Since 2003, parts2clean has pursued the goal of bringing together industrial companies, research institutions and system suppliers in the field of technical cleanliness. On its journey from a regional initiative to the leading international trade fair for industrial parts cleaning, it impressively demonstrates how a specialized topic can make the leap to global relevance. Today, in the year 2025, the 21st edition is taking place - an occasion to pay tribute to its development in all its breadth and to reflect on the role the trade fair has now assumed for industry, research and users.
The origins: the first edition in Friedrichshafen in 2003
The premiere of parts2clean took place in 2003 in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance. In those early years, the trade fair was still a comparatively small but focused event, aimed primarily at medium-sized companies and industry pioneers in parts cleaning. The importance of its theme became apparent as early as the following year, 2004: with an impressive 2000 visitors from 16 countries, parts2clean rapidly developed into a platform that transcended regional borders. This development makes it clear that an existing demand for specialized parts cleaning technologies - for example in the automotive, mechanical engineering and electronics sectors - was recognized early on. On this basis, the trade fair was able to develop correspondingly quickly.
From regional event to leading international trade fair
The move to the new trade fair grounds in Stuttgart in 2007 marked the beginning of a new era for parts2clean. The spatial capacities now available, the international connections and the proximity to a large number of industry-relevant industrial companies in the Baden-Württemberg region gave the trade fair a completely different significance. Instead of a pure platform for "classic parts cleaning", a strategic leading trade fair for technical cleanliness was now established.
This was also clearly reflected in the change in objectives. While in the early years the focus was clearly on washing systems, media and drying, a holistic view of the industrial cleaning chain was increasingly adopted from 2007 onwards. The focus shifted to upstream and downstream processes, including technologies such as deburring, handling, packaging and keeping clean after cleaning. Quality assurance through residual dirt analysis and standards such as VDA 19 and later ISO 16232 became core topics.
The term "technical cleanliness" became established in industry and research - and parts2clean was the platform that shaped this discourse. This also changed the audience: while production engineers and plant operators were initially represented, quality managers, development managers and international buyers now increasingly joined them. The trade fair became a meeting place for decision-makers along the entire value chain.
The 2016 trade fair, which has already grown to an impressive size - Photo: Deutsche Messe AG
Focus on technological innovations
Alongside the expanded range of topics, the trade fair increasingly reflected technological progress. Significant innovations in this phase included precision cleaning, hybrid systems (combination of aqueous and solvent-based cleaning), recovery of cleaning media and recycling concepts, cleanroom solutions and the topic of digitalization (including Industry 4.0).
During this time, the specialist forum also established itself as a knowledge platform parallel to the exhibitor area. The accompanying specialist forum quickly gained in importance and was soon seen not only as a supporting program, but also developed into the second mainstay of the trade fair. Cooperation with Fraunhofer Institutes and universities in particular provided an important bridge between research and practice. User reports from the automotive industry, medical technology and aviation provided examples of best practice. The main topics changed every year so that visitors could regularly take away new ideas.
At the same time, the trade fair became increasingly international. While in the first few years it was still predominantly German exhibitors, from 2010 in particular, more and more companies from all over Europe, Asia and the USA presented their new products. English-language presentations and a bilingual information offering (German/English) underlined this step. For many companies, parts2clean became the world's leading event for parts cleaning technologies - comparable platforms in other countries did not have the same focus and breadth.
In summary, the years 2007 to 2019 offered a triad of professionalization, technologization and internationalization. parts2clean transformed itself from a trade fair for cleaning technology into a 360-degree platform for technical cleanliness, covering machines and systems as well as media, analytics, process management and standardization. This transformation laid the foundation for the trade fair to survive the subsequent times of crisis.
Pandemic, restart and anniversary
Unexpectedly difficult times were to come for the flourishing trade fair. The first major interruption since it was founded came in 2020, when it was canceled due to the pandemic. Nevertheless, 2021 saw a successful restart. The trade fair attracted over 2,000 trade visitors again this year. This was a clear sign that the topic was still important. In the end, parts2clean 2023 celebrated its 20th edition and thus a great anniversary, which had special symbolic power despite or perhaps because of the pandemic-related interruption.
With over 2,500 people attending the expert forum, it also became clear that knowledge transfer had long since become a strong second pillar of parts2clean. In addition to the exhibition and conferences, the trade fair focused specifically on the transfer of technologies and trends - e.g. sustainable cleaning media, resource-saving process systems, high-purity applications for the battery and semiconductor industries, analysis processes and new drying technologies.
Every two years from 2025
However, after the crisis was before the crisis. Even the most successful trade fairs were not spared the politically turbulent times in Europe. As a result, parts2clean had to switch to a two-year cycle (odd years) from 2024 - a strategic decision to do justice to the slower pace of innovation, longer development cycles and focus on technological depth.
The 2025 trade fair, from October 7 to 9 in Stuttgart, thus marks a new beginning. The new timing allows for more intensive preparation, stronger thematic focuses and the integration of current technology topics such as sustainable cleaning processes, the vision of zero-particle production and the digitalization of cleaning processes. The 21st edition of parts2clean will therefore also focus on current challenges and technological topics of the future. With its high standard of exhibitors, scientific depth and practice-oriented technical communication, the trade fair will once again make a decisive contribution to the further development of technical cleanliness as an independent field of expertise in 2025.
In summary, the history of parts2clean is a success story of specialized focus, constant professionalization and adaptability in changing times. The change to a two-year cycle from 2025 is intended to further strengthen quality and relevance and help guide the trade fair through difficult times. With the 21st edition in 2025, the trade fair will not only continue the tradition, it will also provide new impetus for sustainability, digitalization, quality assurance and internationally networked industrial parts cleaning. It therefore remains an indispensable forum for industrial cleanliness, research and innovation.
