MCH Group: Setting the course in Basel
MCH is setting the course for the restructuring measures needed in the wake of the dramatic decline of the Baselworld watch and jewelry fair. Cost-cutting measures and investments in Baselworld and Art Basel are part of what the MCH Group itself describes as a «far-reaching transformation.».
As part of this process, the development of regional art fairs will not be pursued further and the participations in Art Düsseldorf and the India Art Fair will be sold and the participation in Art Singapore will be discontinued. However, the successful Art Basel will continue to take place in Basel, Miami and Hong Kong. For the time being, the planned expansion of the "Grand Basel" car show will be abandoned.
The MCH Group also wants to strengthen and invest in the exhibitions held within Switzerland that are still going well. This is certainly the right approach in times of restructuring. However, it remains to be seen what the shrinking market in terms of exhibitors and digitalization will allow. The transformation of the exhibition business is essentially one that is determined by the market, not by the MCH Group, however good its will may be.
And what will happen to the American event service provider MC2, which was acquired for a lot of money? "MC2 is also to be further strengthened and, together with our other Live Marketing Solutions units, become even more active internationally, for example in Asia. The sale of MC2 is not an issue for us," explains Christian Jecker, Head of Communications at the MCH Group. http://www.messe.ch (US)
