Premiere of InnoTrans Asia: Interview with Kai Mangelberger

InnoTrans Asia will take place for the first time in 2027 – a new addition to the international trade fair calendar. It will be held every two years, in the year between the leading trade fair in Berlin. It will address the entire transport technology value chain: from transport companies, manufacturers and suppliers to administration, authorities and research and development. The trade fair is aimed at Asian players as well as international companies that are active in Asia or want to tap into markets there.

What are the motivations behind organising the leading transport technology trade fair InnoTrans in Asia in the future?

Asia is a growth market where massive investments are being made in the expansion of railway infrastructure – both for passenger and freight transport – in China, India and Southeast Asia, for example. There is a continuously increasing demand for modern railway technology, automa¬tion and sustainable solutions. With InnoTrans Asia, we are creating a central platform for the Asian market – directly in the region, in Singapore.

Will the new trade fair in Singapore compete with the established InnoTrans in Berlin or do the two formats complement each other?

As we see it, InnoTrans Asia complements the world’s leading trade fair in Berlin, the flagship and central meeting place for the global transport technology industry. The aim is to establish InnoTrans Asia as a link between emerging markets and global innovations. Unlike the mobility trade fairs in Asia, which are mostly nationally orientated, InnoTrans Asia is intended to cover the entire Asia-Pacific region and bring the various markets together at a neutral location.

How much advance planning and organisation was required for InnoTrans Asia and what challenges did you face?

The idea to set up InnoTrans Asia has been around for some time. Bearing in mind the very ambitious infrastructure projects currently underway throughout Asia, the timing is now perfect. It became more concrete at the beginning of this year when we held promising talks with Singapore. From then on, everything happened quite quickly. The launch in Singapore took place in June and at the same time we set up our InnoTrans Asia team at Messe Berlin Asia Pacific. The team is already working its hardest to make the premiere of InnoTrans Asia in September 2027 a success.

What do you personally expect for the future of the Asian mobility market and how can InnoTrans Asia contribute to networking and innovation here?

Whether it’s the construction of a high-speed railway in Bangkok connecting three airports, the expansion of the metro network in Sydney, the cross-border high-speed rail link between Singapore and Malaysia or the planned high-speed line which will shorten the journey between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from 30 to 6 hours – the mobility market in the Asia-Pacific region is undergoing enormous changes. I find that very exciting. The experience and know-how of the world’s leading trade fair for the sector provides InnoTrans Asia with a well-known, customised platform for companies to present themselves in Asia, establish contacts with potential customers and partners, and gain a comprehensive overview of global innovations in the transport sector. A supporting programme that is specially tailored to the Asian market also provides participants with valuable market insights.

How will InnoTrans Asia’s exhibitor and visitor profile differ from that of the Berlin trade fair? Do you expect special focal points or new target groups?

InnoTrans Asia will clearly focus on exhibitors and visitors who are interested in the Asia-Pacific market. As a central, independent rail transport trade fair, it will offer an attractive platform to small and medium-sized companies in particular for making the leap into the otherwise highly fragmented Asian market with its numerous national trade fairs. There is no other Asian rail trade fair which gives the sector as much visibility as InnoTrans Asia.

Why did you decide in favour of Singapore as a location?

Singapore convinces with its central location in the Asia-Pacific region. The city is considered to be business-friendly, safe and innovative. In addition, it is established worldwide as a venue for trade fairs and congresses and offers the necessary infrastructure. The Singapore Expo site – in the immediate vicinity of the airport – is ideally located for InnoTrans Asia. Added to this is the neutrality of the location, which perfectly suits our concept. It makes it possible to bring the different railway nations together in one place without focussing too strongly on the host country. Furthermore, with Messe Berlin Asia Pacific we already have an experienced team on site.