VdS-FireSafety Cologne 2023 Attracted More Fire Protection Enthusiasts Than Ever Before

Over 4,400 trade visitors from a total of 20 countries came to the Koelnmesse on 6 and 7 December 2023 to take part in the VdS-FireSafety Cologne 2023 event. This was a new visitor record.

After the opening by the Mayor of Cologne, Dr. Ralf Heinen, things got underway on St Nicholas' Day: 150 exhibitors presented innovative solutions and brought the latest fire protection technology to life with live demonstrations.

This included, for example, a demonstration of a high-pressure sprinkler system from Danfoss. The company Jutec had placed a car in the exhibition hall where interested visitors could for themselves try out the use of fire protection blankets. 

Topic of fire protection

The idea: to get young target groups interested in the topic of fire protection and its diverse job profiles

The VdS laboratory was represented with its own stand and displayed a mobile functional oven in which the function and K-factor of sprinklers from old systems are tested.

Guided tours of the trade fair gave visitors a good overview of interesting innovations. A special feature this year: students from Furtwangen University had developed a concept for the tours, including special tours for schoolchildren.

The idea: to get young target groups interested in the topic of fire protection and its diverse job profiles. The program was particularly well received by vocational school students.

VdS-FireSafetyTalk and specialist forums

The large exhibition stage was also very busy, offering a sophisticated information program on both days: In moderated panel discussions lasting 90 minutes each, high-caliber fire protection experts discussed the topics of "Fire protection as a hurdle to digitalization!" and "Fire protection in timber construction" at the VdS-FireSafetyTalk.

The topics of "Lithium-ion batteries," "AI," "Sustainability in fire protection" and many more were discussed at the Future Forum Fire Protection and the exhibitor forum.

VdS conferences

Traditional "Fire extinguishing systems" conference was a two-day event with global topics

As always, the visit to the trade fair could be perfectly combined with a visit to the specialist conferences, which took place on both days in the congress halls right next door.

As every second year, the traditional "Fire extinguishing systems" conference was a two-day event with international topics and simultaneous German/English translation. It was fully booked long before the start of the event.

The other six specialist conferences were also very well attended: the "Advanced Training Seminar for Fire Safety Officers," the expert conferences "Hydrant Systems," "Structural Fire Protection," "Fire Detection and Alarm Systems," "Smoke and Heat Exhaust Systems," and the compact seminar "Building and Fire Protection in NRW."

VdS-BrandSchutzTage 2024

Next year, the big industry get-together will take place on 4 and 5 December 2024 - as always at Koelnmesse and, as of this year, in the (larger) exhibition hall 10.1.