Deutsche Messe Opens New Office in Washington D.C.

Deutsche Messe AG and its U.S. subsidiary, Hannover Fairs USA, Inc., are opening a new office on October 1, 2013 in Washington, D.C.  The focus of this second U.S. office is to promote awareness in the U.S. of HANNOVER MESSE, the world’s leading industrial trade fair, as well as to support its ongoing relationship with U.S. federal government. Marco Siebert, Director of International Relations at Deutsche Messe, will manage the new office. The 41-year old Mr. Siebert has been responsible for cooperative ventures with U.S. partners for several years while working from Hannover, Germany.

“As the world’s biggest economy, the United States plays a key role not just for German industry, but for global industry as a whole,” said Dr. Jochen Köckler, Member of the Managing Board at Deutsche Messe. “Our new Washington, D.C. office enables us to more vigorously promote the participation of American companies and associations in our trade fairs,” he added. Dr. Köckler said Deutsche Messe expects support from strategic partners in the U.S. government, such as the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service and various chambers of commerce and associations at federal and state levels.

American and the European Union (EU) plan to ratify a free trade agreement between both economies by 2015 are another reason Deutsche Messe opened a second office in the U.S. “We strongly support such an agreement, which is 100 percent in line with our work at Deutsche Messe to encourage enterprises to tap new markets,” said Dr. Köckler.

A Transatlantic free trade agreement would make it easier for companies from both the U.S. and the EU to gain entry to each other’s markets. The EU Commission has estimated that an agreement of this type could boost economic performance in Europe by as much as 0.5 percent and in the United States by 0.4 percent. A study commissioned by the German Ministry of the Economy and published in February 2013 found that a far-reaching trade agreement between the EU and the U.S. would result in an increase in German exports to the U.S., above all on the part of small and medium-sized enterprises.

“Hannover Fairs USA’s recent relocation to our new Chicago office makes sense for interacting closely with our U.S. customers and partners,” said Larry Turner, President and CEO of Hannover Fairs USA. “The new DC office will support our efforts to secure inbound and outbound investment in trade between the EU and U.S. and will support Hannover Fairs ongoing relationship with all of its contacts in U.S. government affairs.”

Dr. Thomas Zielke, Representative of German Industry and Trade (the Washington, D.C. liaison office of the BDI and DIHK trade associations), underscored his support for Deutsche Messe’s U.S.-based activities. “HANNOVER MESSE is a globally unique driver of industrial investments,” he said. “By devoting special attention to the U.S. market, Deutsche Messe is actively promoting the growth of exports between Germany and the U.S.”


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