MEET TECHNOLOGY LEADERS SPANNING THE ENTIRE PROCESS CHAIN

Welcome to PaintExpo, the world's leading trade fair for industrial coating technology! The trade fair spans the entire range of international products and services in the supply chain for industrial coating technology. The wide spectrum of products extends from spray guns, equipment and materials to automation technology. This globally unique get-together of companies from the industry is unparalleled worldwide, making it highly attractive for coating service providers and in-house coating companies from around the world.

PaintExpo at a Glance  
Fair duration: 14 to 17 April 2026
Opening times: 14 to 16 April 2026: 9 am–5 pm
17 April 2026: 9 am–4 pm
Event location: Messe Karlsruhe
Messeallee 1
76287 Rheinstetten
Halls 1–3
Email: info@paintexpo.de
Ticket shop: Buy your ticket now

Offer areas

The product range includes the following areas:

  • Systems and equipment for liquid painting, powder coating and coil coating
  • Application systems and spray guns
  • Wet paints and powder coatings
  • Automation and conveyor technology
  • Compressed air technology
  • Cleaning and pre-treatment
  • Drying and curing
  • Environmental technology, air supply and exhaust air purification, water treatment, recycling and disposal
  • Accessories, e.g. covering materials and systems, hangers, filters, pumps
  • Measuring and test technology, quality assurance
  • Paint stripping
  • Job-shop coatings
  • Packaging
  • Services
  • Training and vocational education
  • Research
  • Technical literature

Visas: Quick Help With Questions About Visas

Visas

Visa Service

EU citizens do not require a visa to enter Germany.

All nationals who do require a visa can find the relevant information here:

Important: Please schedule an appointment with the relevant visa office as early as possible to ensure you can submit your visa application well in time before the trade show.

Visa Application – What You Need to Know

  • In general, applications must be submitted in person to the German embassy or consulate responsible for your country of residence.
  • Information on the required documents is available on the website of the respective German mission abroad

You will typically need the following documents:

  • Completed visa application form
  • Valid passport
  • Confirmed travel bookings (e.g. flight, train, hotel)
  • Proof of health insurance
  • For exhibitors: additionally, exhibitor pass or stand invoice
  • For visitors: a trade fair ticket

Invitation Letter

According to a directive issued by the German Federal Foreign Office (July 2013), an invitation letter from the trade fair organizer is generally no longer required for trade fair visa applications.

In addition, exhibitors are exempt from the visa fee.

Please refer to this regulation when submitting your visa application.

If an invitation letter is still required, please complete the following form:

Invitation letter for visa application

Important Notes about the Invitation Letter

  • Invitation letters can be requested no earlier than four months before the event starts.
  • Invitation letters will only be issued to congress delegates, exhibitors and trade visitors of the particular trade show or congress who can prove their professional connection to the industry.
  • All data are processed exactly as entered in the online form. Corrections are not possible. If any information is incorrect, you must submit the form again.
  • The invitation letter is sent by email only as a PDF document. We do not send visa invitation letters by fax – neither to you nor to embassies.
  • Processing may take up to four working days and cannot be expedited.
  • Please check your spam folder before contacting us about a missing invitation.
  • Purchasing a trade show ticket does not automatically entitle you to receive an invitation letter.

If you come from the following countries, please contact the foreign representative of Leipziger Messe in your country of origin. The respective representatives will assist you with the visa application - including, for example, the letter of invitation.

Ukraine

Kiev office
Phone: +38 044 4905327
Email: ukraine@leipziger-messe.de

Turkey

Istanbul office
Agora Turizm ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Phone: +90 212 2418171
Email: altinova@agoratourism.com

Contact

If you have any questions about your visa application, please contact the Leipziger Messe representative office in your country:
Overview of international representatives

Or get in touch directly with our Visa Service:
visa@leipziger-messe.de

Great Reasons to Visit PaintExpo

Leading World Trade Fair

PaintExpo is the most important platform for all aspects of industrial coating technology and a vital event for the industry. Numerous market and technology leaders will be exhibiting at this who's who of the industrial coating technology business.

Comprehensive Range of Exhibits

More than 500 exhibitors will cover the entire range of international products and services in the supply chain for industrial coating technology. The portfolio of products and services ranges from pre-treatment, coatings, plant and application technology to final inspection and packaging.

Trend Barometer

PaintExpo focuses on the latest products, applications and future technologies in the coating industry and serves as a trend indicator for both domestic visitors and those from abroad.

Essential Information and Procurement Platform

PaintExpo is a globally unique get-together of exhibitors from the coating technology industry. This makes it highly attractive for coating service providers and in-house coating companies around the world and has established the event as the number one platform for information and procurement.

Space for Professional Exchange

Over the four days of the fair, PaintExpo offers plenty of scope for intensive technical discussions and networking with industry players from all sectors of the international paint technology industry.

Impressions

Impressions PaintExpo 2024