FENSTERBAU FRONTALE Interview: A Look at the Industry and the Upcoming World's Leading Trade Fair in 2026

For over 30 years, FENSTERBAU FRONTALE has been providing the window, door and façade industry with a platform for developments, innovations and encounters. From 24 to 27 March 2026, the world's leading trade fair will once again open its doors at the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg. Ahead of the event, our team answers a few questions and looks at the industry.
In an interview with FENSTERBAU FRONTALE, Elke Harreiß, Executive Director, Chiara Sträßner, Director Exhibition, and Ramona Wißmüller, Director Marketing, talk about the industry.

Ms. Harreiß, the industry is increasingly facing challenges such as securing skilled workers, rising production costs and a decline in new construction. How can FENSTERBAU FRONTALE help exhibitors and visitors deal with these issues?  

”Every two years, FENSTERBAU FRONTALE brings together the international window, door and façade industry in Nuremberg and promotes dialogue between manufacturers, suppliers, architects and tradespeople. This helps to find new ways and solutions to meet the current challenges facing the industry and to provide forward-looking impulses for its further development.

Exhibitors from all over the world showcase innovative technologies, automation solutions and new, sustainable materials that can make processes more efficient and cost-effective. All exhibitors and their products are listed at www.frontale.de/en/exhibitors-products/find-exhibitors.

The trade fair offers numerous networking opportunities – whether in the expert forums, in the networking area, at the exhibitor stands, at events or in workshops. Particularly noteworthy is the FENSTERBAU FRONTALE Stage in Hall 4A. The exchange of best practices and experiences creates a valuable transfer of knowledge that benefits exhibitors and visitors alike.”

Ms. Sträßner, sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in the industry. Challenges such as climate-proof construction, resource-efficient production and durable materials are becoming increasingly important. How is FENSTERBAU FRONTALE responding to these trends? What formats will be available on site that are dedicated to the topic of sustainability?

“Sustainability plays a central role at FENSTERBAU FRONTALE. Among other things, it is a decisive criterion in the official evaluation form for the FENSTERBAU FRONTALE Innovation Award, in which an independent jury honours particularly forward-looking products. This is because innovative solutions should not only be technically convincing but also take ecological and social aspects into account. Sustainable approaches and developments in the industry are also discussed in expert forums and lectures.

A special highlight is the ‘climate.safe.building’ special show in Hall 1, organised by NürnbergMesse in cooperation with ift Rosenheim. It demonstrates in a practical way how windows, doors and façades can be designed to be climate-resilient and resource-efficient – for example, through heat-resistant surfaces, adaptive sun protection systems, recycling processes or the use of renewable raw materials. Accompanying lectures will explore topics such as CO₂ reduction, grey energy, reparability and sustainable renovation in greater depth. Visitors will gain concrete ideas for implementing sustainable construction projects, both in new buildings and in renovation projects. The FENSTERBAU FRONTALE Forum also offers numerous sessions on sustainability, serial construction and resource efficiency.

Conclusion: FENSTERBAU FRONTALE 2026 is the industry meeting place for everyone who wants to actively promote sustainable and climate-proof construction.”

Ms. Wißmüller, FENSTERBAU FRONTALE now has a new look. How does the world's leading trade fair position itself and what makes it stand out as a brand?

“FENSTERBAU FRONTALE positions itself as the leading international trade fair for windows, doors and façades. In the responses to our 2024 survey, the trade fair is frequently described with terms such as ‘international’, ‘leading trade fair’, ‘industry meeting place’ and ‘networking’. To strengthen this positioning, the FENSTERBAU FRONTALE brand was specifically redeveloped in a relaunch and given a fresh update. The claim ‘The trade fair. Windows. Doors. Facades’ became ‘Framing what's next.’ to reflect its pioneering and international character. It stands for the aspiration to set the framework for future developments – whether in the skilled trades, architecture or industry. The visual appearance has also been modernised: the new design and logo create clarity, strengthen brand identity and ensure high recognition across all communication channels.  

In addition, the brand development is also reflected in the content: new formats such as the Stage focus specifically on exchange, inspiration and knowledge transfer. The trade fair is thus perceived not only as a product platform, but also as a space for thinking about the future of construction."

Thank you very much for the interview!

The next FENSTERBAU FRONTALE will take place from 24 to 27 March 2026 in Nuremberg, alongside HOLZ-HANDWERK, and is already very well booked. The honorary sponsors are the trade association “glass window facade Baden-Württemberg” and the state guild association of the Bavarian glazier trade. The cooperation partner is ift Rosenheim. Further information can be found at www.frontale.de/en.

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