This year’s ACCF, which took place on 02-03SEP26 at the Frankfurt Exhibition Center, was attended by approximately 400 representatives from the air cargo industry. It was the 11th meeting of its kind, making it a networking event and a must-attend for the cargo industry. During the event, CargoForwarder Global asked experts how they assess the significance of the ACCF and what importance they attach to networking, international participation, and the diversity of topics. Here are some statements from participants.
Thomas Schürmann (TS):
CFG: Thomas, why are you attending the ACCF?
TS: My main motivation for being here is networking, engaging in personal exchanges with industry colleagues, and gaining up-to-date insights into the market. This kind of direct exchange has always been important in the air cargo industry – and events like the ACCF are the best place to experience it.
CFG: If you compare the ACCF to Air Cargo Europe, which event is more important for the air freight industry and why?
TS: Air Cargo Europe is THE global air cargo trade show. It’s where the industry’s who’s who gather every two years in Munich. However, in recent times, the ACCF organizers have managed to attract an increasingly international audience, which is great to see. At the local level, especially in Frankfurt, this trade show has become a very important event.
Wolfgang Haibach (WH):
CFG: Is the annual ACCF Trade Show already a must-attend for the cargo industry, or is it just ‘nice-to-have’?
WH: In comparison, Air Cargo Europe has a much more international focus than Frankfurt’s ACCF. However, for the air cargo actors that are based in Frankfurt, where they conduct their main business, this event is of major importance. As a German company, it is important to us to support Frankfurt’s Air Cargo Community and its events. That’s why we decided to run a booth at the trade show.
Maurice Teltscher (MT):
CFG: There are more and more events like the ACCF. Isn’t the number of such events starting to get out of hand?
MT: For me personally, networking is one of the most important parts of the conference. The entire Frankfurt cargo community gathers in one place once a year – it’s rare to meet industry experts in such high numbers and of such high caliber anywhere else. There were plenty of networking opportunities on both days.
Rachid Touzani (RT) / Hendrik Bender (HB):
CFG: Has the ACCF become a must-attend event for the air freight industry, or does it remain primarily a strong regional networking platform?
RT / HB: There are indeed many air freight events these days, yet there is still a need for them. Why should we fly all over the world to meet, if we can also meet at Frankfurt Airport at this or another event? We plan our HAUS61* events only twice a year, which is perfectly sufficient. What I generally find lacking are other logistics topics. One example: inland waterway transport. What impact did the low water levels in German rivers have on our business and the economy? At our recent CEO breakfast, the exact topics came up that we’re used to seeing at other logistics events – with one exception. A top manager from Germany spoke about leadership and talent management and had the full attention of everyone in the room. Speakers from other fields are incredibly valuable for bringing a little more diversity to the topics covered at such events.
*HAUS61 is a logistics LAB near Frankfurt Airport that connects startups worldwide with established logistics companies through a 12-month mentoring scholarship.
Statements compiled by Anastasia Kazantzis
