R+T, held every three years, opens 15–19 February 2027 in Stuttgart

R+T, the leading global fair for roller shutters, doors/gates and sun protection, opens in Stuttgart, Germany, from 15 to 19 February 2027. Organised by Messe Stuttgart every three years, the fair will bring together internal and external sun shading, the drive and control technology that moves it, awnings and pergolas, technical textiles, and doors and gates across ten halls. According to the organiser's announcement of 23 September 2026, the entire exhibition grounds are fully booked once again.

Where the fair's weight comes from

Messe Stuttgart calls R+T the world's leading trade fair in its field: roller shutters, doors and gates, and sun shading. Its roots go back to "R 65", held in 1965 at Stuttgart's former Killesberg exhibition grounds; R+T celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025. Today the Stuttgart show sits at the centre of an international network called the R+T Alliance. According to the organiser's January 2026 announcement, the network covers seven events at six locations on three continents, including R+T Turkey.

The three-year cycle

R+T does not take place every year but every three years. This rhythm turns the fair into a showcase where three years of industry innovation can be seen at once. The award rules make the point: only products launched or brought to market maturity after R+T 2024 could enter the R+T Innovation Award 2027. A six-year gap opened between 2018 and 2024; with the 2027 edition the fair returns to its three-year schedule.

R+T 2024 in figures

According to Messe Stuttgart's R+T 2024 show report, the fair held from 19 to 23 February 2024 was visited by 61,155 people from 146 countries; 62 per cent of visitors came from outside Germany. 1,017 companies from 44 countries exhibited on 72,377 square metres of net space, and 80 per cent of exhibitors were international. The final report stated that the trade fair centre was fully booked with a gross exhibition area of 120,000 square metres. Two thirds of visitors said they work in the sun shading industry, 88 per cent are involved in purchasing decisions, and 41 per cent came with a specific purchasing intention.

Ten halls in 2027, with motorised systems at the core

In the hall plan published by Messe Stuttgart, halls 3, 5 and 9 are dedicated to external sun shading and its drive and control technology. Hall 7 brings together internal sun shading and its drive and control solutions; for curtain and blind manufacturers, this is the fair's most direct meeting point. One system cited in the organiser's April 2026 announcement combines manual and motorised control for pleated and honeycomb blinds in a single mechanism. Hall 1 is devoted to technical textiles, textile construction and awnings, while halls 8 and 10 cover grilles, fences, doors and gates.

Because of growth in outdoor products, awnings and patio roofs will also be shown in Hall 4 in 2027, alongside insect screens and internal sun shading. Hall 6 remains the main address for outdoor solutions. A joint pavilion of Asian companies will be set up in Hall C2 and on the gallery of Hall 1.

Main theme: smart buildings against overheating

The topic highlighted in the organiser's 2026 announcements is the role of sun shading in a building's energy performance. The European Solar Shading Organisation (ES-SO) is an official professional supporter of R+T for the first time in 2027. Its "Ladder of Cooling" approach recommends passive measures such as external sun shading before turning to active cooling. According to the announcements, motorised drives, sensors and building automation connect roller shutters, Venetian blinds and textile screens into a single system that responds automatically to the weather. Messe Stuttgart says sun shading is evolving from supplementary equipment into one of a building's essential climate components.

A Turkish company among the Innovation Award nominees

The R+T Innovation Award will be presented for the 13th time in 2027, in 14 categories. The ceremony takes place the day before the fair opens, on 14 February 2027. The nominee list published by the organiser includes Kirayteks Tekstil from Türkiye. At the 2024 ceremony, 29 products from 25 companies received awards.

What it means for Turkish manufacturers

Türkiye is among R+T's largest exhibitor countries. According to the country breakdown in the R+T 2024 show report, 117 companies from Türkiye exhibited, placing it fourth after Germany (198), Italy (165) and China (138). For Turkish companies exporting curtains, sun shading, mechanisms, awnings and pergolas, the fair means meeting professionals from 146 countries, most of them involved in purchasing decisions, in the same halls. The number of Turkish exhibitors at R+T 2027 has not yet been announced.

Presentation in Istanbul

The fair was presented in Türkiye at a press event held on 27 October 2026 at the Feriye Complex in Istanbul. According to Perde Dergisi, the General Manager of R+T Türkiye and two Messe Stuttgart managers responsible for communication and trade fair management named smart solutions, energy efficiency and sustainability as the key themes of the new period.

Visitor information

R+T 2027 will be held at the Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre from Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February. The venue is directly connected to Stuttgart Airport, the A8 motorway, the B27 road and the S-Bahn suburban rail network, and offers 6,700 parking spaces. Tickets and the current exhibitor list are available on the official website rt-expo.com.

Cover photo: Perde Dergisi (press event in Istanbul, 27 October 2026).