Market size, channel diversity, and changing buyer expectations are creating opportunities for international suppliers. From November 5 to 7, Bogotá will bring the industry together at El Gran Salón Ferretero | International Hardware Fair Colombia.
Colombia’s hardware market is posting figures that stand out across the region. In 2025, the hardware and construction materials segment was estimated at approximately USD 9.44 billion, while the broader DIY and hardware store market could reach USD 14.24 billion, according to industry estimates compiled by Koelnmesse.
Another indicator reinforces the market’s importance: according to the Colombian Association of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (Acopi), Colombia’s hardware industry generates more than COP 18 trillion in annual sales and accounts for between 2.5% and 3% of the country’s gross domestic product. These figures help illustrate the weight of an industry connected to construction, retail, industrial maintenance, and other economic sectors.
The same Koelnmesse report projects gradual expansion through 2030. The broader DIY and hardware market could approach USD 16.06 billion, driven by factors such as investment in construction and infrastructure, urbanization, home improvement, and the modernization of distribution channels. For plastics companies serving construction, maintenance, installation, or home improvement applications, this environment provides a useful reference point for the scale and evolution of their customer markets.
A diverse market and more demanding buyers
Colombia combines traditional and modern sales channels. Hardware stores, distributors, wholesalers, importers, home improvement chains, big-box retailers, specialized suppliers, and digital platforms all operate within the same commercial ecosystem. Traditional hardware stores continue to play an important role, especially outside the country’s major cities, while modern and digital formats are expanding their reach.
Digital transformation is advancing, although it still represents a limited share of the business. According to the same analysis, digital channels would account for approximately 3.4% of revenue in 2025. The figure confirms that e-commerce is growing, but it still operates alongside factors that remain critical for professional buyers: immediate availability, physical distribution, expert guidance, and direct supplier relationships.
Background materials prepared for the 2026 edition of El Gran Salón Ferretero also point to a shift in purchasing criteria. Price and availability remain important, but buyers increasingly weigh trust, technical information, efficiency, commercial terms, and after-sales service. For an international supplier, understanding this purchasing logic can be just as important as having a competitive offering.
International sourcing and regional connections
Foreign suppliers are already an established part of the market. Imports of hand tools are projected to grow by 8% to 12% annually, while certain categories of fastening tools have shown import dependence above 93%. Although these figures refer to specific segments, they help illustrate the role international supply can play in selected areas of the local market.
Panama, Mexico, Brazil, and Ecuador are also among the export destinations identified for the Colombian products covered by the analysis. For Brazilian companies, this relationship offers two ways to view Colombia: as a market with its own demand and as a connection point to distributors, importers, and buyers operating across other Latin American and Caribbean markets.
Three days to meet suppliers, compare solutions, and do business
That commercial landscape will come together from November 5 to 7, 2026, at Corferias in Bogotá during El Gran Salón Ferretero | International Hardware Fair Colombia. According to organizer data, the 2025 edition brought together more than 8,100 trade visitors from 26 countries and 242 exhibitors, with international participation accounting for 36%. Its first business matchmaking round generated more than USD 5 million in projected business opportunities.
For 2026, the trade fair expects to bring together more than 300 exhibiting brands and welcome industry professionals from more than 30 countries. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, hardware retailers, retail chains, and professional buyers will be able to hold supplier meetings, compare products, and advance sourcing and business development conversations over three days.
The event goes beyond the exhibition floor. According to the 2026 press release, the educational program will address topics such as sales, product portfolios, digitalization, logistics, sustainability, and operational efficiency. Demonstrations and networking spaces will complement the program, with content designed to give hardware retailers and buyers practical tools they can apply to their operations.
The visitor strategy also aims to broaden the buyer mix. In addition to hardware retailers and distributors, it includes specialty retailers, importers, buyers involved in maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO), and other professionals who purchase tools, equipment, and supplies to keep plants, buildings, and businesses running. For these buyers, factors such as support, availability, and responsiveness can carry as much weight as price.
The 2026 edition also marks a new stage in the event’s international development. El Gran Salón Ferretero is part of Koelnmesse’s EISENWARENMESSE Brand Family under the name International Hardware Fair Colombia. This network connects the Colombian event with companies and buyers across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, expanding the reach of a trade fair that remains focused on the needs of the regional hardware channel.
An opportunity to take a closer look at the Colombian market
For Brazilian manufacturers and suppliers, exhibiting at or visiting the trade fair can help them assess how their offering aligns with market needs, identify potential business partners, and gain first-hand insight into how different channels buy and source products. The opportunity lies in understanding the connections between the materials industry and the value chains serving construction, maintenance, installation, and home improvement.
As Ana María Jiménez, Project & Sales Manager for the trade fair, said when discussing the regional scope of this edition: “We want those traveling to Colombia to be able to meet buyers, distributors, and potential partners from different markets within just a few days. That is the value of a regional trade fair backed by an international network.”
El Gran Salón Ferretero | International Hardware Fair Colombia will take place from November 5 to 7, 2026, at Corferias in Bogotá. Information for exhibitors and visitors is available at www.gransalonferretero.com.
