Olma Messen gets fit for the future and says thank you

Shortly before the end of 2020, the situation in the event industry continues to be characterized by much uncertainty. A forecast as to when regular business operations can be resumed cannot be made at present, as Olma Messen St.Gallen write in a statement. Starting at the beginning of March 2020, the entire trade fair program had to be canceled in several steps at the St.Gallen exhibition center. The almost complete shutdown of operations caused a loss of about 80 percent of the budgeted annual turnover.

Exhibition and event program 

Olma Messen St.Gallen went through the Corona pandemic in the summer and fall with the basic attitude that they wanted to learn how to deal with the new situation in parallel to a savings program, it continues. The guiding principle was to continue as far as possible to implement trade fairs and events with the necessary security measures and to develop events with their event partners that are adapted to the situation. The temporary easing of the pandemic in the fall of 2020 made it possible to hold the "Pätch" public fair, which had been created especially for this situation, and a few other events, thereby subjecting the protection concept of Olma Messen St.Gallen to a real test. But at the end of October, almost all further trade fairs and events planned until February fell victim to the renewed trade fair and event ban.

At present, the cooperative has reduced its operating activities to the bare minimum. The further development cannot be estimated at the moment. A decision on the organization of Immo Messe Schweiz and OFFA will be made in January.

Reorganization and strategy of Olma Messen St.Gallen 

The period of operational standstill was used by Olma Messen St.Gallen to push ahead with the reorganization of the company initiated in summer 2020. To this end, the internal processes are being analyzed and reorganized. Olma Messen St.Gallen is to emerge from the crisis with a leaner and more efficient structure that will allow it to adapt quickly and flexibly to the changing needs of the market and customers.

The long-term strategy of Olma Messen St.Gallen is not called into question by the corporate reform and the Corona pandemic. The company is convinced that trade fairs and events will remain important marketing tools in the future, he said. "People have experienced in this crisis year that digital means can maintain important business processes and ensure personal interactions. We have benefited greatly from this as well," explains Director The Director Christine Bolt. "Nevertheless, nothing can replace the direct contact, human closeness and sense of togetherness that characterize trade fairs and events and which we miss so much during the pandemic. We are convinced that once the situation returns to normal, our customers - visitors and exhibitors at trade and public fairs, as well as organizers of all kinds of events - will be happy to come back to us to go about their business, but also to celebrate together."

Well prepared for the new year 2021 

To ensure that Olma Messen St.Gallen is prepared for this moment, strategic initiatives will continue even during the crisis, the company said. The initiatives aim to adapt existing trade fairs to the requirements of the time and to develop new event formats. With the event agency "Volt Events," business customers can be supported in all their activities regardless of location, and complementary digital offerings will be created for trade show visitors. In addition, construction work on the freeway overpass and the new Hall 1 is continuing according to plan. The reduced trade fair and event operations have even resulted in construction work progressing significantly faster than planned.

Because so much is different this year, the company's end-of-year festive congratulations also come in a new form. The apprentices of Olma Messen St.Gallen, whose training has been significantly affected by the Corona crisis, have produced a video on their own initiative and thus say thank you to all supporters of the company on behalf of the entire team.