Thought leadership in event management

The term "Thought Leadership" is often translated as "opinion leadership," but opinions are not the same as knowledge. Opinions are informed by knowledge, and knowledge is based on education. The WWM brand is a leader in education for digital event management: What began as "WerbeWerkstätten Monschau" in the 1970s quickly evolved into an expert in bespoke exhibition construction. Today, the WWM business unit "RocketExpo" remains a key player in this sector of live communication, consistently delivering unique solutions that captivate visitors at major events, such as industry-leading trade fairs.

Pioneers of event digitalisation

Since the turn of the millennium, digitalisation has become a central component of the economy – and the events industry has also reaped the benefits of digital advancements that enrich and enhance live communication. Digital technology is a constant presence at WWM and is an integral part of all solutions, whether it's digital content at physical events or the cloud-based management of rental exhibition stands, which is efficiently handled through the ExpoCloud ecosystem.

Today, "purely" digital events in the Metaverse are also possible. The WWM business unit "Metapilots" operates as a partner in this sector, providing bespoke solutions for brands to communicate in a fully virtual world using avatars. Pure virtual event communication, created by WWM.

Plurality matters

Thought leadership must be grounded in expertise. In the context of digitised live communication, three knowledge areas are crucial: the core of exhibition management, which includes stand planning, materials, equipment, and assembly; logistics, covering storage, transport logistics, and material inspection; and of course, expertise in computer science, which underpins functional web-based software.

Under the WWM brand, these fields of expertise are integrated and interlinked. Event managers benefit from a breadth of knowledge that extends far beyond mere exhibition construction, unlocking potentials that would not be possible without digital expertise. A pioneering approach to all forms of event communication: live, digital, and hybrid.

Stability. Independence. Reliability.

The family-owned WWM is the largest German company in the trade fair service sector, with over 80 employees. Since its founding, it has remained under family ownership, is fully equity-financed, independent, and resilient in times of crisis. You can always rely on the stability and strength of a solid mid-sized brand, whose people embody reliability.

WWM experts operate from two properties, also owned by the company, ensuring that no third parties have access. This is crucial for security: on one hand, all physical trade fair materials are secure from external access, and on the other hand, WWM's proprietary software is maximally protected. The headquarters is located in Monschau, south of Aachen.

In Alsdorf, north of Aachen, is the WWM Service Hub (Logistics Center): Here, customer materials and rental equipment are stored across 11,000 square meters. The Logistics Center is situated close to the Aachen motorway interchange, allowing for fast and efficient handling of Europe-wide transport logistics.

Award-winning innovation leader

In Monschau, IT specialists and coders work in the "WWM Software Lab," the epicenter of constant innovations for the digitalisation of live communication. Here, the ExpoCloud and Metapilots solutions are developed daily with a commitment to future-proofing, creativity, vision, and the desire to create something exceptional. This ambition is a result of WWM's position as an innovation leader, which has been recognised with multiple awards.

Foreseeing Innovations and Bringing Them to Market Readiness has become a WWM tradition. The following industry innovations demonstrate our status as a digital pioneer across Europe:

WWM established the software category of "Event Resource Management" (ERM).
The creation of the ExpoCloud ecosystem is a direct result of this and enables web-based ERM: Organisations can rent trade show stands online, book event services, and manage event communication entirely in the cloud.
Furthermore, WWM invented the measurement technology "Event-Metrics": This solution allows for the measurement of visitor flows, providing valuable insights into visitor behaviour and stand attractiveness.

The managing director in portrait

WWM stands as an industry and innovation leader in the digitalisation of live communication. This position was not "a gift from the heavens," but rather the logical outcome of extensive and diverse research undertaken by Managing Director Dr. Christian Coppeneur-Gülz before he took over the family business as CEO in 2005. Following his international studies in Business Administration, he completed a doctoral thesis in Business Informatics and Information Management at the "WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management," a university-level institution located in Vallendar on the Rhine.

Based on his dissertation, Dr. Coppeneur-Gülz developed the "Event-Resource-Management" (ERM) software category in 2008, which subsequently became the foundation for the ExpoCloud ecosystem. Since its inception as a brand in 2013, ExpoCloud has set a new standard in event management, impressing organisations across various industries. His foundational research on ERM was published in a seminal work in 2018 by the renowned academic publisher Springer Gabler: The book, titled "Event-Resource-Management with Digital Tools," was co-authored by Dr. Coppeneur-Gülz.

Dr. Coppeneur-Gülz is a passionate entrepreneur, continually developing new ideas for expanding the digital transformation of live communication. He regularly shares his niche expertise through lectures, both in academic and non-academic educational settings.