The royal visit to K 2025 highlighted a deepening collaboration between Messe Düsseldorf and the Riyadh Exhibitions Company. His Royal Highness Prince Saud Turki Al-Faisal Al Saud, Chairman of REC, and Wolfram N. Diener, Chairman of the Board of Management of Messe Düsseldorf, signalled continuity in their strategic partnership with an official handshake at the trade fair. The move underlines the international expansion of the leading trade fair brands K, interpack and drupa into Saudi Arabia, in step with the region’s dynamic economic development. REC will stage Saudi Plastics & Petrochem and Saudi Print & Pack in Riyadh from 12 to 15 April 2026, bringing together more than 500 exhibiting companies from the petrochemical, plastics, printing and packaging value chains. This rapidly growing quartet of trade fairs, whose exhibitor base has increased by around 70 percent since 2018, creates new entry points for Messe Düsseldorf’s customers. The new presence in Riyadh complements the organiser’s existing global portfolio, specifically K Alliance in plastics and rubber, interpack alliance in processing and packaging, and drupa alliance in print technologies. The partners had already formalised their cooperation in a memorandum of understanding in spring 2025.
Regional momentum and leadership visits
Wolfram N. Diener underscored the timing and rationale for the step: "We are in the right place at the right time. With our commitment to the world's fastest-growing trade fair market, we are strengthening our position as one of the most successful international trade fair companies. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are diversifying their economies, which opens up numerous points of contact for our broad trade fair portfolio and new potential for our customers." The growing international attention on the Middle East’s transformation was reflected by the presence of His Excellency Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, who visited K 2025. He had previously gained an impression of Düsseldorf’s trade fair landscape at drupa 2024.
Economic backdrop
According to consulting firm jwc, the Gulf Cooperation Council economies are projected to grow at an average annual rate of 6 percent through 2029, outpacing both the European Union at 3 percent and the global average of 5 percent. This outlook provides context for Messe Düsseldorf’s expansion focus and the partners’ intent to leverage demand across plastics, petrochemicals, printing and packaging.
Established footprint in the Middle East
The initiative in Saudi Arabia builds on a track record in the region. Since 2007, K has maintained a partnership with ArabPlast in Dubai. Since 2019, Messe Düsseldorf has advanced its activities through interpack alliance events pacprocess MEA and Food Africa Cairo in Egypt, positioned as a bridge between the Middle East and Africa. In 2024, a new subsidiary in Turkey further extended the network between Europe and the Middle East. The offensive in Saudi Arabia is presented as the next logical step in this progression.
Royal visit to K 2025: His Royal Highness Prince Saud Turki Al-Faisal Al Saud, Chairman of the Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC), together with Wolfram N. Diener, Chairman of the Management Board of Messe Düsseldorf/Credit: Messe Düsseldorf/C. Tillmann
