Change as an opportunity: the COPETRI Convention at Fredenhagen

"Lots of input, especially on the topic of sustainability", "cool location and good speakers" or even "interdisciplinary and colorful": Anyone who asked visitors to the Copetri Convention, or insiders Concon24, quickly got a good impression of what happened on the Fredenhagen site on Tuesday, May 14 and Wednesday, May 15. For the third time now, the site of the former lifting and conveyor system manufacturer Fredenhagen on Sprendlinger Landstraße had been transformed into a rather atypical trade fair site, with food trucks outside in the sunshine serving burgers, bowls and fries, the Frankfurt Skyliners throwing balls and comfortable seating for chilling out and chatting.

The atmosphere in the hall was also very relaxed, with various companies presenting their ideas on organization, HR and the pressing issues of the future at the airy stands. The latter were also addressed on the various stages and in workshops: "Constant Change: Let's turn it into Chances" was the title of the program, which focused on the opportunities of change, artificial intelligence, organization, culture & leadership, innovation strategies and ESG (environmental, social and governance) as a competitive advantage. The two-day program comprised 241 formats with panels, workshops and a total of 258 speakers.

In addition to well-known companies such as BMW, Bosch, Daimler, Deutsche Bahn and IBM Germany, the controller and valve manufacturer Samson AG was also a guest at Cocon24. Its CEO Dr. Andreas Widl presented the topic of ambidexterity on the main stage, which describes the ability of a company to simultaneously drive forward its operational business and the development of innovations. Dr. Widl explained how this works using the MainChange project, Samson's relocation to the innovation campus in Offenbach. The Samson CEO also spoke about the importance of AI in production value creation and the special role of managers in times of change.

The feedback from the conspicuously young audience also showed that COCON24 has its finger on the pulse of the times. "Sustainability communication and the location are great," said Susanne Lampas from Best Friend Agentur Kommunikation GmbH, attesting to the convention. She had traveled from Berlin and also praised the shuttle buses that took visitors to the site. The old hall was impressive and contributed to the exchange, at least that was the impression of Klaus Konrad, who had traveled from Munich for the company Effectory. "The location sets the vibe, it's more relaxed, more honest and more laid-back than at other trade fairs. We also met exactly our target group here, we are satisfied." Miriam Deimel also liked the mix of old and new on the site. The former climate manager now works as a project manager for Cologne-based Zarinfar GmbH and was particularly interested in sustainability and transformation topics. She said that she had already gained a lot of input on day one: "This is a real boost of courage and inspiration here."

Wirtschaftsförderung Offenbach supported the organizers during the planning phase and will continue to support the organizers in implementing COPETRI 2025 next year. The date for COCON2025 has already been set: it will take place on 3 and 4 June next year at the Fredenhagen site in Offenbach.

Further information: