Key tasks facing industry today include improving competitiveness, protecting the climate and driving prosperity – and innovative technologies are crucial to meeting such challenges. Exhibitors at HANNOVER MESSE, running from 22 to 26 April this year, will demonstrate how companies can most efficiently use automation, artificial intelligence and renewable energies to achieve these goals.
According to Basilios Triantafillos, Global Director of HANNOVER MESSE at Deutsche Messe AG: “Innovative technologies like those we see in April at HANNOVER MESSE are paving the way to a climate-neutral, high-performance industry. However, companies need guidance on how to apply automation, artificial intelligence and energy management concepts. Furthermore, bureaucracy and a shortage of skilled workers are limiting growth potential.”
HANNOVER MESSE 2024 provides the answers to these challenges under the lead theme of “Energizing a Sustainable Industry.” Basilios continued, “The solution is a mix of new technologies, cross-industry collaboration and a clear political framework.” At HANNOVER MESSE, companies from the mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and digital industries, as well as the energy sector, come together to present their solutions for a greener future. More than 4,000 companies represent a united industrial ecosystem and demonstrate how automation, digitalisation and electrification can enable climate neutrality. Top industry trends at the fair include artificial intelligence, carbon-neutral production, energy systems, Industrie 4.0, Manufacturing-X, and hydrogen and fuel cells.
Exhibiting companies include global technology enterprises such as Amazon Web Services, Bosch Rexroth, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Salzgitter AG, SAP, Schneider Electric, and Siemens as well as small and medium-sized enterprises such as Beckhoff Automation, EBM-Pabst, Festo, ifm electronic, igus, LAPP, Pepperl+Fuchs, Pilz, Q-CELLS, Rittal, Turck, and WAGO.
Leading research organisations such as Bavaria Innovative, various Fraunhofer institutes, the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT), and Germany’s Ministry of Education and Research spotlight the current state of R&D and technology transfer. More than 300 industrial startups boost the focus on entrepreneurship and innovation.
Green hydrogen is gaining more and more traction as governments and companies invest in projects to decarbonise sectors such as manufacturing and transportation. HANNOVER MESSE features roughly 500 companies from the hydrogen and fuel cell industry, including more than 300 at the group exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells Europe.
Norway is the Partner Country at HANNOVER MESSE 2024. With the theme ‘Norway 2024: Pioneering the Green Industrial Transition’, the country will highlight its plans for converting to a low-carbon society and its key role in developing solutions within sectors such as renewable energy, carbon-neutral production, and the application of green and digital solutions. The Norwegian-German Energy Conference on 23 April examines a hydrogen economy that creates investment security for infrastructure, production, transport, storage, and distribution.
“Norway is honoured to be the Partner Country at HANNOVER MESSE. Norway’s highly skilled workforce, advanced industry and energy technology, and a high degree of trust and stability make us a key partner in the green shift and one of the world’s most attractive countries for business. We are thrilled to get this opportunity to showcase the Norwegian way of doing business and what Norway has to offer,” said Jan Christian Vestre, the Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry.
Norway has a rich industrial history and role as a reliable energy producer. This heritage, combined with its dedication to speeding up the green transition, will be beneficial as a Partner Country at HANNOVER MESSE, the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology.
Norway is fully integrated into the European internal market through the EEA Agreement, making trade and investment flow seamlessly between Norway, Germany and the rest of the European Union. Norway and Germany are key trading partners and have entered a strategic partnership on climate, renewable energy and green industry to cooperate even closer in the green transition.
At the Norway Pavilion in Hall 12, top Norwegian companies will demonstrate products and solutions for the energy transition and a sustainable industry. The pavilion is an important focal point for the Norwegian presence at HANNOVER MESSE and hosts exhibitors from energy, process industry, battery/charging solutions, digitalisation and beyond. A networking program promotes collaboration between Norwegian and international businesses and presents business opportunities for foreign investors. The Norwegian-German Energy Conference on 23 April will complement the program.
Two months before elections in Europe, the European Union will present itself at HANNOVER MESSE as a strong economic alliance. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, will kick off the program with a speech at the opening ceremony on 21 April. The EU’s program during the fair includes the conference ‘EU as Home of Decarbonized Industry’ – where industry representatives can meet EU politicians to discuss topics such as the Green Deal – and the European Commission Pavilion.
A shortage of skilled workers remains a challenge in industry. ‘YOUR FUTURE’ is HANNOVER MESSE’s young talent initiative that encourages high school graduates, college students and young professionals to pursue careers in areas such as AI, engineering and robotics. The program consists of meetings with potential employers, guided tours to sponsoring exhibitors, information on apprenticeship and trainee programs, and networking with other participants.
As well as sustainable industry, the topic of robotics is an integral part of HANNOVER MESSE. Robots of all sizes and shapes – from industrial robots and cobots right through to autonomous mobile robots – can be found throughout the exhibition grounds of the world’s leading trade fair for industry. A special highlight this year is the Application Park in Hall 5, which has a strong partner at its side in the form of the German Robotics Association (DRV). Among other things, the DRV has made it a mission to promote and foster the use of robotics in Germany. Given the shortage of skilled workers, there is undoubtedly potential in this direction, with Germany ranking fifth behind China, Japan, Korea and the USA in global comparison.
“With the robotics experts from DRV, we have partners at our side with whom we will further build on the topic of robotics, in conjunction with that of automation, at HANNOVER MESSE. There is no better place in the world to showcase the diverse examples of robotic applications,” said Hubertus von Monschaw, Global Director of HANNOVER MESSE at Deutsche Messe AG.
The DRV will be the exclusive partner of the ‘Application Park’ for the coming year. There, young robotics companies and startups, in particular, will present the diverse spectrum of possible applications for robots, as well as the interaction between humans, machines and artificial intelligence. Visitors can get a first-hand look at robotics-based automation and try it out for themselves. A highlight is the driverless transport systems, impressively demonstrating that drivers can be dispensed with in many areas of activity in the future.
“This exhibition platform offers visitors to HANNOVER MESSE a unique opportunity to engage with new technologies and learn how robotics, AI and automation can help solve the enormous challenges facing industry,” enthused Helmut Schmid, CEO of the DRV.
HANNOVER MESSE
HANNOVER MESSE is the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology. Its lead theme, ‘Energizing a Sustainable Industry’, brings together exhibiting companies from mechanical and electrical engineering, the digital industry and the energy sector to present solutions for the future of manufacturing and energy supply. Leading topics include Industrie 4.0, Manufacturing-X, energy for industry, digitalization, artificial intelligence and machine learning, carbon-neutral production, and hydrogen and fuel cells. Conferences and forums complement the program. The next edition runs from 22 to 26 April 2024 in Hannover, Germany. To register your complimentary ticket, please use the ticket code u5meN.
