18 April 2018
Press Release	

HANNOVER MESSE 2018 and CeMAT 2018 (23–27 April):

In the factories of the future, the focus is squarely on humans
Digitize, or get left in the dust? That’s the pivotal question facing today’s factories, logistics centers and power stations. Industry 4.0 is fast becoming the new standard, and that means change. IT and machinery manufacturing are converging, new business models are popping up like mushrooms, and AI is making its way into factories. And everything revolves around one central element: people power.

Hannover. Robots that fit in with their human counterparts (and not the other way round); AR glasses that feed their wearer vital information overlays; self-learning machines that continuously self-optimize…and at the heart of it all stands one thing: people power. That’s the core message of HANNOVER MESSE 2018. Or, as Deutsche Messe’s Managing Board Chairman Dr. Jochen Köckler puts it: “The factory of the future is a factory that can think for itself and is human-centric.”  

If there’s one central trend that the world’s leading industrial technology showcase is tracking this year, it’s the rise of artificial intelligence in factories – and the benefits of this for workers and production. Add AI to factory machinery and robots, and you get intelligent, versatile tools that make life easier for people. Köckler: “For humans, new technologies mean assistance, not competition. This year, HANNOVER MESSE will be showcasing more assistance systems than ever before, including wearable exoskeletons that enable workers to lift and move heavy objects.”

From 23 to 27 April, more than 5,000 exhibitors from 75 different nations will be presenting technologies for tomorrow’s factories and energy systems in an action-packed industrial technology showcase themed “Integrated Industry – Connect & Collaborate.” 60% of these exhibitors will come from abroad. The top exhibiting nations, after Germany, are China, Mexico, Italy, the Netherlands and France.

The rapid move towards smarter, more integrated processes in production is feeding through into the logistics sector in the form of intelligent, connected technologies like robots, drones and voice assistants. These technologies and their transformative effects on logistics will be explored in depth by more than 650 exhibitors at the CeMAT intralogistics show, which this year is being staged in parallel with HANNOVER MESSE. 

Integration and interconnectedness are also among the defining themes of the energy and industrial subcontracting sections of HANNOVER MESSE. The subcontractors and suppliers at the Industrial Supply show will focus on themes like innovative lightweight construction and smart materials, while the exhibitors at the Energy show will present power grid technologies for electric mobility and energy efficiency solutions for industrial companies.  Köckler: “The Energy show will demonstrate how efficient energy use can yield enormous cost savings for industry while making a major contribution to environmental protection.”

“HANNOVER MESSE and CeMAT will feature solutions from leading manufacturers of automation, energy and logistics technology, the biggest names in robotics, and global IT and software providers. For five whole days, Hannover will be the global hotspot for the digital transformation of industry,” said Köckler. 

The official Partner Country of HANNOVER MESSE 2018 is Mexico, and more than 160 Mexican companies and institutions will be using the opportunity to profile their country as a forward-looking, innovative industrial powerhouse. Mexico is also a highly attractive destination for foreign investment – a message that will be championed by a 450-strong Mexican delegation of political and business leaders. The delegation will be headed by none other than the Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto, who will join his German counterpart, Chancellor Angela Merkel, at HANNOVER MESSE’s official Opening Ceremony.

Other high-level political decision-makers expected in Hannover include Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Maros Sefcovic, the Vice President of the European Commission, and Günther Oettinger, the EU Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources.

HANNOVER MESSE – Get new technology first!
HANNOVER MESSE is the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology. With its core focus on “Integrated Industry” and “Integrated Energy”, it is the No. 1 global platform for Industry 4.0. The show will next be held from 23 to 27 April 2018 in Hannover, Germany, and will provide a comprehensive overview of the latest visions and technologies for the digitization of production and energy systems. The upcoming HANNOVER MESSE will feature five parallel shows: IAMD (Integrated Automation, Motion & Drives), Digital Factory, Energy, Industrial Supply and Research & Technology. It will also be co-staged with CeMAT, the world’s leading trade fair for intralogistics and supply chain management. Mexico will star as the Partner Country of HANNOVER MESSE 2018.

CeMAT – world’s leading trade fair for intralogistics and supply chain management
The parent CeMAT is held every two years in Hannover, Germany, right alongside HANNOVER MESSE. CeMAT will next be staged from 23 to 27 April 2018, when it will cover every aspect of logistics, e.g. energy-saving forklifts and industrial trucks, sophisticated, fully automated handling systems, cranes, hoists, aerial working platforms, rack and warehousing systems as well as the latest in control systems and logistics IT.  Also on the agenda will be Auto ID systems, robotic logistics and packaging technology.

Deutsche Messe AG
As one of the world’s foremost organizers of capital goods trade fairs, Deutsche Messe (Hannover, Germany) stages a rich array of events at venues in Germany and around the globe. With 2017 revenue projected to total about 357 million euros, Deutsche Messe ranks among Germany’s top five tradeshow producers. The company’s portfolio features such world-class events as (in alphabetical order) CEBIT (digital business), CeMAT (intralogistics and supply chain management), didacta (education), DOMOTEX (carpets and other floor coverings), HANNOVER MESSE (industrial technology), INTERSCHUTZ (fire and rescue services, civil protection, safety and security), LABVOLUTION (lab technology) and LIGNA (woodworking, wood processing, forestry). The company also regularly hosts a number of internationally renowned events by third parties, among which are AGRITECHNICA (agricultural machinery) and EuroTier (animal production), both of which are staged by the German Agricultural Society (DLG), EMO (machine tools; staged by the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association, VDW), EuroBLECH (sheet metal working; staged by MackBrooks) and IAA Commercial Vehicles (transport, logistics and mobility; staged by the German Association of the Automotive Industry, VDA). With more than 1,200 employees and a network of 58 sales partners, Deutsche Messe is present in approx.100 countries.

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Your contact for further information:
Brigitte Mahnken
Tel.:	+49 511 89-31024
E-mail:	brigitte.mahnken@messe.de

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