Last week, Nordbygg, Northern Europe’s biggest trade fair for professionals in construction and real estate industry, took place at Stockholmsmässan in Ävsjö, Sweden. 35,000 visitors attended which, combined with the 5,000 people on the stands, gives a total of 40,000 participants. New features for Nordbygg 2024 included the strong involvement of the City of Stockholm and a popular online app.
“We are extremely pleased to have seen so many people attending Nordbygg, in the middle of the worst construction crisis in decades,” comments Lina Hann, project manager for Nordbygg. “It is worth bearing in mind that the exhibitors represented over 900 companies and numerous organisations, with many deals being struck between the participants of the fair”, she adds.
Many innovations
Nordbygg 2024 offered a wide range of new features. For many years now, the urban planning sector has seen a growing commitment to sustainability, as clearly reflected in the on-stage programme, what the exhibitors were offering and the event itself.
New for this year was Solarstadge, a dedicated area for everyone involved in solar energy. Proptech Sweden, a lounge space that brought together companies offering digital tools in the real estate sector, is another example.
The increased focus on international visitors and journalists, with an extended programme of on-stage events in English, was also much appreciated. A further high point was the new meeting concept Nordbygg by Night, which gave exhibitors and visitors an opportunity to network in a more casual setting.
Stage structure reused
Stockholmsmässan’s owner, the City of Stockholm, was a leading presence at the fair, not least through its large stand in the foyer and its on-stage talks.
“It is so great to be able to report that the spectacular Nordbygg Talks stage, which won the New Perspective on Wood architectural award, is going to have a new lease of life with the City of Stockholm,” says Lina Hann.
She also mentions Nordbygg’s new networking app, which was launched just before the event and was actively used by around 5,000 people each day. The app certainly raised the quality of the interactions and gave both exhibitors and visitors even greater opportunities to make new contacts at the fair.
Positive feedback
One of the stands usually full to bursting, despite its considerable size of 145 sqm, was Hydro Building Systems (Sapa), which develops and sells construction systems in aluminium.
“We wanted to create a place that people would enjoy being in, while also prioritising sustainability and innovation. Nordbygg is a fantastic opportunity to bring together customers and our staff from different countries. This year, we really focused on taking our week at Nordbygg to the next level, and it was a great success. At this fair we unveiled a new sustainable facade that has attracted the attention of both visitors and people in the industry”, says Hanna Bouveng, communication manager Hydro Building Systems Nordic+.
Busy with rebookings
Nordbygg 2026 will be held on 21–24 April at Stockholmsmässan. As usual, rebooking began before the week was even over.
“The majority of our exhibitors book themselves in during the early bird period up until the summer of the current year. So we are already looking forward to getting together again at Stockholmsmässan in April 2026,” concludes Lina Hann.
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