History
Roots in the past, focus on the future
MCH Group has its roots in the Schweizer Mustermesse, which was founded in Basel in 1916 and later became Messe Basel. In 2001, Messe Basel and Messe Zürich merged to Swiss Exhibition, which became MCH Group in 2009. MCH Group also owns Expomobilia, MCH Global and MC2 and has other participations.
107 years of trade fairs, exhibitions, and experience marketing
MCH Group
Messe Schweiz AG
Public Limited Company in Zurich
Cooperative in Zurich
Schweizer Mustermesse
A glance into our past
2018 – 2022
2022
First edition of Paris+ par Art Basel at the Grand Palais Ephémère, Paris.
Susscessful capital raise of MCH Group
2021
Acquisition of Digital Festival AG in Zurich.
2020
Entry of Lupa Systems LLC as an new anchor shareholder of MCH Group Ltd. | Capital increase to nominal CHF 148,693,510 | Integration of Exhibit & More AG into MCH Swiss Exhibition (Basel) Ltd. | Sale of the participation in metron Vilshofen GmbH
2019
Merger of MCH Global AG, Reflection Marketing AG, Techno Fot AG, Rufener Events Ltd and Oceansalt LLC into MCH Live Marketing Solutions AG | Sale of the stakes in Seventh Plane Pvt. Ltd (India Art Fair) and in art.fair International GmbH (Art Düsseldorf)
2018
Sale Winkler Livecom AG
2015 – 2017
2017
Acquisition of the American MC2-Group | Acquisition of 67.5 % shareholding in Masterpiece London Ltd. | Acquisition of 24.1 % of art.fair International GmbH (Art Düsseldorf)
2016
Acquisition of 60.3% der Seventh Plane Pvt. Ltd (India Art Fair)
2015
Acquisition of Reflection Marketing AG | Acquisition of 20% in metron Vilshofen GmbH
2009 – 2014
2014
First Art Basel in Hong Kong; 245 Galerien, 34,900 visitors
2013
Opening of Hall 1 South at Messe Basel
2011
Acquisition of 60 % of Asian Art Fairs Limited (acquisition of the remaining 40% in 2014)
2010
Acquisition of Beaulieu Exploitation SA, renamed MCH Beaulieu Lausanne SA
2009
Renaming of “Messe Schweiz AG” as MCH Group Ltd. | Acquisition of Rufener Events Ltd
2002 – 2007
2007
Acquisition of Expomobilia AG in Effretikon | Acquisition of 40 % of Exhibit & More AG (acquisition of the remaining 60 % in 2010)
2005
Acquisition of Winkler Veranstaltungstechnik AG; start on building up the new “Event Services” business area
2002
First Art Basel in Miami Beach; 160 galleries, 30,000 visitors
1998 – 2001
2001
Merger of Schweizer Mustermesse AG and Messe Zürich AG under the newly founded holding company Messe Schweiz AG; listing of the holding company on the SIX Swiss Exchange
2000
Conversion of the Schweizer Mustermesse cooperative in Basel into Schweizer Mustermesse AG
1999
Opening of the current Hall 1 North at Messe Basel
1998
Inauguration of the new exhibition centre at Messe Zürich
1986 – 1995
1995
Official introduction of the designation Messe Basel for the Schweizer Mustermesse cooperative in Basel | Introduction of the company designation Messe Zurich and IPO of the renamed joint stock company Messe Zurich, AG für internationale Fachmessen und Spezialausstellungen
1986
First watch and jewellery fair held separately from the Swiss Sample Fair, with exhibitors from outside Europe for the first time; 1784 exhibitors, 91,000 visitors
1983 – 1984
1984
Construction of the Congress Center Basel
1983
Conversion of the Zürcher Spezial-Ausstellungen cooperative into a public limited company
1970 – 1974
1974
First Swissbau in Basel; 314 exhibitors, 40,000 visitors
1973
Holding of the first European Watch and Jewellery Show in the framework of the Swiss Sample Fair; 712 exhibitors (no visitor numbers available)
1970
Founding and initial edition of Art Basel; 110 galleries, 16,300 visitors
1957 – 1962
1962
First HILSA, International Exhibition für Home Technology in Zurich; more than 200 exhibitors, 47’190 visitors
1961
Construction of the first exhibition hall in Zurich
1957
First trade fair in Basel: Holz – the Swiss trade fair for wood processing; 90 exhibitors and 16’000 visitors
1945 – 1953
1953
Construction of Hall 2 at Messe Basel («Rundhof»)
1949
The first Züspa held in the indoor stadium (Hallenstadion) in Zurich; 170 exhibitors, 45,000 visitors
1945
Inaugural meeting of the Zurich Special Exhibitions Cooperative
1920 – 1923
1923
Destruction of four out of five of the wooden halls on the Basel exhibition site by a big fire. Subsequently, construction of the first definitive hall where Hall 1 is located today
1921
Construction of the first massively-built halls on the site of the current Messe Basel
1920
Decision by the parliament of the Canton of Basel-Stadt to found the Swiss Sample Fair Cooperative in Basel
1916 – 1919
1919
Inaugural meeting of the Société coopérative du Comptoir Suisse in Lausanne
1917
First Swiss Sample Fair (Schweizer Mustermesse) in the City Casino (Centre I) and in a hall by Basel’s German Railway Station (Centre II); 831 exhibitors and 300,000 visitors.
1916
Agreement of the government of the Canton of Basel-Stadt to hold a Swiss Sample Fair (Schweizer Mustermesse)