Visitor statements at glasstec 2026

Düsseldorf is a long way from home for Fish Chow – yet she keeps coming back. “I’ve been here several times, and the long journey is always worth it,” says the Foreign Trade Manager at Wuning Honghui New Material. The Chinese company supplies raw materials to the glass industry and has been producing PVB film since 2014. This plastic interlayer is laminated between two panes of glass and holds the fragments together if the glass breaks – the basic principle of laminated safety glass, as used in windscreens and façades, for example. At glasstec, Chow’s focus is on maintaining contacts. “I meet a great many important and relevant people from the industry here,” she explains. “I consider personal exchange, including the social side, to be essential.” Once her many meetings are done, she has one more plan: “I’d love to go shopping. Düsseldorf city centre has a lot to offer.”

Torsten Röder doesn’t have far to travel to glasstec: he lives near Düsseldorf. He has been coming to the fair since 2000 in a variety of roles – among other things, he previously worked for Saint-Gobain. Today he is System Engineer Expansion at 3S Swiss Solar Solutions. The Swiss company develops and manufactures building-integrated solar systems for roofs, façades, railings and canopies. The modules replace conventional building components while generating electricity at the same time. “I’m looking for new developments in the areas that matter to me – flat glass, fittings and glass balconies, for example,” says Röder. The link with balconies is obvious, as 3S’s portfolio also includes solar railings. When it comes to the wider framework, he sees room for improvement. “I would like solar to get more attention in economic policy,” he emphasises. “There is still some catching up to do.”

“Today, glasstec reflects the global industry – and it is more international than ever,” states Claus Husmer. He should know: the Dane has been coming to Düsseldorf for 30 years. As Director, he runs the glazing company Husmer Glas & Façade in Frederikssund, north-west of Copenhagen. With around 20 employees, the family business manufactures and installs glass façades, glass roofs, conservatories, and aluminium and steel windows and doors for private and commercial customers. As a visitor to the fair, he is mainly interested in innovation. “I want to see what will be relevant in the future,” he explains. Husmer is optimistic about the economic outlook: “Denmark is well positioned. But like everyone, we are also exposed to other influences at a global level.” He sees great opportunities in digitalisation: "Social media has made the market more transparent. We can more easily see how others are positioning themselves and at the same time better address our customers. The opportunities for expansion are great."

Their glasstec schedule is tightly packed: Shalom Admoni, Edo Magen and Dori Ashkenazy have travelled from Israel as dealers and distributors, and their focus is on meeting suppliers. “We find the conferences interesting, but we simply don’t have time for the whole program,” they report. The conversation quickly turns to market developments. “Competition has increased and conditions have become tougher, especially on price,” explain the visitors from Tel Aviv. Working with industry has changed too, they state: “projects are being delayed and decisions are taking longer – a consequence of the global situation.” That makes the trade fair all the more important to the trio.“ Right now, glasstec is especially important for maintaining personal contacts and agreeing things face to face,” they sum up.

“I come to every glasstec,” says Robert Foster from Belfast. His company, New World Developments, is based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, and trades as Apeer, manufacturing composite front doors, door panels and decorative glass units. Foster himself works in safety glass. “It is mandatory in doors so that, if broken, the glass does not shatter into sharp shards that could injure anyone. Typical options are tempered glass, which breaks into small blunt fragments, and laminated glass, whose interlayer holds the pieces together." At the fair, he is looking for equipment to help optimise production processes. “Especially now, with price pressure rising, the meetings and the input here in Düsseldorf are particularly important,” he emphasises. Business aside, there is always time for some enjoyment: “A visit to the Altstadt is an absolute must,” adds the Northern Irishman.

Noa Ben Or is new to the glass industry and is visiting glasstec for the first time. As Managing Director Sales, she represents the Turkish branch of National Glass Products, a supplier of float and architectural glass headquartered in Coral Gables, Florida. Its glass is produced in Turkey, and the company operates internationally. “My goal is to learn as much as possible about the industry here,” she says. She is particularly interested in sustainability and bird protection. The sales director explains further: “Bird-friendly glass features patterns or coatings that birds perceive as an obstacle. Some of them work in the UV range and are barely visible to the human eye. This helps to prevent collisions with large glazed surfaces. I also want to see what’s new on the market in general.” She is quick to sum up what makes the fair special for her: “glasstec is the best place to meet international colleagues and customers. It’s simply perfect.”

Max Gymnich has been visiting glasstec regularly since 1998. As the owner of a glazing business, he sees keeping up with trends and innovations as a matter of course: “I’m interested in everything to do with interior fit-out for my end customers – fittings, insulation and vacuum glass, to name just a few.” He is accompanied by Ben Wiechert: “I actually have no connection to the glass industry at all, but I was happy to come along and find out about the possibilities glass offers. The fair has something for everyone, no matter how deeply rooted you are in the industry.” Handwerk live and glass art vividly demonstrate how glass can be used to create both works of art and practical objects. “We don’t have much time, and there’s a lot to see. Without the fair’s app, I wouldn’t have been able to organise myself so well or identify exhibitors in advance. It’s also a big networking event for the industry, and I’m looking forward to some open exchange.”

Marcin Kaminski has a clear plan for glasstec: he is here on every day of the fair and works through his schedule methodically. “The fair is so big that I need the whole time,” explains the Industrial Engineering Manager. “If I’m lucky, I’ll get to all my meetings – only then will I take in a conference.” His employer Signify, formerly Philips Lighting, markets lighting under the Philips and Interact brands. At its site in Piła, Poland, the company manufactures components such as glass tubes for lighting applications. “We are number one in lighting,” Kaminski emphasises. In Düsseldorf, his main interests are machinery and design. He knows glasstec from previous visits, the last of which was four years ago. What has changed since then? “The fair has become even more international,” he observes, summing up: “It is by far the biggest trade fair for the glass industry.”