EUROGUSS 2026 showcases die casting as an enabler of modern industries

Upbeat mood prevails at EUROGUSS 2026: The trade fair, which took place in Nuremberg from 13 to 15 January 2026, impressively reaffirmed its role as the leading platform for the international die casting sector. The 722 exhibitors from 37 countries presented their capabilities and showed the around 15,000 experts how innovatively and effectively the industry is embracing transformation as an opportunity. Die castings are an integral part of modern value creation – in the fields of mobility, infrastructure, and industrial applications. Aluminium, magnesium and zinc die casting facilitate the cost-efficient serial production of highly complex geometries. This makes die casting the key enabler for both traditional and new applications and market segments, as EUROGUSS has shown.

Occupying six exhibition halls for the first time, EUROGUSS was larger than ever. As it celebrated its 30th anniversary, it delivered impressive proof that it is far more than just a conventional trade fair. It is a leading exhibition, knowledge platform, and key gathering for an industry that is realigning itself technologically, structurally, and strategically.

Phuong Anh Do, who is responsible for the ongoing strategic and conceptual development of the event brand, was impressed by the show: “Three days of live die casting and a mood that has been consistently upbeat: I am thrilled by how the industry is working together to shape the future of die casting in Europe. EUROGUSS is a successful concept that unites the entire die casting value creation chain, including foundries, to drive innovation.”

Satisfied exhibitors and visitors

At EUROGUSS 2026, 722 German and international exhibitors showcased their products and services across the die casting supply chain to an engaged audience of industry professionals. Almost one in three exhibitors, and around half of the some 15,000 visitors, came from outside Germany. Visitors from Italy, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Turkey, and Switzerland were especially well-represented in Nuremberg. However, there was also immense global interest in the European market from visitors who had travelled from North America, India, and Asia.

Alongside OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, the event also attracted manufacturers and users from various sectors, including electrical engineering, energy technology, DIY, plumbing, home and garden, medical technology, communication technology, aerospace, and lifestyle products. EUROGUSS is distinguished by technical excellence, engineering ingenuity, and process expertise, as evidenced by the numerous executives, development managers and investment decision-makers in attendance. “We are delighted by the calibre of the visitors. We had high-ranking decision-makers visit our stand, and the response was excellent,” says Aulbach Pressenbau. Kira Jülicher, CEO of COURS GmbH & Co. KG, sums up EUROGUSS in one sentence and praises the atmosphere: “Metal industry innovations from across Europe in one place. I am impressed by the many stands and other display areas, and by the considerable creativity demonstrated by participating companies at EUROGUSS as well as their openness to making new contacts with both suppliers and customers.”

EUROGUSS as an enabler for the business of the future

For three whole days, EUROGUSS focused on both established and new areas of application for die casting, covering aspects such as megacasting, AI-supported manufacturing, material innovations, lightweight construction, quality assurance, highly automated production cells, or recycling.

Megacasting: Megacasting represents a momentous change in die casting technology and enables extremely large and complex components to be manufactured in a single operation. This is achieved with machines that have a clamping force of more than 6,000 tons. By using massive, high-pressure die casting machines to produce large, single-part aluminium structures, megacasting is replacing conventional manufacturing methods that weld hundreds of smaller components to one another. This approach offers considerable opportunities to reduce the number of parts, streamline assembly, and improve cost efficiency and structural performance, especially in automotive applications. This technology has the potential to facilitate the rapid further development of European marques and ensure their competitiveness in a challenging market environment. Thanks to ongoing innovations in simulation, automation and digitalisation, hybrid manufacturing approaches, machine size, alloy development, tooling, and more sustainable recycling strategies, megacasting can be expected to extend its reach into additional vehicle segments and industrial applications.

Digitalisation and AI: The increasing requirements for quality and consistency in die casting necessitate an ongoing, adaptable and data-driven process management. AI-driven approaches create new opportunities to improve quality assurance and make processes more efficient – especially in megacasting. “The focus is not on the technology as such but on the measurable effects: reduced downtimes, less scrap, improved energy efficiency, and faster learning across processes and locations,” notes Simon Schmidt, Project Manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM). With practical examples from the industry, EUROGUSS showed how processes are digitalised and innovative solutions devised through creative thinking. Michael Heuser, Senior Scientist at IFAM, stresses the benefits of the growing level of automation in die casting: “The actual benefit of using AI is in data enrichment. We are shifting away from simply monitoring processes to proactively optimising them in real time using AI technology. In future, AI will autonomously optimise casting processes to maximize resource efficiency and minimize scrap rates. As a result, digital transformation will play a crucial role in improving the competitiveness and sustainability of the entire die casting industry.”

Rheocasting: Trade fair visitors were able to experience innovative die casting technologies like the rheocasting process first-hand. They learned how this casting technology is pushing the boundaries of conventional processes and tapping into new opportunities for lightweight construction, material efficiency and industrial application, thanks to the manufacture of parts with high strength, low porosity and excellent surface quality. Especially in the automotive, aerospace and e-mobility sectors, there is a growing demand for lightweight, efficient and sustainable components – and rheocasting delivers the right solutions. Fabian Niklas, founder and Managing Director of CASTING-CAMPUS GmbH, explains: “Rheocasting, an extension of the die casting process using a semi-solid metal, allows the range of applications to be considerably expanded – with properties that provide a distinct competitive advantage. The process technology is already available; all that is needed is to adapt the dies to the process and alloy used. It’s a market that, once established, will offer excellent margins.”

EUROGUSS showcases innovative strength

Traditionally, the German Die Casting Conference, which celebrated its 25th round this year, has been held at EUROGUSS in partnership with the event’s institutional sponsor, the Association of German Die Casting Foundries (VDD). Regarded as the most important German-speaking die casting conference, it offered in-depth knowledge transfer on all three days of the event in around 30 presentations, discussions, and best practice examples. Following the remarkable success of the contest in 2022 and 2024, EUROGUSS organised the European Die Casting Competition for the third time in association with the Association of German Die Casting Foundries (VDD), the fair’s institutional sponsor. The competition showcases the diverse applications, innovative strength, high quality standard and capabilities of die casting as a forming process using aluminium, magnesium and zinc.

In the Speakers’ Corner at the heart of the trade fair action, the 47 practice-based presentations explored the event’s focus topics. Over the three days of the fair, an audience of more than 3,000 people learned about the latest developments in sustainability and circular economy, mega/giga casting, digitalisation and AI, innovation, HR issues, and supporting young talent.

An industry that is actively shaping progress and the future will always be dependent on the next generation of well-trained recruits. And this is something that EUROGUSS actively supports. At the Young Talent Day, students, young professionals and companies came together to present innovations, raise the profile of young talent, and encourage dialogue about the future of the industry. Young researchers were also honoured with the EUROGUSS Talent Award, which recognises the work of graduates and their outstanding final papers on die casting-related topics. This year’s award was won by Selina Freygang from Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg/AUDI AG.

Save the date:

The next EUROGUSS will be held in Nuremberg from 18 to 20 January 2028. In the interim, the die casting community will gather worldwide at various EUROGUSS Family events: The Executive Circle, for example, will reconvene in Paris on 1 and 2 July 2026. ALUCAST will take place in New Delhi from 10 to 12 December 2026, while EUROGUSS MEXICO will be held in Guadalajara from 16 to 18 November 2027.