FRANKFURT, GERMANY – June 2, 2026 – From May 27 to 29, 2026, the historic Steigenberger Icon Frankfurter Hof in Frankfurt am Main became the epicenter of the European pump manufacturing and compressed air industries. The joint PNEUROP / EUROPUMP Annual Meeting 2026, hosted by the German Mechanical Engineering Association VDMA, brought together almost 130 leading executives, technical experts, and industry stakeholders from all across Europe as well as guests from the United States, Brazil and India.

Against a backdrop of shifting international trade policies and economic headwinds, this year’s annual conference served as a vital platform for cross-border collaboration. The event featured technical expert sessions and strategic committee meetings addressing standardization, regulatory updates, and market trends.

Navigating a Complex Geopolitical Landscape A core focus of the joint assembly was a series of high-level keynote presentations addressing the critical management challenges facing mechanical engineering today. Top industry minds tackled pressing questions concerning global market dynamics, including:

• Trade Barriers & Tariffs: Assessing the impact of US tariffs on European mechanical engineering products and defining strategic responses for European compressor and pump manufacturers.
• Ensuring Fair Competition: Analyzing the rise of Chinese market competitors and discussing structural mechanisms—such as securing resilient, independent critical raw material supply chains—to guarantee a level playing field within the European market.
• Global Competitiveness: Reviewing the broader, macroeconomic competitiveness of European manufacturers on the global stage

“Compressors and vacuum systems are fundamental to every industrial value chain,” said Luc De Beul,  President of Pneurop. “At a time of rising geopolitical tensions and intense regulatory pressure, our focus in Frankfurt was clear: strengthening our industry’s competitiveness through decarbonization, energy efficiency, and high-value manufacturing. Pneurop remains dedicated to defending a fair operating environment so European manufacturers can continue setting the global standard.”

“Compressors and vacuum systems are fundamental to every industrial value chain” said Luc De Beul, President of Pneurop. “In Frankfurt, our priority was clear: strengthening our industry’s competitiveness through energy efficiency, decarbonization, and fair market conditions that allow European manufacturers to thrive globally.

Collaboration and Networking Beyond technical harmonization—which included crucial joint working groups tackling PFAS restrictions and trade regulations—the event featured an exceptional social program that fostered international networking. Attendees and their partners enjoyed a welcome evening on the Ehrenhof Terrace looking out at the Frankfurt skyline, followed by a traditional gala dinner hosted among the historic exhibits of the Senckenberg Natural History Museum.

 

About PNEUROP Pneurop is the European Association of Manufacturers of Compressors, Vacuum Pumps, Pneumatic Tools and Allied Equipment, representing national associations in major European countries.

About EUROPUMP Europump is the European Association of Pump Manufacturers, representing 16 national associations across Europe. Its members include more than 450 companies, handling a collective production value of more than €10 billion.

About VDMA Services VDMA Services GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the VDMA (German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association), providing premium event management, publishing, and exhibition services to the engineering sector.

Media Contact: Lisa Kretschmann, Secretary General of Europump, Email: secgen@pneurop.eu