The 21st edition of parts2clean, held from October 7–9, 2025, at the Stuttgart Exhibition Center, once again proved its significance as the world’s leading event for industrial component and surface cleaning. Over 165 exhibitors showcased pioneering technologies and intelligent solutions designed to enhance process quality, efficiency, and resource management. The event also drew record attendance at the bilingual p2c.EXPERTFORUM, which continues to be one of the show’s main attractions.
Exhibitors from 16 countries presented advanced systems and innovations for the industrial cleaning sector. Despite challenging market conditions, more than 3,200 trade professionals from 44 nations visited the show, bringing specific projects and technical requirements to discuss with exhibitors.
According to Ramtin Randjbar-Moshtaghin, Project Director at Deutsche Messe AG, the fair saw not only a rise in exhibitor numbers and a net exhibition area of 4,600 square meters, but also a slight increase in visitor attendance compared to 2023. Around 25% of participants came from outside Germany, with particularly strong representation from Switzerland, Austria, Türkiye, and the Netherlands.
Feedback from exhibitors was overwhelmingly positive. Samuel Wolf, Managing Director at vapic GmbH, shared “By the second day, we had already made more contacts than during the entire 2023 event. Visitors came with real projects and even technical drawings, allowing us to dive straight into solution development. About 80% of our contacts were new — a remarkable result.”
A visitor survey showed that 99% of attendees were industry professionals, and roughly 90% are directly involved in investment decisions. More than one-third of participants attended with active procurement or upgrade plans.
Rien van Sliedregt, Commercial Director of Esselent Solutions, noted “We expected fewer visitors due to economic pressures, but the opposite happened. We met more new contacts than in 2023 and received direct requests for quotations at the booth. Many discussions focused on process optimization and cost savings, such as extending bath service life. Given the strong interest, we plan to return in 2027.”
Martin Dreher, Head of Strategic Marketing at acp systems GmbH, emphasized the event’s relevance “parts2clean remains a key platform for us. We held intensive discussions with specialists from electronics, optics, aerospace, microtechnology, and semiconductor sectors. The fair fully met our expectations.”
This year’s exhibits highlighted how automation, digital tools, and AI can improve process reliability, efficiency, and sustainability. Oliver Pelz, Director of Sales at Ecoclean GmbH, explained “We presented several new or updated systems for both solvent and water-based cleaning, as well as AI-assisted monitoring and control solutions. Interest from visitors across industries was exceptional, and we expect strong follow-up business.”
For Juliane Schulze, Managing Director at SITA Messtechnik GmbH, the networking aspect remains essential “Beyond customer meetings, parts2clean is where we exchange ideas with industry peers, identify emerging trends, and connect with key suppliers. It’s a must-attend event for anyone in this field.”
The p2c.EXPERTFORUM, held in German and English with simultaneous interpretation, reached an all-time high of 3,060 participants. The program featured leading experts from research and industry, covering topics from basic cleaning principles to high-purity applications.
“Demand for expert knowledge in industrial cleaning has never been higher,” said Ramtin Randjbar-Moshtaghin. “The forum provides unparalleled educational value for companies and professionals seeking to deepen their technical expertise.”
One of the major highlights on the final day of the event was the presentation of the 4th FiT2clean Innovation Award, hosted by the Industrial Parts Cleaning Association (FiT). The award recognizes forward-thinking developments that address current challenges and advance the field of industrial component cleaning.
This year’s first prize was awarded to BO-INNO GmbH for its smart data tracker, an innovative system that continuously records and stores key process parameters in real time, enabling greater transparency and process control. Nägele Mechanik GmbH and SAFECHEM Europe GmbH followed in second and third place, respectively, earning recognition for their outstanding contributions and technical achievements. The award recognizes groundbreaking solutions and achievements that address current challenges in industrial parts cleaning.
