Global Industrie trade fair will open its doors at the end of the month in Paris (from March 31st to April 2nd). Just a few weeks before the event begins, we spoke with Sébastien Gillet, CEO of GL Events, the organizers of the exhibition, to learn more about the key challenges and major issues surrounding this year’s edition, which will take place in a highly unstable economic and geopolitical context.
This year, I imagine you’re once again keeping up your positive outlook on the industry. Is it more challenging this time to convey that message? With company bankruptcies and factory shutdowns, how are you approaching this Paris edition?
Sébastien Gillet: “We keep going because positivity is a mindset. We don’t give up—that’s something I think industrialists have shown us over the past three decades. Our manufacturers haven’t given up. Today, as a key player in the industrial ecosystem—because Global is a space where people come together—and you as a media outlet, we have a responsibility to keep supporting them. Once again, I believe that across the political spectrum, even those who didn’t talk about industry ten years ago are now putting it front and center—especially around local elections, and even more so for the presidential race. We’re very aware that a country without industry—or a continent like Europe without it—is vulnerable, likely to be dependent on either the Americans or the Chinese. So we don’t let up.
And when I talk about staying positive about the industry, it’s because there are genuinely promising developments—like reshoring. For example, I visited the UPSA factory in Agen last Wednesday. They’re hiring, reshoring, and investing several million euros per year. Urgo is reopening a plant in central France. So there are bright spots.
Last week, we held a steering committee with many of our exhibitors, who reassured us as well: yes, it’s tough, but there are signs of reinvestment. Companies that, for a year and a half, hadn’t invested due to political uncertainty or unclear industrial outlooks are now putting money back into their factories, buying new equipment, modernizing tools. So today, there are companies that are smiling a little more, or at least looking at things with a slightly more positive perspective.”
Isn’t now the right time to emphasize European industry and position Global Industrie not just as a French industrial fair, but as a truly European one? With European sovereignty being such a hot topic in industry and tech, shouldn’t you start thinking on a continental scale?
Sébastien Gillet: “Europe will be represented at Global Industrie this year. Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, will be attending, along with Members of the European Parliament as well as representatives from the ministries in charge of European Affairs. They will be representing the European voice on the main stage.
It’s true that when we launched Global Industrie in 2018, the goal was primarily to make it a key French benchmark—and I think it truly became that in 2023.
But today, we need to ensure that Global Industrie also becomes a European meeting point—not only in its offerings, ecosystem, and unique format, but also in its reach. For example, we already have foreign exhibitors making up 30% and international visitors 12%.
Now, Global Industrie is becoming a true European reference—ranked among the top three to five industrial fairs in Europe. Industry is increasingly a priority, across all political spectrums, and especially for Europe.
With 2,300 exhibitors from 60 industrial nations, the fair provides a stage where public policymakers or business leaders can explain Europe’s role and how it supports French industry.”
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I ask you this question every year but when do you plan to highlight a particular country, or perhaps a European country during the event?
We actually have quite a few international pavilions—Portuguese, Italian, Moroccan—so many foreign exhibitors are showcasing their expertise at Global Industrie. That’s a real opportunity. But we don’t have a single country “in the spotlight.” It’s a strategy we’re considering for 2027 or 2028. For now, unlike some other fairs, we don’t designate a country of honor. However, this year on the first day, we’ll have a stronger European focus, as said before—something we haven’t historically done at Global Industrie.
In previous years, Global Industrie contributed to really popularizing the concept of Industry 4.0 and the “factory of the future,” which now seems fully integrated and widely accepted. What innovations do you see as the next step, and which themes are you highlighting this year?
Sébastien Gillet: “AI is at the forefront. We’re making AI a lasting presence in industry. It remains something tangible yet difficult to measure in terms of impact, but it’s impossible not to address it at the fair.
You’re right—Industry 4.0 is now fully integrated into factories of all sizes, from SMEs to large groups. But topics like AI and the connected warehouse are new highlights for Paris this year.
At Global Industrie, we’re not necessarily teaching companies like Schneider or Siemens how industry will evolve tomorrow—they already know. Instead, the fair acts as a catalyst and accelerator for other types of companies, helping them modernize industrial tools or even transform mindsets and structures that haven’t yet adopted these innovations.
We shouldn’t forget that 80% of our industrial exhibitors—and a large share of visitors—are SMEs or very small businesses. They need support. Global Industrie serves as a platform for them to make valuable contacts and source innovation directly.
This year, more than 130 innovations will be showcased. We rely on exhibitors to present their expertise because innovation remains the main draw for visitors. Some innovations will be recognized through awards, but many more new solutions will be unveiled at the fair, and we need to communicate that these advancements can accelerate growth, especially for smaller companies.“
How do you ultimately compose the exhibition hall? Do you aim for a specific balance of European, French, or other international exhibitors? Do you set proportions for European exhibitors versus Chinese, for example?
Sébastien Gillet: “Global Industrie is an industrial fair that highlights French and European expertise, while also showcasing industrial excellence on a global scale, regardless of its origin.”
At other European fairs, we’re seeing more and more companies like Amazon Web Services and Google exhibiting their B2B solutions specifically for the industrial sector. Are these companies approaching you as well?
Sébastien Gillet: ““For us, they are mainly visitors. Amazon attends the fair to explore and source solutions, often related to tech and AI. Google and Microsoft could potentially have an exhibitor presence through initiatives such as Smart Industrie, but currently they aren’t exhibiting. They are present as visitors because they’re already members of many industry associations—just like us—and partners of the fair.
Taking Amazon as an example, they come to observe and learn, but, as of today, they don’t plan to exhibit. The companies that actually exhibit at Global Industrie are mainly manufacturers—and Amazon isn’t a manufacturer. That’s why their role is more about visiting and scouting innovations rather than showcasing products themselves.””
Last year, defense was a somewhat central theme, but it wasn’t openly acknowledged. This year, will the word “defense” be spoken more openly?
Sébastien Gillet: “Absolutely. I think it will be less in the shadows. This topic will be more visible, though it still depends on the companies themselves—some don’t want to communicate that, for example, 35% of their activity is in defense.
Today, talking about military sovereignty or defense sovereignty isn’t taboo. I have no problem discussing the defense industry on the main stage. We are currently in contact with the DGA (French Directorate General of Armaments) and the Ministry of the Armed Forces. But at other fairs, like SEPEM, many companies are now openly communicating that they work in defense.
For some companies, their success is precisely because they are involved in defense or security. That said, if we wanted to create a practical guide for visitors to see which companies work in defense, there would still be some discretion—companies won’t reveal everything. But overall, it’s a bit more transparent than in the past.
Even if companies are hesitant to talk about it, today it still remains a lifeline for many businesses.
What do you expect from the presence of French YouTuber Inoxtag? Beyond the buzz, what concrete impact are you hoping for?
Sébastien Gillet: “He’ll be speaking on Tuesday the 31st from 2 to 3 pm, in a spirit of pushing limits. The goal is to find connections between the industry—which also has to push itself forward in terms of innovation, technology, and culture—and his world.
He will start with a total immersion in the various worlds of the fair, where he can discover the tools and technologies used in today’s industry. We’re talking about AI, virtual reality, augmented reality—topics he often explores.
Through his visit, we hope he’ll be impressed by how innovative and dynamic the industry can be. Many young people lack visibility into this, and if Inoxtag shares his experience saying, “Industry is actually really cool, I didn’t expect that,” we’ll have succeeded. His words reach a huge young audience, and we know they listen. Some may come just to see him, but others may also be influenced by his perspective.
That’s why we’ll also take him to the GI sections—Golden Tech and the Arena—where he can see demonstrations and interact with industrial tools. We want the experience to be fun for him, letting him “play” with some of the equipment we’ll provide. That’s what we’re hoping to achieve.
There will be a delegation of French ministers—what about President Macron?
Sébastien Gillet: “The fair has been under the high patronage of the President of the Republic for several years, which proves the importance the Elysée places on this event. We will have several high-ranking ministers, senior officials, members of parliament, and regional presidents present over the four days. As for the President of the Republic, his attendance has not yet been confirmed due to a very fluid international agenda. Industrialists would be delighted to welcome him, as he was the one who originally initiated this fair. Regardless, the government will be very well represented.”
