DACH+HOLZ International 2026 attracts 56,000 visitors, reaching an all-time high

Munich/Cologne, 02 March 2026 – From 24 to 27 February 2026, Cologne once again became the central meeting place for the roofing and timber industry. A total of 564 exhibitors from 28 countries presented their products and services on 71,000 square metres of gross exhibition space in four halls and in the outdoor area. The proportion of international exhibitors was 22.7 per cent. DACH+HOLZ International 2026 thus underlines its role as the leading platform in the European market. ‘The dynamism and intensity of the discussions in the halls were extraordinary,’ says Tobias Gröber, CEO & President of GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen. ‘Even though processes are becoming increasingly digital, our trade thrives on personal exchange. When the industry meets every two years at DACH+HOLZ International, a strong sense of community is created, and it is precisely this community spirit that will carry the industry into the future.’ 

Industry sends positive signals

Industry associations also consider DACH+HOLZ International 2026 as an important source of inspiration. Dirk Bollwerk, President of the Central Association of German Roofers (ZVDH), emphasises: ‘Many inspiring discussions have once again confirmed to me that craftsmanship connects, drives innovation and brings people together. DACH+HOLZ International is and remains the “place to be” for our industry.’

Peter Aicher, Chairman of Holzbau Deutschland, emphasises the importance of timber construction: ‘Forward-looking innovations, impressive new products and personal exchanges between product manufacturers and timber construction companies ensured that the exhibition halls were full. The positive mood in the industry was clearly noticeable.’

Overall, there was a constructive mood in the halls. In addition to current challenges, the discussions focused primarily on concrete solutions and new developments.

Start-up & Innovation Area grows

With 30 participating companies, the Start-up & Innovation Area 2026 was larger than in previous years and brought together the latest developments in the building trade. The Start-up & Innovation Award went to Fixpod GmbH for a patented connection solution in timber construction enabling installation pipe transitions without the need for revision and improves processes and occupational safety. ‘We achieve significant cost and process optimisation of over 50 per cent and reduce waste by more than 90 per cent,’ says Sascha Müller, founder of Fixpod GmbH. The system is now used by over 300 timber construction companies. Second place went to Benetics AI for an AI voice assistant for everyday use on construction sites, and third place went to LeiKoSi GmbH and Lock Jaw Ladder Grip for solutions to improve ladder safety in the roofing trade.

Future topics with a high response

The supporting programme was well attended throughout and addressed key future topics for the industry. Contributions on sustainability – such as the role of the skilled trades in sustainable construction – met with great interest, as did practical insights into the use of artificial intelligence in business. Social issues also resonated: roofer Etienne Sikora reported on his travels and spoke about diversity in the trade, while the topic of ‘The Future of Timber Construction’ saw discussions on developments in research and practice in terms of their market readiness. Additional attention was drawn to the first live performance by Lasse Peper, alias derholz.kopf, with his ‘carpenter rap’.

The next DACH+HOLZ International will take place in Stuttgart from 7 to 10 March 2028.

Further information on DACH+HOLZ International is available at https://www.dach-holz.com/en

Press contact:
Mélanie Diss, PR & Content Manager
P +49 89 189 149 163
diss@ghm.de
www.dach-holz.com/en  

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