According to the GrindTec organizer AFAG Messen und Ausstellungen, it was in productive talks with the city of Augsburg until the very end to examine the effects of the new Infection Protection Ordinance on the implementation of GrindTec 2020. In Bavaria, additional corona restrictions will apply in future if the incidence value exceeds 100. Among other things, events with more than 50 participants, including trade fairs, will then be prohibited. This incidence value has already been significantly exceeded in the city of Augsburg for days. As a result, GrindTec is currently not feasible. According to the technical assessment of the authorities, it is mathematically impossible that this situation will change by the time GrindTec takes place. The trade fair organizer AFAG has formally applied for a special permit for this particular trade fair, which was rejected. For these reasons, it is now clear that it is de facto impossible and prohibited to hold GrindTec 2020.

Trade fair impression of a past GrindTec. © AFAG Fairs and Exhibitions GmbH

At the press conference last Wednesday, all those involved were still confident that GrindTec 2020 would be able to take place thanks to a hygiene concept developed together with the Free State of Bavaria and the responsible authorities and individually tailored to the exhibition venue and GrindTec. In the night from last Thursday to Friday, the Free State of Bavaria revised the legal framework conditions for events in general and thus also for trade fairs. As a result, AFAG entered into a review with the responsible authorities. In the "dark red" city of Augsburg, the amendment to the Bavarian Infection Protection Measures Ordinance represents a prohibition of the event, which could only have been circumvented by the exemption permit issued today with a negative decision. Yesterday, Tuesday, the Department for Sustainability, Environment, Climate and Health of the City of Augsburg announced to AFAG that an exemption permit cannot be granted due to the current infection situation in the city of Augsburg. According to the BayIfSMV, with the current 7-day incidence, the trade fair would not be feasible in the planned form, but only with a maximum of 50 people. In order for GrindTec to take place as planned, the 7-day incidence would have to be below 100 for six days without interruption. Unfortunately, according to the available forecasts, this is practically impossible. GrindTec 2020 would have been the first trade fair to take place at Messe Augsburg since March. "GrindTec would have been an important signal and economic stimulus not only for the grinding technology industry, but also for some other economic sectors in the Augsburg region, such as service companies, stand builders, cab companies, retailers, hotels and restaurants, a successful restart of the trade fair with GrindTec 2020 would have been existentially important," say Henning and Thilo Könicke. According to official figures, GrindTec 2020 would have generated a good 30 million euros in indirect profitability for the region.