This year 5,000 exhibitors showed their products, solutions and services, and the number of international visitors was 50,000—20,000 of them from countries outside Europe.
The official statements from Deutsche Messe AG, which organizes the show, attendant associations and exhibitors all express satisfaction with the results of the show. The course of Hannover Messe 2012 confirmed the event’s development in terms of content, with exhibitions covering the global megatrends of energy and environmental engineering, mobility and urbanization. In those areas, process automation takes a central role.
“It has never been a question that we will outnumber the ‘Volcano-fair’ in 2010 [in terms of attendance]. But almost reaching the boom-level from 2008, and additionally increasing the internationality of the fair shows its strength,” noted Dr. Wolfram von Fritsch, chairman of the board of directors of Deutsche Messe AG. In 2012 every fifth visitor came from abroad to Hannover, he said.
In addition, “every fifth visitor has been a CEO or owner of a corporation,” said von Fritsch. The percentage of professionals among the visitors grew 5 percent (compared to 2008) to 95 percent. “Internationality, issue competency, meeting point for decision makers—all that makes the Hannover Messe an international standard for initial business contact and networks for industry, politics and science,” von Fritsch said.
This year’s partner country, China, showed solutions for sustainable growth according to the motto “Green and Intelligent.” “China has raised the bar for partner countries a bit more,” von Fritsch said. “The People’s Republic presented itself as a partner at eye-level, and an important driver for markets and technologies.”
Von Fritsch said China used the Hannover Messe for the largest industry-presentation outside its own borders, as 500 companies took part in all sectors. Together with German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao opened the event.
SPS Magazin right in the middle
Like every year at the Hannover Messe, SPS Magazin was together with its sister magazines IT&Production and e:tek—our magazine for electrical engineering in renewable energies. Kai Binder and Martin Buchwitz, both chief editors of SPS Magazin, each moderated panel discussions at the Industrial IT Forum organized by VDMA (the German mechanical engineering/capital goods manufacturers’ association), ZVEI (the German electrical and electronic manufacturers’ association) and Deutsche Messe. Martin Buchwitz discussed the topic of wireless automation, and Kai Binder discussed “enterprise’s IT versus production’s IT—patent remedies in the question of authority.”
This year, too, our editors were away on business for you and they brought many impressions with them. Halls 7, 9 and 11 were very well attended. Deutsche Messe always compares current-year statistics to those from two years ago (even number years to even number years) because of the included trade fairs that take place in a two-year-rhythm, among others the “Motion, Drives and Automation (MDA) show. But even if you compare 2012 to 2011, a difference of 45,000 visitors occurs in favour of this year’s Hannover Messe.
All in all, the Hannover Messe remains the world largest industrial fair and in that position it is important for Germany as industry location. For that reason it is also important to sharpen the fair’s profile. Industrial automation was represented well, and an entire product and provider portfolio was offered to all. One striking factor: many producers of sensors, unfortunately, still have been absent.
Next year the Hannover Messe will take place earlier again, namely April 8-12, 2013. The trade fairs included then will be Industrial Automation; Motion, Drive and Automation; and Industrial GreenTec, among others. Comprehensive topics will be Metropolitan Solutions, “energy efficiency in industrial processes” and the MES-Tagung, which is the manufacturing execution system conference.
According to show organizers, more than 600 companies have already registered for Hannover Messe 2013. “The last days, many asked if an enlargement of their presence would be possible next year. We think we will use the whole capacity of the fairground next year,” said a spokesperson.
We will be on the spot again and will be able to see if that optimism will be confirmed. You are cordially invited to mark the date in your calendar.
>> Click here for coverage on the 2012 Automation Conference.
Martin Buchwitz, [email protected], is Editor in Chief of SPS-Magazin in Germany.
