A chemical trade fair exhibitor list shows raw material producers, distributors and formulators in one table. To find customers, separate these three roles first: producers look for distributors and large formulators, distributors look for new suppliers, and formulators look for raw materials and packaging. Read the roles correctly and one list becomes a focused target.
Who exhibits at chemical trade fairs?
- Producers
- Makers of basic chemicals, petrochemicals, resins, pigments, surfactants and speciality chemicals.
- Distributors
- Firms that hold stock in a country or region, sell in smaller packs, give technical support and often handle local registration work.
- Formulators
- Companies that blend raw materials into finished products: paints and coatings, adhesives, detergents, cosmetics, lubricants, crop protection.
- Equipment
- Laboratory and measuring instruments, reactors, pumps, mixers, filling and process automation.
- Services
- Contract manufacturing, testing laboratories, logistics and regulatory consultancy.
One company can play more than one role: a large producer may run its own distribution, and a distributor may do small-scale formulation. The product and service pages on each company's website are the quickest way to tell.
Which chemical trade fairs stand out?
- Turkchem: the chemicals fair held by Artkim at the Istanbul Expo Center (IFM). It covers speciality and general chemicals, petrochemicals, laboratory and measuring equipment, process and automation, packaging and recycling.
- ACHEMA: the world fair for the process industries in Frankfurt, held every three years by DECHEMA Ausstellungs-GmbH. Chemical engineering, process equipment, laboratory and pharmaceutical production technology meet here. According to the organiser, the edition after 2024 takes place in 2027.
- CPHI: the annual European pharmaceutical supply chain fair run by Informa Markets, with zones for active ingredients (APIs), excipients and fine chemicals, contract manufacturing and packaging. The venue changes between editions: according to the organiser, the 2026 edition was held in Milan and the 2027 edition takes place in Frankfurt.
Directory pages: Turkchem, ACHEMA and CPHI. Names without a link have no upcoming edition in the directory yet. Always confirm dates and venues on the official site.
Which chemical trade fairs are coming up?
Our directory currently holds 16 upcoming fairs tagged Chemicals, 2 of them with a ready exhibitor list. Fairs with a ready list come first.
| Trade fair | Dates | Location | Exhibitor list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkchem 2026 (Kimya) | 25–27 November 2026 | Istanbul, Türkiye | Ready, 543 companies |
| ARABPLAST | 24–26 March 2027 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | Ready, 703 companies |
| KHIMIA (CHEMIE) | 9–12 November 2026 | Moscow, Russia | Not yet |
| CleanExpo Moscow | 17–19 November 2026 | Moscow, Russia | Not yet |
| Eurasia Glass - Glass Products and Applications, Production-Processing Technologies, and Machinery, Auxiliary Products and Chemicals Fair | 21–24 November 2026 | Istanbul, Türkiye | Not yet |
| ARABLAB LIVE KSA | 14–15 December 2026 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Not yet |
| Reisen & Caravaning Chemnitz | 8–10 January 2027 | Chemnitz, Germany | Not yet |
| SIL - Salon International de la LINGERIE | 16–18 January 2027 | Paris, France | Not yet |
| Baumesse Chemnitz | 5–7 February 2027 | Chemnitz, Germany | Not yet |
| Chemnitzer Frühling | 12–14 March 2027 | Chemnitz, Germany | Not yet |
| Saudi Print & Pack / Saudi Plastics & Petrochem | 18–21 April 2027 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Not yet |
| European Coatings Show - + ADHESIVES - SEALANTS - CONSTRUCTION CHEMICALS | 27–29 April 2027 | Nuremberg, Germany | Not yet |
| Chemspec Europe | 24–25 May 2027 | Basel, Switzerland | Not yet |
| LabASIA | 9–11 June 2027 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Not yet |
| ACHEMA | 14–18 June 2027 | Frankfurt, Germany | Not yet |
Every fair, with month and country filters, is on the chemical trade fairs page; fairs with a ready list are under exhibitor lists.
Countries with the most chemicals fairs: Germany, Saudi Arabia.
Producer, distributor or formulator: who should you look for?
| You are | Companies to look for |
|---|---|
| Raw material or speciality chemical producer | Distributors in your target country; large formulators for high volumes (set competing producers aside) |
| Distributor | Producers whose range fits yours and who have no representative in your country yet |
| Formulator (paints, detergents, cosmetics) | Raw material and packaging suppliers; for buyers of finished goods, the fairs of your own sector |
| Equipment or laboratory instrument maker | Producers and formulators with their own plants, equipment dealers in your target country |
| Contract manufacturing or testing | Formulators short of capacity and foreign producers entering a new market |
Buyers of finished goods (DIY chains, industry, cosmetics brands) mostly visit chemical fairs rather than exhibit. You reach them more reliably through their own sector fairs; see our articles on medical trade fairs for the pharmaceutical side and packaging and plastics fairs for packaging.
How do REACH rules affect who you approach?
Registration status is one of the first questions in any chemicals sale. A general picture of the main regimes helps you write the right message to the right company:
- EU REACH (Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006): substances made in or imported into the EU at one tonne or more a year are registered with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Registration is done by an EU-based manufacturer or importer; a non-EU manufacturer can appoint an only representative.
- UK REACH: since Brexit, Great Britain has its own regime run by the Health and Safety Executive. An EU registration does not cover Great Britain.
- Turkey (KKDIK): a REACH-style regulation of its own. EU REACH registrations are not recognised there; registration deadlines are phased by tonnage and hazard class between 2026 and 2030.
In practice, an EU distributor or importer in the list will ask early on who carries the registration burden. State your registration status plainly in the first message, and never claim one you do not hold. This section is general information, not legal advice; check the official texts and regulator guidance.
How do you use the list around the fair dates?
- Six to eight weeks ahead: split the list into producers, distributors and formulators, then pick 30 to 80 firms from the group that fits you.
- Four to five weeks ahead: send a short introduction and ask for a stand meeting. See our meeting request email templates.
- Fair week: have technical data sheets (TDS) and safety data sheets (SDS) ready; chemical conversations usually move forward on these documents.
- After the fair: reply at once to sample requests and send a brief follow-up to the rest. See trade fair follow-up.
These time frames are rough practical guidance, not measured figures.
In Expomatik the list is opened in your account; campaigns go to each company's general address, results are tracked by replies and opens are not measured. If you are not travelling, our guide to reaching exhibitors without attending shows how to use the same list remotely.
What does a short, honest first message look like?
Subject: Bio-based solvents for your coating formulations
Hello, we would be grateful if you could pass this to your purchasing or R&D team.
We are a producer in the north-west of England making bio-based solvents for coatings and cleaning products; data sheets and safety data sheets are attached. We would like to meet at the fair or send a sample. If you share your annual volume, we can prepare a quote.
If this is not relevant, a short reply is enough and we will not write again.
The company and products in the example are illustrative.
Which rules apply before you email exhibitors?
In the UK, PECR does not require prior consent for marketing emails to corporate subscribers, but you must identify yourself and offer an opt-out; sole traders count as individuals. Recipients abroad fall under their own country's rules, and Germany requires prior consent even for companies. See Is It Legal to Email Trade Fair Exhibitors? This article is general information, not legal advice.
Related reading
Agriculture fair exhibitor lists, food fair exhibitor lists, the largest trade fairs by exhibitors and seven channels for finding international customers. Fees are on Pricing; to review lists, you can open a free account.
Frequently asked questions
- Who exhibits at chemical trade fairs?
- Producers of basic and speciality chemicals, distributors, formulators of products such as paints, adhesives, detergents and cosmetics, laboratory and process equipment makers, and contract manufacturing and testing firms. Which group you target depends on what you sell.
- Should a chemical producer contact distributors or formulators first?
- In a new market a distributor is often the first step, because it holds stock, sells in smaller packs and handles local registration work. For high-volume technical products, working directly with large formulators can also make sense. Separating the two in the list comes first.
- Does an EU REACH registration cover Great Britain or Turkey?
- No. Great Britain has its own UK REACH regime and Turkey has its own registration regulation, KKDIK; each requires its own registration. Check the official texts and regulator guidance. This article is general information, not legal advice.
- Whose addresses are in the list?
- Expomatik lists hold each company's general business address. Your message reaches the company and asks for it to be passed to the right department; named individuals are not targeted.