Steel Industry Partnerships: Expo Centre Sharjah And Messe Essen Discuss Strengthening Ties

Expo Centre Sharjah and Germany’s Messe Essen are exploring deeper cooperation, following discussions held during SteelFab 2026 exhibition. The talks aim to link SteelFab with Messe Essen’s SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN, also known as the Essen Cutting and Welding Fair, and develop joint platforms for global metalworking industries.

Organised by Expo Centre Sharjah with support from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SteelFab 2026 exhibition runs until January 15. The event targets steel and metalworking stakeholders across regional and international markets, positioning Sharjah as a key meeting point for technology suppliers and manufacturers.

SteelFab 2026 exhibition hosts more than 600 local and international brands, alongside 350 exhibitors from 35 countries. Participants showcase new technologies for steel fabrication, processing, and metalworking. The exhibition provides Middle East and North Africa industry players with direct access to equipment vendors, automation providers, and welding specialists.

During the event, Expo Centre Sharjah CEO Saif Mohammed Al Midfa held a meeting with Messe Essen CEO Oliver P. Kuhrt. The session took place while the German delegation attended SteelFab 2026 exhibition and focused on enhancing cooperation with the Essen Cutting and Welding Fair.

Al Midfa outlined how closer links with the Essen Cutting and Welding Fair could support the wider metalworking ecosystem. The discussion stressed SteelFab’s role as a strategic industrial platform, which supports steel sector development, strengthens supply chains, and promotes knowledge sharing across regional and global markets.

Al Midfa stated: "Our partnership with leading German industry players strengthens SteelFab’s value proposition, drives industrial innovation, and attracts foreign investment. It also broadens Expo Centre Sharjah’s international partnerships and offers global companies an effective platform to showcase their cutting-edge technologies and products, thereby boosting the competitiveness of the UAE’s steel and metalworking sector,"

SteelFab 2026 exhibition partnership with Messe Essen

Kuhrt described SteelFab as the most important trade fair for metal and steel processing in the Middle East and North Africa. Kuhrt added that SteelFab is a strategic partner for Messe Essen’s Cutting and Welding Fair, reflecting ongoing cooperation between both exhibition organisers.

According to Kuhrt, SteelFab’s strong performance and reputation signal economic strength and international trust in Expo Centre Sharjah. Kuhrt highlighted plans to combine Messe Essen and Expo Centre Sharjah expertise to design smart solutions that support steel producers and encourage adoption of automation and AI technologies.

Both sides agreed that future collaboration should create specialised international platforms for welding, cutting, and joining technologies. These platforms would address fast-changing industrial needs, support innovation in exhibitions, and help the steel and metalworking sector adapt to shifting conditions across regional and global markets.

The discussions at SteelFab 2026 exhibition reinforced Sharjah’s role in hosting sector-focused trade events that link Middle East manufacturers with European partners. Expo Centre Sharjah and Messe Essen now plan to build on this dialogue to expand cooperation and enhance value for exhibitors and visitors in upcoming editions.

With inputs from WAM