ZELLCHEMING-Expo 2026 - BGH-Consulting Draws a Conclusion

Three intensive days at the trade fair, numerous personal encounters and many valuable conversations: from 16 to 18 June 2026, ZELLCHEMING-Expo once again brought together the European paper, pulp and fibre industry at the RheinMain CongressCenter in Wiesbaden.

Around 2,500 trade visitors as well as more than 130 exhibitors and partner organisations came together in Wiesbaden. Although visitor numbers were below those of the previous year, it was nevertheless clear that the quality and intensity of the conversations had increased. This was also our own experience: fewer visitors, but more time for specific topics, open discussions and an exchange that often went far beyond the typical trade fair conversation. This perception is in line with ZELLCHEMING's official conclusion: despite the lower visitor numbers, the organisers noted a high-quality professional audience, with strong decision-making authority, concrete project interest and a high level of professional expertise. The visitor and exhibitor survey also supports this impression: more than 90 percent rated the professional discussions positively, almost 90 percent were satisfied with the networking opportunities, and 85 percent of exhibitors were satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of the visitors.

Personnel Issues Are Becoming More Strategic

As a specialised recruitment consultancy for the paper, pulp and packaging industry, we were particularly interested in the discussions surrounding the personnel challenges that companies will face in the coming years.

Securing skilled professionals, succession planning and recruiting executives continue to be key issues for companies. At the same time, we are seeing that personnel issues are increasingly being discussed in the context of the major transformation processes taking place across the industry. After all, transformation, competitiveness and technological development cannot be considered independently of the people who shape and drive these changes.

This is precisely where a trade fair such as ZELLCHEMING provides a unique setting: many topics that initially appear abstract in everyday business become much more tangible through personal discussions. Where are skills and expertise lacking? What kind of leadership is needed during transformation processes? How can companies attract young talent to an industry whose innovative strength is still often insufficiently recognised outside the sector? And how can experienced employees be retained over the long term while simultaneously bringing new perspectives into companies?

The numerous conversations we had with companies, executives, candidates and industry partners provided us with valuable new insights and impulses on these topics.

Women4Paper: Visibility, Networking and Career Development

Women4Paper was once again an important and established part of the Expo in 2026. Around 120 participants came together on the second day of the trade fair. The panel discussion “Empowerment through Connection: Women, Networks, Future” focused, among other things, on the visibility of female role models, supporting young talent, modern working structures, work-life balance, and transparent and fair working conditions.

These are experiences that we also encounter in our daily recruitment practice: professional expertise and strong performance are the foundation of a career – but visibility, clarity about one's own goals, networks and the courage to actively take on responsibility also play an important role.

Women4Paper provides a valuable platform for this. Eight years after its foundation, the network already comprises around 470 representatives from the industry. Through its mentoring programme, the annual meeting at the Expo and other formats, the initiative helps connect women with one another, support young professionals and make female career paths in the paper and fibre industry more visible.

Young Talent and the Future of the Industry

Young talent once again played an important role at ZELLCHEMING-Expo. The Career Day brought young people together with companies and experienced industry representatives and highlighted how important direct dialogue is for attracting the next generation.

For us as a recruitment consultancy, this remains one of the industry's key challenges for the future: the paper, pulp and packaging industry offers a wide range of technical, commercial and entrepreneurial career opportunities. However, these opportunities need to become visible and tangible. Personal encounters, authentic insights into companies and clear development prospects are essential to achieving this.

Our Conclusion: Less Traffic, More Intensity

After three days at ZELLCHEMING-Expo 2026, there is one thing we take away above all: the value of a trade fair cannot be measured solely by visitor numbers.

The somewhat lower visitor frequency created space for longer, more intensive and often highly specific conversations. Existing contacts could be strengthened, new relationships established and current challenges discussed openly.

In this respect, our personal experience at the trade fair reflected a development that the organisers also highlighted in their official review: ZELLCHEMING-Expo is a platform for high-quality, focused exchange, characterised by a high level of professional expertise and concrete interest on both sides.

Our sincere thanks go to all our clients, candidates, partners, colleagues and new contacts who visited us in Wiesbaden and enriched the three days with their questions, perspectives and ideas.

We are taking many valuable insights and impulses back into our daily work and look forward to continuing the conversations we have started.

And after the Expo is before the Expo: from 22 to 24 June 2027, the industry will meet again at the RheinMain CongressCenter in Wiesbaden. We are already looking forward to seeing everyone again!

Your BGH-Consulting Team

Kai Pöhler, Sven Braun, Oliver Taudien, Christina Flor-Knoth & Elke Kormann-Tix