Have you heard of A+A? It’s the world's largest trade fair for safety, security, and health at work. Held biennially in Düsseldorf, Germany, the event brings together approximately 2,000 exhibitors from around the world and over 60,000 attendees.

This year will be my third A+A (2017 and 2023 were my previous visits), and I strongly believe it’s a high-quality, valuable event for everyone in the safety industry. The fair is a major platform for showcasing innovations, products, and solutions aimed at making the workplace safer, more efficient, and healthier.

What You Can Find There

A+A covers a comprehensive range of topics.

• Safety at Work: This is a major focus, featuring products like personal protective equipment (PPE), safety equipment, and systems designed to reduce workplace accidents and health risks.
• Health at Work: This segment covers everything from occupational medicine and hygiene to ergonomics and workplace health promotion.
• Security at Work: This includes a wide array of security products and systems, such as fire protection, radiation protection, noise reduction, and safety devices for machinery.
• Corporate Fashion and Workwear: A+A is a leading platform for workwear and corporate fashion, showcasing textile innovations and trends. This includes a dedicated fashion show.
• Components, Fabrics, and Pre-Products: The quality of materials is crucial for protective equipment, and the fair features a wide selection of components, fabrics, and pre-products for work shoes and protective workwear.
• Digitalization and Sustainability: These are key trend topics at the fair. You can expect to see digital tools, smart PPE, and discussions on the circular economy and sustainable practices in the industry.

The Attendee Experience

Attending A+A is more than just walking through a hall of exhibitors. There are multiple exhibit halls so bring your walking shoes! It’s full of interactive and engaging exhibits designed for networking, learning, and discovering new solutions.

The fair features live formats that bring products and concepts to life. These include:

• The A+A Fashion Show: Showcasing the latest trends in workwear and protective clothing. This is one of my favorite things to see at the fair. They always do a fantastic job with this entertaining and informative presentation. Check out my video from 2023 for a peek: https://www.ishn.com/videos/6339865380112?bctid=6339865380112
• Exo Park: A unique platform where manufacturers demonstrate the latest exoskeleton technologies. It’s a great way to see first-hand what’s going on with new technology. Many of these solutions are very new to the US market, but have been in the European markets for a while.
• Fire Safety and Emergency Management Demonstrations: Live displays of solutions and technologies for emergency situations.

Appeal for Americans

I interviewed A+A Director Lars Wismer about whether the show offers enough for the American market to make the trip worthwhile. He shared some great information. He said: “This exchange creates bridges between regulatory cultures, sparks collaborative projects, and fosters a deeper understanding of shared challenges in workplace safety.”

Read the interview: http://www.ishn.com/articles/114898-aa-trade-fair-in-germany-offers-global-perspective