EISENWARENMESSE 2024| Highlights Day 1

"Work hard! Rock hard!" is the motto at the EISENWARENMESSE – International Hardware Fair Cologne 2024. Until Wednesday, more than 3,200 exhibiting companies from 55 countries will present their latest products and innovations, ranging from tools, accessories, and building and DIY supplies to fittings, fixings and fastening technology.

The mixture of talks, lectures and workshops is as varied as the products and services offered by the exhibiting companies. The first of three days full of inspiration and knowledge exchange started today at the EISENforum, the trade fair's central event stage.

The trade fair kicked off with the award ceremony for the EISENaward 2024 powered by ZHH. In collaboration with the Central Association of the Hardware Trade (ZHH), outstanding new ideas, inventions and solutions in the industry were once again sought - and found.

Oliver Frese, COO of Koelnmesse, honoured this year's three award winners on stage: C. & E. FEIN GmbH, HAZET-WERK Hermann Zerver GmbH & Co. KG and Pronova Dichtstoffe GmbH & Co. KG. The winners and all other nominated products can be admired until Wednesday in a special area in the passage between Halls 10 and 11.

In the afternoon, the EISENforum focussed on the B2B commerce trends of tomorrow. As part of the ECC KI LAB @EISENforum, the ECC KÖLN (IFH KÖLN) presented well-founded and practice-orientated solutions relating to artificial intelligence. In exciting presentations, experts provided insights into current trends in B2B retail and took an in-depth look at the opportunities and challenges of AI.