Easyfairs Buys Geneva-Based EPHJ to Deepen European Exposure
European events group Easyfairs bought EPHJ, a Swiss high-precision industry show, as a complement to its existing shows and to expand geographically. Terms were not disclosed.
EPHJ has been held for more than two decades by its founders, focusing on innovation in watchmaking, jewelery, microtechnology and MedTech. In 2024, the show had over 23,000 attendees from 52 countries and more than 750 exhibitors. It is held annually in Geneva, where it will remain at that pace and location.
“What we love is that it’s really a show that is serving a very specific community, and that is an absolute must attend for that community—next to the fit in terms of geographies and industry, we look at the type of event, [and] the format is also in line with Easyfairs,” Easyfairs group Chief Executive Officer Anne Lafère told AMO. “This is a leading high precision trade show, and it makes a lot of sense with other shows we have that are niche events in the industrial sector, like or series all about automation or manufacturing shows.”
Easyfairs operates across Europe and still sees room for growth in the region, even as it focuses on the U.S. for expansion. Last year, Cobepa, a privately-held investment company, and Inflexion, a private equity firm, completed strategic investments in Easyfairs. PE Hub reported the deal was valued at over €600 million ($650 million at the time). In April, Douglas Emslie, who sold Tarsus Group to Informa for nearly $1 billion in 2023, took a minority stake in Easyfairs and became a board member, joining as chairman of Cuil Bay Capital. Emslie created Cuil Bay after selling Tarsus.
Cuil Bay’s director of M&A and business development, Rachel Wimberly, became Easyfairs’s head of business development, U.S. in April.
Lafère said the company is still looking carefully at U.S. assets, including Questex.
Easyfairs has seen revenue growth “this last year, [of] almost 14% organically, so double digit, of which three, 4% are coming from launches, and then the rest through acquisition.” Through June 2024, recurring revenue totaled €260 million ($271 million) with an EBITDA of €52 million ($54 million).
Easyfairs will apply its digital product and tech platforms to EPHJ and improve the exhibitor and visitor experience through advanced apps. There is also the opportunity to cross-sell and leverage connections with other industrial shows like its automation and manufacturing events. The medtech component of the show is also ripe for expansion, be it its own show or otherwise. Lafère sees opportunity for improvement in economies of scale in the show and leveling up the technology it uses, as well as geo-cloning it inside and outside of Europe.
The founders of EPHJ will remain for a year to help in the handover of management, and the show’s staff will be maintained.
“The product itself is a great product, so I don’t want to destroy anything. It’s really, really a must attend event, but we will look at, can we develop the medtech more? Because it’s very watch jewelry oriented, there is a little bit of medtech. I’m sure we can expand on some part of the show. We can do cross selling with other shows that are related to that,” Lafère said.
The event is “already quite a nice show in terms of KPIs and margins,” and it was “quite a sizable acquisition.” Easyfairs and EPHJ signed a non-disclosure agreement and Lafère couldn’t share further financial information.
