With its lead theme of ‘Integrated Industry – Creating Value’, Hannover Messe 2017 is inviting manufacturers to embrace digitalisation.

The website of the US Environmental Protection Agency describes sustainable manufacturing as the creation of manufactured products through economically-sound processes that minimise negative environmental impacts while conserving energy and natural resources. From the first cave dweller who worked with stones, manufacturing has played a leading role in human evolution. With better understanding and evolving technology, manufacturing revolutionised itself and the industry, going through successive waves of industrial revolutions. But in the process it also led to over exploitation of resources, monumental wastage and caused massive damage to the environment, mainly fuelled by greed. But now a host of factors is forcing a rethink in global manufacturing and the stakeholders understand what exactly is at stake.

“The First Industrial Revolution used steam power to mechanise production. The Second used electric power to create mass production. The Third used electronics and information technology to automate production. Now a Fourth Industrial Revolution is building on the Third. It is characterised by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres,” said Prof Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, in a signed article recently. He was referring to Industry 4.0.

The term ‘Industry 4.0’ originates from a project in the high-tech strategy of the German government in association of a core group of academic institutions and companies, which promotes the computerisation of manufacturing. It was revived in 2011 at the Hannover Messe and with each successive event since then, has seen the concept evolving and finally ready for practical implementation. In the April 2016, exhibitors demonstrated more than 400 practical Industry 4.0 applications at Hannover Messe. Now with its lead theme of ‘Integrated Industry – Creating Value’, Hannover Messe 2017 is once again inviting global manufacturers to what is described as the world’s leading industrial show, ‘to get new technology first’.

US President Barack Obama called it “the world’s leading show for industrial technology.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel says it is “the biggest industrial show of all.” Hannover Messe is not only the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology, but also a standing annual appointment for political and business leaders from all over the world. Mehul Shah, Managing Director, Hannover Milano Fairs India Pvt Ltd, introduced the event to a select gathering of the technical press in Mumbai recently. Present on the occasion were Marc Siemering, Senior Vice President, Deutsche Messe, and Rajat Srivastava, Regional Director – EEPC India.

“Integrated Industry is the defining trend of 21st Century manufacturing,” said Marc Siemering. “Manufacturers who do not embrace digitalisation to increase efficiency, flexibility and productivity will struggle to remain competitive,” he added. In 2016, exhibitors demonstrated more than 400 practical Industrie 4.0 applications at Hannover Messe. With its lead theme for 2017, “Integrated Industry – Creating Value”, Hannover Messe brings to the forefront trends such as cobots (co-robots), digital twin, energy efficiency, predictive maintenance, and smart materials and coatings.

“Manufacturers must realise that digitalisation adds value not only with better facilities and machinery, but also by creating new lines of business and improving productivity and satisfaction among employees,” said Siemering. “At Hannover Messe 2017, exhibitors will demonstrate how even companies with limited resources can benefit from Integrated Industry.” Many countries now support digitalisation initiatives. Hannover Messe provides a unique opportunity to compare visions of Industry 4.0 on a global scale.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajat Srivastava, Regional Director – EEPC India said, “EEPC India has a long association with Hannover Messe where it helps a large number of SME companies participate in this global event. This participation is not just concentrated in a single hall, but is spread across all the halls based on the profile of individual companies to ensure they are located among their peers in the appropriate show at the event.” For the 2017 edition, close to 65 companies have already confirmed their participation and EEPC India still has some more space to accommodate a few more companies.

As the birthplace and driver of Industrie 4.0, Hannover Messe is a magnet for business leaders and politicians who want to learn how digitalisation is transforming manufacturing and energy systems. Hannover Messe is also a major platform for technology transfer and the only event in the world that presents the complete industrial value chain, from product development all the way to final finishing.

Hannover Messe attracts managers from small and medium-sized companies as well as CEOs from global enterprises such as Apple, Foxconn, Microsoft, and Volkswagen. Roughly one third of visitors come from abroad. Ninety-five per cent of these are trade professionals, 68 per cent are key decision-makers, and 44 per cent are executives. Furthermore, 52 per cent of visitors seek new suppliers. A visitor’s average budget is 550,000 euros. Exhibitors generated approximately 5.5 million business leads at Hannover Messe 2016.

Hannover Messe 2017 (24-28 April, Hannover, Germany) unites seven trade fairs at the Hannover Exhibition Centre:

>> Industrial Automation
>> MDA – Motion, Drive & Automation
>> Digital Factory
>> Energy
>> ComVac
>> Industrial Supply, and
>> Research & Technology.

Roughly 6,500 companies from 70 countries present their products and services to more than 200,000 visitors from 80 countries.

Poland, with an impressive track record in terms of industrial growth and innovation, is the Partner Country at Hannover Messe 2017. Not only is Germany the largest trading partner of Poland, but the country’s development plans centre on reindustrialisation, the promotion of innovative enterprises, and expansion onto foreign markets. Poland will showcase its entire technological spectrum in Hannover – with special emphasis on IT and energy.

“Hannover Messe is the perfect place to showcase the strengths of the Polish economy, and further deepen economic relationships – particularly between Germany and Poland,” says Dr Jochen Köckler, member of the Managing Board at Deutsche Messe.

Pawe? Chor??y, State Secretary in the Economic Development Ministry, described Poland’s motivation as follows: “The Polish government sees supporting the development of innovative companies and their international expansion as one of its most important tasks. The international industry fair in Hannover offers Polish firms an outstanding opportunity to present their technologically advanced products and make valuable business contacts. As Partner Country to Hannover Messe 2017, we want to showcase the variety, dynamic spirit and innovative power of the Polish economy, and further extend our international ties.”

Polish foreign trade is a success story. Its biggest partner for both imports and exports is its direct neighbour, Germany. Poland’s other key foreign trade partners are Great Britain, France, Italy and the Czech Republic. And Asian and African markets are increasingly coming into its sights. Mechanical engineering and vehicle construction were among Poland’s strongest segments in 2015. These areas gained more than 10 per cent in the import rate, at a total volume of €63.6 billion.

So it is time for participants, especially from the SME segment, to still think of joining this global forum, through EEPC India, and visitors from the entire manufacturing spectrum, to plan their visit to Hannover 2017.