With more than 67,000 trade visitors and a total of 1,930 exhibitors from 63 nations, A+A Düsseldorf confirms its role as the world’s leading trade fair for safety, security and health at work. The event ended this past 20 October after four intense days of work, which saw it as a stage for lively business discussions, but also for dedicated talks, starting with the International Congress for Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine held in conjunction with the fair. Organisers and exhibitors expressed their overall satisfaction with the positive outcome of the Show, which saw a rise in its visitor numbers from the 65 thousand registered in 2015, as well as an increase in foreign participation that was equal to 40% of the total.

Numbers and results that also confirm the importance and potential of the safety and personal protection market: “A+A is continually growing and underlines at all levels its relevance for the sector as the world’s leading trade fair and congress event” – commented the managing director of Messe Düsseldorf, Joachim Schäfer -. “We are proud to have been able to send out strong signals to the markets on an international level and key impulses for political debate”.

That the market of safety and health at work is making headway was also confirmed by a study conducted on the German market for personal protective equipment that was published during A+A 2017 by market research firm Macrom. This study in fact showed how the volume of the entire German PPE market grew between 2014 and 2016 by 9.2% to a total of 1.97 billion euro. Leading here with the largest market share is protective workwear that is increasingly also being worn in the private sphere and for everyday use. An important trend that clearly made itself known during A+A, and which was also commented upon by Birgit Horn, Director of A+A 2017: “While protective workwear in the past was generally uncomfortable and not particularly fashionable, today things have changed and staff are fairly willing to show themselves in public wearing this clothing. Thanks to the development of high-tech clothing in the sports and outdoor sectors, workers no longer have to deprive themselves of top design and optimum performance”.

Once again, A+A placed people at the centre of its interests, demonstrating how investing in the health and well-being of employees ‘pays off’ also on an economic level. This, in fact, ensures an improved performance of the workforce and increased productivity. At the same time, the Show demonstrated how today more than ever before it is important to foster a holistic approach to prevention that takes all aspects of occupational health management, safety and workplace design into consideration. “It is important to underline that A+A is not only a stage for new technologies, but is now also being seen globally as a bridgehead between the past and the future of our world of work”, commented Mr Schäfer.

As far as the International Congress for Occupational Safety and Occupational Medicine that is traditionally organised by the Federal Association for Occupational Safety and Health – Basi is concerned, a total of some 5,000 congress delegates were involved, with 60 focal series held on various present-day topics.

Last, but not least, there was the ‘hot topic’ of this edition of A+A – Fire Protection- , which this year showcased everything revolving around modern firefighters protective clothing as well as the entire spectrum of personal protective equipment for firefighters, with dedicated talks held on the prevention of accidents, while working towards the improvement of rescue missions.

The next and eagerly awaited edition of A+A will be held from 5 to 8 November 2019.