Outstanding Collaboration: Interplan and Congress Center Leipzig receive IAPCO Collaboration Award 2024

The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), the global association of professional congress organisers, presents the Collaboration Award for outstanding collaboration, whether within or across sectors, and partnerships that deliver excellence in the meetings industry. In doing so, the association is highlighting the importance of effective partnerships and recognising the achievements of organisations working together towards a common goal. In 2024, Interplan and the CCL won the award – with a project that, above all, made the long-standing, close partnership possible. What was initially a major time challenge has led to synergies and operational optimisations that could be exemplary for the industry.

The challenge: Two major congresses back-to-back

Interplan hosted two major congresses at the CCL in autumn 2024. The DGU Congress with around 6,000 participants and 183 exhibitors (25 to 28 September) was immediately followed by VISZERALMEDIZIN (3 to 5 October) with more than 5,000 participants and 128 exhibitors. That left just four days for the conversion – a more than challenging schedule for a smooth handover. The solution: Both congresses were conceived and prepared together from the outset. All of the project managers involved agreed on synergies in order to utilise infrastructures together, to organise the tight schedule effectively and even to achieve sustainable effects.

In practice, this meant, for example: From the floor markings and electrical connections to all the suspension points under the hall roof, the requirements of the DGU and VISZERALMEDIZIN were taken into account equally when furnishing the hall. Both congresses used the temporary conference rooms in the exhibition hall. Both congresses also used the conference office, the entire technical set-up for registration and the temporary media reception in the CCL. Material deliveries were combined. The same service providers were used at both congresses so that coordination could be optimised. This meant that resources were saved in many respects – without compromising on the high-quality equipment and quality of both congresses.

Honouring a strong partnership for successful congresses

The challenge has been met with great success. With the IAPCO Collaboration Award 2024, the partnership between Interplan and CCL will furthermore receive special recognition and attention from the international congress industry. What makes the collaboration so special? “Mutual understanding and good communication are essential for the complex working environment of our congresses. This is exactly what has connected us with the CCL team for many years,” says Bruno Lichtinger, Managing Director of Interplan. “We share many values, as well as our understanding of service quality. We find solutions together, trust each other, appreciate each other. This special spirit of collaboration leads to great and successful congresses. We would like to thank IAPCO for the special appreciation of this collaboration.”

“The prerequisites for success were courage, trust and the knowledge of what each of the partners involved can achieve,” says André Kaldenhoff, Head of the Congresses Division at Leipziger Messe. “The CCL and Interplan have been working together as partners for decades. Some of the project managers have known each other for many years. This results in an invaluable understanding of the working methods and needs on both sides. We are delighted that this collaboration has been so well recognised in the industry. Those who organise conferences and congresses themselves are best placed to appreciate how valuable a personal, trusting collaboration is and what a decisive role it plays in successful events.”

As the world association of professional congress organisers, IAPCO aims to improve the service standards of member organisations and other sectors of the meetings industry through continuous training, contacts and support. The IAPCO thus sets generally accepted standards for the quality of congress organisation and for excellence in the meetings industry. As one of the leading congress agencies in Europe and German-speaking countries, Interplan has been a member of the IAPCO for more than 50 years and fulfils the high quality standards that are regularly reviewed.

About the CCL

The Congress Center Leipzig (CCL) belongs to the Leipziger Messe group of companies and is part of the Leipzig Exhibition Centre. It is one of the most modern congress and conference centres in Europe. The centre’s special features include personalised event support and a comprehensive service that covers the entire spectrum of event services. Around 100 congresses and specialist programmes take place at the CCL every year. The flexible space concept with 23 independent rooms, integrated exhibition halls and the Glass Hall as an event location allows events of almost any size and character. The CCL is part of the do-it-at-leipzig.de initiative, an association of Leipzig’s congress partners who work together to promote high standards in Leipzig as a congress location.