Koelnmesse will not be proceeding with imm cologne in January 2027, citing persistently challenging market conditions and the changing operating environment.
"The furniture market is undergoing a profound transformation," the organiser said. "As the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM) announced in September 2026, based on information from the Federal Statistical Office, the German furniture industry has experienced a considerable fall in sales since 2023, amounting to around 20 per cent in total. The latest sector figures also underscore the strained market situation: In the first half of 2026, sales in the sector fell by 2.7 per cent to approximately 7.7 billion euros. The decline in domestic sales was particularly significant, falling by 4.1 per cent to around 5 billion euros. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, according to the VDM, most manufacturers do not expect to see a noticeable recovery in demand beyond the usual seasonal fluctuations. In addition to persistently weak consumer confidence, rising material, energy and wage costs, along with regulatory requirements, are exacerbating the economic situation for the sector."
With the repositioning of imm cologne for 2026, Koelnmesse had responded to the changing market conditions and requirements facing the furniture industry. The evaluation of the January 2026 edition and the current planning for 2027, however, show that this new direction has not yet achieved the sustained response and registrations from market participants that are needed to stage an internationally relevant event next year. Against this backdrop, Koelnmesse has decided to call off imm cologne 2027.
“Our goal is to tailor our event formats so that they offer relevant added value and viable prospects for the respective market participants," says Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse. "In the current conditions, we have to recognise that imm cologne does not currently meet these requirements. Not proceeding with the 2027 edition is therefore the logical decision. Despite this, Cologne remains a key centre for the furniture and interior design industry – with a broad portfolio of events that appeals to different market segments and target groups."
Koelnmesse’s portfolio of events in Cologne will continue to cover offerings for different segments of the furniture and interior design market going forward. idd cologne continues to give high-end residential interior design a strong presence in Cologne: Staged from 27 to 31 October 2026, the urban-only event featured over 140 participating brands. It was hosted parallel to ORGATEC(27–30 October 2026), the leading international trade fair for workspace and contract solutions. Attracting over 40,000 visitors from 121 countries, ORGATEC once again provided strong impetus for the future of workspaces and contract interiors.
Another key element of the interiors destination Cologne is Design Post Köln, which featured in the 2026 editions of both idd cologne and ORGATEC. From 1 January 2027, Koelnmesse will assume full operational responsibility for Design Post and permanently incorporate this location into its trade fair and event architecture. On 13 and 14 March 2027, the venue will make its debut as host of the Küchen-Kompetenz-Tage (KKT), a kitchen furniture event organised by the trade associations Alliance, Der Küchenring and KüchenTreff.
From 11 to 14 May 2027, interzum, the world’s leading trade fair for furniture production and interior design, will once again bring suppliers of materials, technologies and components together with international manufacturers and furniture industry decision-makers at the exhibition grounds in Cologne.
spoga+gafa (15–17 June 2027) and Kind + Jugend (7–9 September 2027) offer suppliers of specialist furniture and interior design collections suitable opportunities to present their products and solutions in relevant industry environments. spoga+gafa caters to the garden and leisure furniture segment as the world’s leading trade fair for garden and BBQ lifestyle, while Kind + Jugend primarily covers children’s furniture and products for their first years.
At the international level, Koelnmesse is also represented worldwide through its extensive portfolio of furniture events in relevant markets, where furniture industry participants gather from across the globe.
www.imm-cologne.com
