Parts Finishing 2025, the inaugural trade show scheduled for November 12-13, 2025, at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Center in Germany, has been canceled by organizer fairXperts GmbH & Co. KG due to economic uncertainty and declining exhibitor participation.
About Parts Finishing Trade Show
Parts Finishing represents an evolution of the established DeburringExpo, which has been held biennially in Karlsruhe since 2015 as Europe's leading trade fair for deburring technologies and precision surfaces. Previous DeburringExpo events were held at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre, with the 2019 edition featuring 180 exhibitors from 14 countries.
The new Parts Finishing concept was designed to combine three key industrial sectors under one roof: deburring technologies, component cleaning, and surface finishing. This represented a strategic shift from the standalone DeburringExpo format to address changing market dynamics and industry consolidation trends.
Cancellation Details
According to Nicolas Herdin, managing director of fairXperts GmbH & Co. KG, the decision came after several companies withdrew their registrations despite initially positive response to the new trade show concept.
"Actually, we received a very positive response to this idea from the outset and, until about six weeks ago, we also had a promising number of registrations," Herdin explained. "In the meantime, however, various companies have canceled their registrations."
The cancellations were attributed to multiple factors, including:
- Corporate cost-cutting measures
- General economic uncertainty
- Difficulty in forecasting business development
This reflects broader economic challenges highlighted by the IFO Business Climate Index, a closely watched monthly survey of around 9,000 German companies that measures business sentiment and economic expectations. The index showed only slight improvement in company sentiment in July, with continued uncertainty affecting investment and trade show participation decisions.
Similar cautious sentiment is evident in U.S. manufacturing indicators, suggesting this is a global rather than purely European phenomenon. The ISM Manufacturing PMI fell to 48.0 in July 2025 (below the 50-point threshold, indicating contraction), while the NFIB Business Optimism Index also declined. These parallel trends indicate that manufacturing uncertainty and cautious investment behavior are affecting companies on both sides of the Atlantic.
Industry Impact
The cancellation underscores the current challenges facing the manufacturing and finishing industries. Despite the IFO Business Climate Index showing marginal improvement in July business sentiment, companies remain cautious about major expenditures, including trade show participation.
"Despite the financial losses, we believe this is a better alternative than holding an event that would ultimately leave both exhibitors and visitors dissatisfied," Herdin stated.
Future Plans
FairXperts management plans to work with its exhibitor advisory board to determine the future direction of Parts Finishing and consider alternative dates when market conditions improve.
Background on Karlsruhe Exhibition Center
The Karlsruhe Exhibition Center has hosted the DeburringExpo regularly since 2015, establishing itself as the primary venue for deburring and precision surface finishing technologies in Europe. The venue was selected to continue hosting the expanded Parts Finishing concept before the cancellation.
For more information, contact fairXperts GmbH & Co. KG at Hauptstrasse 7, 72639 Neuffen, Germany, Phone +49 (0)7025 8434-0, or email [email protected].