In the following interview Event Director Charles Brandon, TransGlobal Events, explains the reasons why the show moved from Bremen to Hamburg and what the goals are for the future.

Renewable Energy Hamburg: When did the Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe come into existence?

Charlie Brandon: "Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe was first held in Bremen in October 2021. Although this was not the ideal time to launch an event due to the pandemic, we could see the growing excitement and investment into the hydrogen economy. With the support of Bremen, we were able to run the event with 150 exhibitors and over 3,000 visitors. This year is our first time in Hamburg, and the event has now grown to more than 800 exhibitors with more than 15,000 global attendees expected."

Renewable Energy Hamburg: Can you tell a little about Trans-Global Events – who are you and what are your other projects?

Charlie Brandon: "Trans-Global Events was founded in 2018 by a team of exhibition professional with a combined experience of more than 60 years running trade shows and conferences in Germany and Central Europe. In September 2023 Trans-Global Events became part of CloserStill Media, one of the world’s leading international trade show and conference organisers. Becoming part of CloserStill Media has enabled us to strengthen our existing team and take advantage of a global network, which will allow us to continue our strong growth plan."

Renewable Energy Hamburg: What is the scope of the show and what kind of exhibitors/visitors are you addressing?

Charlie Brandon: "Our show is first and foremost a technology trade fair. We have built a fantastic foundation by focusing solely on the technology and supplier companies. The concept of hydrogen as a clean and renewable energy source is nothing new. However, several technical and economic challenges need to be overcome before hydrogen can be fully realized as a major contributor to reducing global carbon emissions. Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe is a solutions-driven trade fair and conference dedicated to the development of new technologies to overcome these technical challenges and propel hydrogen into the mainstream for stationary and mobile applications."

Renewable Energy Hamburg: How many exhibitors do you have under contract and how many visitors are you expecting?

Charlie Brandon: "For 2024, we have over 800 companies confirmed for the exhibition, and we project over 15,000 visitors for the show."

Renewable Energy Hamburg: Are there some unique reasons to visit your show in contrast to all the other hydrogen trade fairs and conferences?

Charlie Brandon: "Hydrogen Technology Expo is the world’s largest hydrogen fair, with more than 800 exhibitors from all over the world! Many of the companies exhibiting at our event do not take part in any other hydrogen events, and the event covers 4 halls and around 35,000sqm of exhibition space. Taking part alongside the Hydrogen Technology Expo is Carbon Capture Technology Expo – the world’s largest event dedicated to CCUS. Then we also have 6 individual conferences taking place at the event, and a very strong focus on hydrogen in mobility – with companies such as Toyota, Airbus, and DLR all exhibiting at the show. In short there is a lot to cover in just two days!"

Renewable Energy Hamburg: What made you move the show to Hamburg?

Charlie Brandon: "The move to Hamburg was based on several reasons. Firstly, it is clear Hamburg has a clear strategy for creating a European hydrogen hub in the city, with its fantastic port connections and international cooperation projects. It didn’t make sense to take this show elsewhere. Furthermore, the show has continued to grow in size. Although Bremen was a fantastic place to launch this event, we were quickly challenged by the local infrastructure. In the 2023 edition, all hotels in the area were fully booked, and visitors had to stay in towns and cities surrounding Bremen. Some companies even stayed in Hamburg and traveled down to Bremen each morning. We also sold out the entire Messe Bremen, meaning there was no room for us to grow in the coming years. With these factors, we knew it was important to go to a city that could cater to the size of the event now and in the coming years."

Renewable Energy Hamburg: Expecting you will have a great start in Hamburg, what are your plans for the coming years?

Charlie Brandon: "We hope so! All signs are looking good so far. The exhibition is nearly sold out, and pre-registration is looking very strong for the event. As you know, we have signed a multi-year agreement with the Hamburg Messe & Congress. In 2025, we will be transitioning to the B halls, with an outlook to get the expo to over 1,000 exhibitors. In the coming years, we have an ambitious strategy, and with the move to Hamburg, we hope this will be easy to achieve. The key thing is we will not lose sight of what has made us so popular from the start."

Thank you very much for your time and good luck for your further shows and projects!