InterTabac & InterSupply: new year – old strengths!

Record numbers: Dortmund’s twin shows set to welcome over 800 exhibitors.

Hearts in the international tobacco industry are now beating in anticipation of Dortmund’s famed InterTabac and InterSupply shows – and they’re sure to be beating faster than ever because this year will see over 800 exhibitors from almost 70 countries presenting their products and services to the trade and benefiting from direct contact with trade visitors, business partners and association delegates. In addition to the huge variety of products on offer, the twin shows will also be offering visitors a conference and event programme packed with highlights and innovations.

Dortmund, 19.09.2024 – Between now and Saturday (21 September), the exhibition halls in Dortmund will be the epicentre for innovation, networking and discussions on the latest trends in the tobacco industry, with international exhibitors – including, as every year, big names and exciting newcomers, established industry giants and market leaders, regulars and first-timers alike – presenting the entire spectrum of what the various segments have to offer. Top decision-makers, buyers and trade visitors from the retail, service and manufacturing sectors use this diverse framework not just to make contacts, but also to gain fresh inspiration for their business. Among other things, visitors have the opportunity to find out in detail about current market developments, and to discuss innovative approaches with industry experts that may have a significant impact on the future of the tobacco industry.

The finishing touch to this industry get-together is its high-quality supporting programme including a host of presentations and discussions in which renowned experts share comprehensive in-depth knowledge and the latest findings on current topics occupying minds in the industry. Of course, there is also plenty of entertainment, with débuts and networking events completing a superb programme line-up.

With all these highlights in store, Sabine Loos, Managing Director of the Westfalenhallen Unternehmensgruppe which owns and operates the Messe Dortmund venue, is full of anticipation for the three-day shows: “Together with our partners, we’ve succeeded once again this year in bringing the tobacco industry together at InterTabac and InterSupply, presenting it to the world in all its diversity and dynamism. It’s truly impressive to see how many innovative products and ideas are on show here. The large number of international exhibitors and the wide-ranging supporting programme illustrate once again just how dynamic and diverse the tobacco industry is. I’m convinced that we’ve once again created an environment that will continue to aid collaboration within the industry and at the same time pave the way for future developments. In this dynamic environment, it’s not just lucrative transactions that can be initiated and concluded – people are also developing and deepening close long-term partnerships.“

More halls and more exhibitors than ever before
This year, the twin shows have reached a new record level, occupying eleven halls housing the stands of over 800 exhibitors. The classic segment of cigars, cigarettes, pipes, pipe tobacco and fine cut tobacco is traditionally well represented. Long-established German companies such as Kleinlagel OHG, BOSSNER Golden Mile GmbH and Kopp Tobaccos GmbH & Co KG have come along to Dortmund, and M. K. & Söhne GmbH is at the twin shows for the very first time. Of course, a great many international companies are also here, including some global giants such as J. Cortès Cigars N.V. Vandermaliere Cigar Family from Belgium, DREW ESTATE from the US, Fabrica de Puros International from Honduras and Amarati Cigar Dubai from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Also in attendance are newcomers such as HEMMY’s finest cigars & more, StarkeZigarren.de from Germany, DJT corp from Spain and Tabacalera Juan de Leon from the Dominican Republic.

Suppliers of smoking accessories and roll-your-own / make-your-own (RYO/MYO) products can also be found in the halls occupied by the classic segment. These include The New Ways B.V. from the Netherlands, Chinese company Metex, Polyflame Europe SAS from France and Moosmayr Ges.m.b.H. from Austria. GIZEH Raucherbedarf GmbH and BIC Deutschland GmbH & Co. OHG are two exemplary representatives from Germany, and the Zippo Manufacturing Company also has a stand again this year.

InterSupply: from production to final product in Hall 3InterSupply has been home to suppliers of everything related to the manufacture of tobacco products, e-cigarettes, pipes and hookahs since 2015. In Hall 3, visitors can find out about all stages of the production chain from raw tobacco, flavourings and additives to handling and processing machinery, packing machines, paper, plastic film and other packaging solutions. The show accomplishes this in a highly international environment, with 83 percent of InterSupply-exhibitors coming from outside Germany. These include raw materials such as those from US company Universal Leaf Tobacco CoInc. and from Hertz Flavors KG as well as production machinery from FLY-MAK in Turkey. Packaging solutions from SWM Holdco Luxembourg and software for control and analysis processes, among others, are also featured at InterSupply. Körber Technologies Instruments GmbH is one of the suppliers in this field.

The diverse world of NGPs
Next Generation Products (NGPs) continue to enjoy growing popularity. The number of exhibitors in this area at InterTabac is accordingly on the rise, with over 180 from the vaping segment alone. Visitors will find everything to do with vaping and e-cigarettes in the Westfalenhalle and in Halls 1, 1b and 2, and also in the interconnecting covered ways and in part of Hall 3. Distributors such as InnoCigs GmbH & Co KG and FEAL GmbH from Germany, manufacturers such as Voopoo from China, Pro Vape from Latvia, FLONQ from the UAE and US supplier VGOD can be found in and around the entrance to the Westfalenhalle. Dinner Lady is making things particularly exciting: in the run-up to the show, the Herzberg-based company announced the presentation and launch of a completely new product category. Visitors can look forward to seeing what innovation the company has up its sleeve.

The heat-not-burn, nicotine pouches and snus elements of the NGP segment are also on show in parts of Halls 5 and 6. Some of the best-known names include Korean company NextTech Group Co Ltd, ISMOD UK Ltd from the United Kingdom, House of Pouches from Denmark, Premium Pouch Finland and Nicopods ehf from Iceland.

Winning ideas for the modern point of sale
When it comes to customer appeal and promoting sales and revenue, it takes more than a cleverly compiled product range – attractive shop layouts and efficient systems are also part of the recipe for success. The spacious foyer area of the North Entrance complex homes in on what retailers need in this regard. In addition to displays, shopfitting, shelving, security and merchandise management systems (and much more in the way of retailer requirements), visitors will also find press items and spirits – in other words everything tobacco retailers need to create an attractive point of sale. Retailers and interested parties can gain in-depth insights enabling them to keep pace with the constantly changing demands of the market and helping them design and optimise their points of sale accordingly.

Shisha heaven in Hall 8
Hall 8 is home to the shisha theme zone, with exhibitors such as the Amy Group and Aladin e.K. in attendance. From hookahs and tobaccos to disposable e-hookahs and accessories such as hoses and charcoal, shisha lovers will find everything they need here.

CB EXPO – all about cannabis
One new feature this year in the cannabis sector is the incorporation of CB EXPO which took place last year in the congress centre and will be held this year in the immediate vicinity of the North Entrance complex. This programme – which is one of the leading events in the European cannabis industry – will cover the entire process from cultivation to end product, with numerous industry experts also sharing their insights. See here for all information on CB EXPO.

Visitors have a choice of four entrances enabling quick access to their preferred areas. As in previous years, exhibitors can be reached via the main entrance to the Westfalenhalle as well as via the North and West entrances to the exhibition centre, and this year (for the first time) Entrance 1 will be open for use.

Partners and associations providing great input
Several countries will be back in Dortmund this year, actively involved in the shows. These include Honduras and the Dominican Republic, which are represented by their embassies. The Consulate General of Turkey, the State Representative Office of the Dominican Republic and Hungary’s Supervisory Authority for Regulatory Affairs (SARA) will also be availing themselves of the opportunity to be present at InterTabac and InterSupply. Their presence makes it clear that nowhere else do businesses and trade visitors have such a comprehensive opportunity to talk to high-ranking representatives of many different nations and to exchange views on current topics and trends as well as the overall political and business frameworks for enabling the production and distribution of tobacco products and smoking accessories.

The importance of InterTabac and InterSupply also reflects the wide range of partners and associations, most of which have been involved here for years. The German Association of the Tobacco Industry and Next-Generation Products (BVTE), the German Cigarette Association (DZV), the North Rhine Westphalia Retailers’ Association, the German Smoking Tobacco Industry Association (VdR), the German Cigar Manufacturers’ Association (BdZ), the German Federal Association of Tobacco Retailers (BTWE), the Independent European Vape Alliance (IEVA), the Global Vape Alliance, the German Shisha Tobacco Association (‘Shisha Association’), the Alliance for Tobacco-Free Enjoyment (BfTG) and the German E-Cigarette Retailers’ Association (VdeH) are all in attendance.

The Electronic Cigarette Professional Committee of the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce (ECCC) also has a delegation at InterTabac as well as Procigar – Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers, the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) and the Premium Cigar Association (PCA). The European Cigar Manufacturers’ Association (ECMA), the Confédération Européene des Détaillants en Tabac (CEDT), the Cigar Association of America (CAA), the European Rolling Paper Association (ERPA), the European Smoking Tobacco Association (ESTA), the International Tobacco Growers’ Association (ITGA) and the German Association of Tobacco Product Wholesalers and Vending Machine Installers (BDTA) are also at the venue.

Welcoming new and established events
With all the technical input, it’s important not to forget about entertainment. On Day 1 of the shows, the popular Get Together Evening, a familiar feature from previous years, provides the perfect setting for exhibitors to relax and network in a stylish setting. New to the twin shows is the networking event PouchXchange which gets underway in Hall PA4 at 18:00 hrs on Friday and is aimed at those in the nicotine pouch and snus industry. Another first is the on-stage final of the Mission Mixologist competition on Saturday at 13:00 hrs in the North Entrance complex. Six candidates have already qualified in advance, some of them at EVO NXT in Málaga, to battle it out in three ten-minute rounds to compose the winning vape flavour.

Also new this year are the InterTabac World Alternative Awards being held in collaboration with The Vaping Group. This award, which will be made on Day 1 of the shows, is intended exclusively for alternative nicotine products, as there has never been such an award before. Another highlight is the award for the most popular products on show at the venue. The InterTabac Stars industry award presented by DTZ for the most interesting products in the retail-related categories will follow on Saturday. In the cigar sector, the Cigar Trophy Awards, a veritable institution in the industry since 1998, are scheduled for Thursday.

Expertise across all segments
Visitors to the twin shows are drawn to Dortmund not only by the diverse range of exhibitors and the associated product innovations and industry trends, but also by the informative supporting programme. From specialist presentations and discussions to interactive workshops and networking events, the programme offers show-goers valuable insights, opportunities to engage and the chance to find out where the industry is heading.

One example of the offerings related to the classic segment is the panel discussion on Friday entitled Global Trends in Tobacco Farmers’ Productivity where eight experts will discuss the topic of tobacco leaves in detail starting at 12:00 hrs. Visitors with an interest in NGPs can get the latest input in the panel entitled Future of Nicotine Technologies: Innovations and Advances in NGP Products. On Thursday from 14:30 to 15:30 hrs, four industry pioneers will be discussing the trends of the future under the chairmanship of DTZ editor-in-chief Marc Reisner. The programme also reflects the growing interest in pouches, with a contribution by Dr Erika Grandolfo on ‘Tobacco-Free Nicotine Pouches and Their Potential Contribution to Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Scoping Review‘ on Friday starting at 14:00 hrs. Listeners can also gain valuable knowledge from contributions tailored to the retail sector and from cross-segment presentations. Political initiatives and developments will also be discussed at length. A full overview of the programme is available here.

Hands-on learning in workshops and masterclasses

The popular workshops and masterclasses, such as the Cigar Pairings for combining cigars and matching spirits (already fully booked), the Blending Tutorial for making one’s own creations and the Boveda Tobacco Masterclass for correct storage of cigars, are also a must. Also on the agenda is the second ‘Cigar Sommelier Masterclass at InterTabac’ organised by the International Association of Cigar Sommeliers (IACS).

Dortmund is the place to go for anyone wishing to be at the forefront of the industry and looking for a compact, condensed overview of all the key matters of interest in the tobacco industry. As Sabine Loos emphasises, “The twin shows do not just provide the numerous visitors, exhibitors and guests with insights into the future of the tobacco industry, they’re also the ideal place to grow valuable networks and forge new business relationships. We are well positioned and ready to continue the success story of recent years.”

All the latest key information, updates and developments are available 24/7 on the trade show website, LinkedIn or directly by Newsletter.