The organiser of METAV 2022, the international exhibition for metalworking technologies, has announced that the show will be postponed from March to 21-24 June.

Dr Wilfried Schäfer, executive director of VDW (German Machine Tool Builders' Association), said: “Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic persists with significantly increasing numbers of cases due to the new omicron variant. The associated difficult and uncertain planning situation has forced us to postpone METAV 2022 until June.”

The early decision is intended to help avoid further costs and create planning security for exhibitors. Mr Schäfer added: “We are in continuous exchange with our exhibitors and know that the postponement is supported by a broad majority. The new date in June has met with great approval.”

Martin Göbel, managing director of trade fairs at the VDW, said: “For us, exhibitors and visitors always come first. We want to offer them the best platform possible to get in touch with each other and achieve their goals. We are convinced that the postponement is the right thing to do and that we will experience a successful METAV in the summer — even though we now have to wait three months more than we would have liked.”