GrindingHub 2026 Leads in a Challenging Market

Grinding Hub 2026 is gaining momentum: With more than 430 exhibitors from 28 countries, the leading trade fair in Stuttgart from May 5 to 8 is once again sending a strong signal to the industry this year.

Economic conditions remain challenging. German production of grinding, honing, lapping, and polishing machines reached a volume of 626 million euros in the first three quarters of 2025, down 15% from the previous year. The decline was particularly pronounced in exports: Exports fell to 456 million euros, a drop of 25%. Domestic sales, by contrast, developed positively, rising by 33% to 170 million euros from January to September 2025.
Order intake weakened toward the end of 2025, resulting in a 5% decline for the year. While the domestic market showed significant weakness, international business remained stable for the most part. “The figures clearly show that the industry is operating in a challenging environment. At the same time, we see a high level of innovation among many companies. Especially in such a phase, there is a need for guidance, exchange, and concrete business opportunities—and that is exactly what Grinding Hub offers,” says Dr. Markus Heering, Managing Director of the VDW and organizer of Grinding Hub.

More than 430 exhibitors have confirmed their participation at Grinding Hub. In three halls of the Stuttgart Exhibition Center, exhibitors—primarily from Germany, China, Switzerland, and Italy—will present their innovations across the entire value chain—from grinding machines and abrasives to process peripherals and software, all the way to measurement and testing technology. Switzerland’s strong presence underscores the importance of grinding technology for its industry. “Grinding machines account for about one-fifth of Swiss machine tool exports. The relevance of this technology for our member companies is correspondingly high,” explains Christoph Blättler of Swissmem, the Swiss Technology Industry Association. The “Grinding Pavilion Switzerland” offers smaller companies in particular an efficient opportunity to establish a trade show presence.

Grinding Hub to Debut in the U.S. in 2027

In addition to discussing this year’s event in Germany, Sebastian Esswein, a member of the executive board at Messe Stuttgart, also provided an outlook on the international expansion of Grinding Hub. From May 18–20, 2027, Grinding Hub Americas will make its debut at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. "With Grinding Hub Americas, we are establishing the first and only trade fair in North America next year that is exclusively dedicated to grinding technology," explains Esswein. Cincinnati stands out due to its location at the heart of major manufacturing clusters, particularly in the automotive and aerospace industries. "This puts us close to the market and allows us to create a new platform that is precisely tailored to the industry’s needs."

This is a partly automated translation of this german article.