunities.

Oscar Fusini, Director of Confcommercio Bergamo, welcomes the partnership with enthusiasm, commenting that “International Hardware Fair Italy, organised by Koelnmesse Italia, offers not only easy logistics for local distributors, but an extraordinary opportunity for professional growth and development encouraging innovation among local retailers. The hardware sector plays a key role in the province of Bergamo, in both quantitative and qualitative terms. The majority of local stores are specialised, offering innovative products and solutions responding to the needs of an increasingly demanding clientele. And the sector’s dynamism stands to benefit from the power of Bergamo’s manufacturing industry and trades, an additional lever for the development of advanced solutions”.

For more information on the programme, go to https://www.hardwarefair-italy.com/en/events-and-conferences/conferences/conference-second-edition/

Partners who have confirmed their commitment to support the event include EDRA/GHIN, a global association of DIY and home improvement retailers representing more than 34,000 stores in 78 countries as well as large-scale resellers and digital platforms. Other partners who have confirmed their participation include ZHH, a trade association specialising in hardware in the DACH countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland); FWI, a German association of machine tool manufacturers; Assofermet Ferramenta, an association of Italian hardware wholesalers, MADE4DIY, an Italian consortium of DIY and Gardening manufacturers; ASCOM of Bergamo; and capital goods distribution and rental association Assodimi/Assonolo.

International Hardware Fair Italy will also include the annual Product of the Year Award, a prestigious prize for exhibitors.

See you in Bergamo on Thursday, 8 May and Friday, 9 May 2025!

Milan, 2 December 2024

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