The Association for Craft Exhibitions and Trade Fairs was founded in 1948, laying the foundations for the success of the decades to come.
1948
Foundation of the Association for Craft Exhibitions and Trade Fairs in Munich on 15 October 1948. According to its statutes, the association has the following task: ‘The purpose of the association is, within the framework of what is legally permissible, the organisation of exhibitions and trade fairs or participation in such events in Germany and abroad to promote the craft trades.’
1949
The Munich Crafts Fair is launched as the first trade fair organised by the Association for Craft Exhibitions and Trade Fairs. 1950 The Munich Crafts Fair is renamed the German Crafts Fair, and in 1962 it is renamed the International Crafts Fair (IHM).
1955
Organisation of the International Exhibition for Dry Cleaning and Dyeing. The patron of this trade fair is Federal Minister of Economics Ludwig Erhard. 184 companies exhibit in three halls. According to a contemporary article, in addition to the new cleaning and ironing machines, the daily fashion shows arouse particular interest among the approximately 25,000 visitors. Here, chemically cleaned and impregnated rainwear is subjected to a weather endurance test by exposing it to an artificial spray.
1968
The Association for Craft Exhibitions and Fairs is renamed the GHM Society for Craft Exhibitions and Fairs.
1978
1978 Heim+Handwerk, a trade fair newly developed by GHM, is launched. This annual consumer exhibition traditionally takes place at the end of November / beginning of December in Munich.
1974
The DACH+WAND trade fair is held in Munich for the first time. 2008 The industry's leading trade fairs for roofers (DACH+WAND) and carpenters (Holzbau+Ausbau) are jointly launched under the new name DACH+HOLZ International.
1976
Starting signal for the expansion of the trade fair portfolio outside the home venue of Munich with the IKM (capital goods fair for small and medium-sized enterprises) in Düsseldorf and the IFH (capital goods fair for building services) in Nuremberg. GHM organises IFH every two years on behalf of the sponsoring associations Fachverband Sanitär-Heizung-Klimatechnik Baden-Württemberg and Fachverband Sanitär-, Heizungs- und Klimatechnik Bayern.
1977
In 1977, iba, the world's leading trade fair for bakers and confectioners, is held independently in Munich for the first time.
1984
The international trade fair for colour, design and building protection is held for the first time. FARBE, AUSBAU & FASSADE takes place every three years, alternating between Cologne and Munich.
1986
The first Holzbau+Ausbau takes place in 1986. The trade fair for carpenters pitches its ‘exhibition tents’ in Friedrichshafen or Nuremberg every two years. This did not change until 2008, when the industry's leading trade fairs for roofers (DACH+WAND) and carpenters (Holzbau+Ausbau) merged. Since then, DACH+HOLZ International, organised by GHM, has been held every two years in Stuttgart and Cologne.
1998
Change of name to GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH and move to the Munich Exhibition Centre.
2007
GHM buys the ophthalmic optics trade show opti and organises it for the first time in January 2008 in the Munich exhibition halls. Since then, this annual event has developed from a national trade show into one of the leading international industry platforms.
2009
Now that GHM is also responsible for organising iba outside of Munich, a long-term decision is made in 2009: after 60 years of changing trade fair locations, both the Advisory Board and the trade fair's sponsor, the German Bakers' Association, vote in favour of Munich as the permanent venue.
2018
More space for our new employees at Paul-Wassermannstraße 5: In 2018, GHM moves from Messe München to its own premises just a few minutes' walk from the exhibition centre.
2021
With the support of its employees, GHM launches various digital formats during the coronavirus years, such as FORUM XT (opti) and CONNECTING EXPERTS (iba), to further promote the exchange of knowledge.
2023
First realisation of the ZUKUNFT HANDWERK congress. Although the concept for the event was drawn up in 2019, it could not take place until 2023 due to the pandemic. ZUKUNFT HANDWERK now has a permanent place in our portfolio.
2024
Relaunch of the GHM website and new logo. ‘Our aim with the new corporate design is to position GHM as a modern and future-oriented company that has been successfully organising national and international trade fairs for decades,’ says Dieter Dohr, Chairman of the Managing Directors of GHM.
Discover our trade fairs
GHM is constantly evolving and offers you a broad portfolio of trade fairs: from food to construction and refurbishment to ophthalmic optics.