A new logo and new colors go along with the change. But everything else – format, frequency, dates and venue – remains unchanged. The decision by Deutsche Messe to rebrand the show in this way brings it into line with the company's global portfolio of trade fairs dedicated to surface treatment and finishing. At the same time, the new name conveys simply and directly what exhibiting companies are showing, and what visitors can expect to see there.

"The name 'SurfaceTechnology GERMANY' embraces the entire spectrum of surface treatment technology, and thus reflects exactly what our exhibitors are presenting in Stuttgart every two years for three days at the start of June, with all the materials and all the sectors united at a single event", says Olaf Daebler, responsible for Deutsche Messe's industrial supply and surface treatment trade fairs. "We are adopting the new name effective immediately so it can firmly establish itself in time for the next show in June of 2018."

In use since 2008, O&S stood for "Oberflächen und Schichten" – meaning "Surface Finishes and Coatings". As such, it was not only more restricted in scope, but also aimed more at German-speaking professionals, despite the fact that although the show is clearly targeted at an international audience. In 2016, 23 percent of the exhibitors and 21 percent of the trade visitors came from outside Germany, primarily from neighboring European countries.

"For us as organizers, it's also very helpful to have uniform branding across our entire portfolio of surface technology trade shows", explains Daebler. The SurfaceTechnology brand name is very well known, also internationally. A whole family of events is now held under this international brand. In Germany, SurfaceTechnology GERMANY (formerly O&S) takes place every second year, alternating with the SurfaceTechnology Area at the Industrial Supply trade fair, which itself forms part of the HANNOVER MESSE lineup. Both events cover the complete spectrum of surface treatment and finishing technologies, and each has its own character, defined by the local context. The SurfaceTechnology Area at HANNOVER MESSE benefits from a highly international audience, as well as from synergies with the other flagship fairs taking place under the umbrella of HANNOVER MESSE. SurfaceTechnology GERMANY (formerly O&S) draws its strength from the fact that it takes place in Stuttgart, in the immediate catchment area for its main user sectors, where it also has a strong cross-border appeal for users and buyers based in neighboring European countries.

Other SurfaceTechnology trade shows outside Germany include the annual SurfaceTechnology EURASIA in Istanbul (the most recent event, in February of this year, was still using the old name – "Surface Treatment" – but is likewise about to be rebranded), and SurfaceTechnology NORTH AMERICA, which takes place in even-numbered years in Chicago, where it is staged in parallel with IMTS. Also forming part of the same brand family is parts2clean, the International Trade Fair for Industrial Parts and Surface Cleaning, which takes place every year at the Stuttgart exhibition center. parts2clean pavilions are also a regular feature of SurfaceTechnology EURASIA, and this year for the first time they are being staged in parallel with the CMTS event in Toronto in Canada. The reason why the various parts2clean events have not been subsumed under the SurfaceTechnology brand name is that they constitute a separate category, covering a specific upstream link in the processing chain for industrial surfaces.

The dates for Deutsche Messe's upcoming surface technology trade shows are as follows: