Interlift 2025:
the sector met in Nuremberg
From 14 to 17 October, Interlift, the international trade fair dedicated to the lift industry, was held for the first time at Messe Nürnberg. For four days, the German city became the new “ Lift city”, after many editions of Interlift had been held in Augsburg.
At the final press conference, Achim Hütter (President of VFA-Interlift e.V.) expressed, on behalf of the organisers, “great satisfaction with this edition”, which he described as “the biggest ever”.
On the opening day of the trade fair on 14 October, Achim Hütter gave an overview of Interlift 2025: “For the first time, the world’s leading trade fair for lift technology is being held in the Franconian metropolis, continuing its long history of success.”
“With over 500 national and international exhibitors, Nuremberg will become the new Lift City for four days” continued Achim Hütter in his overview.
“In 2025, visitors can look forward to numerous new products from the world of lift technology: from technological components to cutting-edge system solutions and digital applications” concluded Achim Hütter.
Achim Hütter, President of VFA-Interlift, during the opening ceremony of Interlift 2025
Interlift 2025, the opening ceremony
Over 500 exhibitors from 39 countries participated in Interlift 2025. The exhibition space covered approximately 50,000 square metres in six halls at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre, accessible via two large entrance areas (NCC Ost and NCC Mitte), creating, according to the organisers, an ideal circular route for visitors to the fair. At the opening conference on 14 October, the managing directors of the trade fair organiser AFAG, Henning and Thilo Könicke, welcomed the industry to Nuremberg for the first time: “With its expansion in terms of space and exciting developments in terms of content, this year’s trade fair marks a milestone. The new venue allows for further growth and modern presentation opportunities: ideal conditions for intensive exchange, inspiration and new partnerships. Already in the run-up to the event, there is a high level of interest among visitors and the industry is eagerly awaiting the new Interlift venue. The new venue allows for further growth and modern presentation opportunities: ideal conditions for intensive exchange, inspiration and new partnerships.”
Henning and Thilo Könicke, managing directors of trade fair organiser AFAG, during the opening ceremony of Interlift 2025.
Wim Koster, President of ELA, during the opening ceremony of Interlift 2025.
Around 75% of exhibitors came from abroad, underlining the international character of the event. All the major associations and organisations in the sector were also present in Nuremberg.
Thanks to the joint participation of Italy, China and India, even smaller international exhibitors were able to successfully present themselves at the fair. Most of the companies came from Germany, China, Italy, Turkey, India, Greece and the United Kingdom. There were also exhibitors from Spain, represented by a larger number of exhibitors than in previous years.
The audience during the opening ceremony of Interlift 2025.
Elevatori Magazine at Interlift 2025
From 14 to 17 October 2025, Elevatori Magazine was present at Interlift, the international trade fair dedicated to the world of vertical transport, which this year was held in Nuremberg (Germany). On this occasion, we presented the new issue of Elevatori Magazine (No. 5/2025) and the new edition of ‘How it works 7 – Sustainability’, dedicated to environmental issues and best practices for a greener future in the lift sector.
‘How it works 7 – Sustainability‘ was also officially presented at the VFA Forum on 17 October at 9:30 a.m., with a speech by Maddalena Parotelli, Editor-in-Chief of Elevatori Magazine, and Claudio Donghi, Technical Supervisor of the work.
The editorial staff would like to thank all the readers, authors and friends of Elevatori Magazine who visited our stand and wanted to discover the latest editorial news and share ideas and projects on the future of vertical transport.
VFA-Forum interlift 2025
The VFA Forum offered high-quality presentations throughout Interlift and was organised by VFA-Interlift, the trade fair’s professional sponsor. In over 40 specialist presentations, experts shed light on current topics such as standardisation, digitalisation, sustainability, securing skilled labour, market trends and technical developments.
The central theme of the forum in 2025 was digitalisation: from artificial intelligence and IT security to smart services, the programme offered a wide range of perspectives on digital innovations. Other focal points included new products, sustainable modernisation, international standards and regulatory requirements. Internationally renowned speakers, including Esfandiar Gharibaan and Daniel Bisang, were engaged for the presentations.
With market analyses from South America, Africa, India and the Middle East, the forum broadened its perspective beyond Germany’s national borders and provided an overview of global developments.
A highlight was the SME special on the first day of the forum (Tuesday, 14 October), which addressed topics of interest to small and medium-sized enterprises, including sustainable modernisation concepts, innovative design recommendations, future-proof rope technologies and new approaches to the lift experience.
The programme is complemented by contributions on standards and safety – with a focus on the upcoming changes brought about by ISO 8100-1/2 and the new Machinery Directive.
‘How it works 7 – Sustainability’ presented at the VFA Forum
‘How it works 7 – Sustainability’ is the latest volume in the successful ‘How it works’ series, which reveals the secrets of vertical transport systems. The book, presented and distributed in preview at Interlift, is available in digital format on the magazine’s e-commerce site and in print on Amazon, and will be available at major industry events. This volume is entirely dedicated to the theme of sustainability in the vertical transport sector and, more generally, in industry, for example in terms of business systems, products and services.
This unique work is the result of articles and in-depth analyses that give a voice to experts from companies and associations. ‘Come funziona 7 – Sostenibilità’ (How it works 7 – Sustainability) is the result of a year of collaboration with companies and associations in our sector, which has allowed us to gather editorial contributions from numerous experts (in the lift, IT, construction and notified body sectors) who introduce us to the green revolution already underway in recent years. The book aims to recount the commitment of the vertical transport sector, new products, best practices and research that will not only help to tackle the climate crisis we are experiencing, but will also offer new opportunities for growth, innovation and competitiveness for the entire sector, contributing to a more sustainable and responsible future.
During the presentation, Maddalena Parotelli explained the reasons that led the editorial team to dedicate a volume of the “How it works” series to sustainability: “While the European Green Deal is pushing for change in the construction sector, the lift industry must work together to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. ‘Come funziona 7’ shows the steps our industry is taking towards environmental sustainability.
In this book, we have collected articles written by industry experts. Many of them are here today, and we would like to thank them all.”
During his speech, Claudio Donghi explained: “Sustainability means taking care responsibly of the future, creating a positive impact on society, planet and local community & economic system.” “Lifts – he added – are not only functional elements, but also active components in the green transition, contributing to the decarbonisation of the built environment, through the delivery of sustainable solutions in the life cycle of the equipment. The renewal of elevator systems (7,000,000 lifts only in Europe) can become an opportunity to reduce energy consumption with regenerative drives, choose recycled or certified materials, improve indoor air quality and acoustic comfort, and enhance accessibility for people with disabilities or reduced mobility. Smart and flexible solutions can promote circular economy.”
Maddalena Parotelli and Claudio Donghi.
Maddalena Parotelli during the conference on “How it works 7 – Sustainability” at the VFA Forum.
The audience in attendance
Claudio Donghi during the conference on “How it works 7 – Sustainability” at the VFA Forum.
The audience in attendance
The ‘EXHIBITOR EVENING’
On the evening of October 15, the traditional party for exhibitors was held in a dedicated pavilion at Interlift. The theme for the evening was western, with game areas for guests’ entertainment, as well as food and beverage areas. It was an evening of fun, spent enjoying leisure time together.
Guests were warmly welcomed by the organizers, Henning and Thilo Könicke, and Achim Hütter.
The closing conference of Interlift 2025
Here is the video of the closing conference of Interlift 2025: click here to watch it on YouTube.
At the final press conference, Achim Hütter (President of VFA-Interlift e.V.) expressed, on behalf of the organisers, ‘great satisfaction with this edition,’ which he described as ‘the biggest ever.’
‘There were 516 exhibitors, while visitors exceeded 25,000 by 11 a.m. on the last day of the fair’: these are the figures given by Henning Könicke, managing director of the fair organiser AFAG, during the closing conference of the event.
From left: Thilo Könicke and Henning Könicke (Managing Directors of AFAG), Achim Hütter (President of VFA-Interlift e.V.), Michael Gubisch (Vice President of VFA-Interlift e.V.), Peter Zeitler (Member of the Board VFA-Interlift e.V.), Stephan Rohr (Treasurer VFA-Interlift e.V.) and Tim Ebeling (Member of the Board VFA-Interlift e.V.).
At the end of the fair, the organisers announced that over 25,000 visitors from more than 100 countries had attended the interlift fair in Nuremberg. The largest group of visitors came from Germany, followed by Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Great Britain, China and Turkey.
The next edition of Interlift will be held from 12 to 15 October 2027 in Nuremberg, Germany.
