Hannover Messe Builds Anticipation for New Technologies and Production Methods

The tally is in: 63 countries will be represented at Hannover Messe 2023, represented by 1,100 conference presentations and 4,000 exhibitors.

“Among them, big companies that you’re familiar with—Amazon, Web Services, Microsoft, Google, SAP, Siemens, Siemens Energy, Bosch, Nokia, ServiceNow, Schneider Electric…These big global industrial companies equip factories that provide solutions in an industrial environment,” said Dr. Jochen Köckler, chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG, at a kick-off press conference and in anticipation of the hive of technology demonstrations attendees can expect at the exhibition (April 17-21, 2023).

Notable medium-sized companies—such as Beckhoff, Festo, Harting, Pepperl+Fuchs, Phoenix Contact, Rittal and SEW—will make their mark, too. “The German SMEs, as you’ll see, consider themselves to be SME family-owned companies, but all of them are very big industrial companies that are all working globally and therefore they are exhibiting here at this global platform, Hannover Messe,” Köckler explained.

Dr. Jochen Köckler, chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG attends the Kick-Off Conference at Hannover Messe.

These companies, from the engineering, electrical and digital industries as well as the energy sector, will be joined by such renowned research institutes as the Fraunhofer or KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), as well as more than 300 startups that bring cutting-edge technologies and completely new business models.

The lead theme, “Industrial Transformation—Making the Difference,” encapsulates digitalization and automation of complex production processes, AI’s first steps in industry, hydrogen as an energy supplier for factories, as well as using software to record and reduce carbon footprints.

Köckler said Hannover Messe is much more than a meeting place for stoking competition. He characterized the annual event as a platform where a global community can deliberate the innovative technologies and smart economic policy strategies required to meet the industry’s major risks, including climate change and the shortage of energy to unstable supply chains and the shortage of skills.

“For each of the current challenges facing the world, there will be solutions on display at Hannover Messe," said Köckler. “Carbon neutral production, artificial intelligence, hydrogen technologies, energy management and Industrie 4.0—these are the overarching themes of the world’s leading exhibition for industry. Only by weaving these technologies together will it be possible to secure our prosperity sustainably while pursuing climate change mitigation.”

(Left to right) Markus Asch, CEO Rittal International, Arif Havas Oegroseno, Head of Diplomatic Mission for the Embassy of The Republic of Indonesia in Berlin, and Dr. Jochen Köckler, chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG, spoke to journalists at the Kick-Off Conference.

Köckler’s talking points further highlighted notable examples under the four themes:

AI and machine learning: Aleph Alpha is joining forces with Hewlett Packard to show how an industrial robot can be controlled using natural language. The robot reacts and responds to the worker’s questions and commands as it goes about its business.
Hydrogen—source of energy and hope for the future: Producing hydrogen is a complex and expensive activity and has yet to be used on a large industrial scale. Issues of availability, transportation and large-scale storage remain unsolved. “More than 500 companies at Hannover Messe will be showcasing solutions for using hydrogen in industry,” pointed out Köckler. One of those companies, Siemens Energy, is running simulations to study the effects of changes in the energy mix. They’re investigating: What happens when fossil fuels are replaced by renewable energy sources such as hydrogen? What role do storage solutions play? What are the challenges and solutions in industrial processes?
Industrie 4.0, Manufacturing X and the Metaverse: A new connected data ecosystem aims to provide the solution: Manufacturing X is a new connected data ecosystem that aims to autonomously and jointly enable companies to use data across the entire production and supply chain. The first steps towards implementing Manufacturing X will be presented at Hannover Messe in cooperation with Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the BDI, VDMA and ZVEI trade associations. In addition, the world's first industrial glasses for the Metaverse, which enable interaction and collaboration between AR and VR, will be on show.
Visualizing energy flows and consumption: The interaction between software and machines holds immeasurable potential for energy savings. Exhibitors will present smart energy monitoring solutions to optimize energy consumption at machine level and thus reduce the carbon footprint.

“Ultimately, it’s about showing solutions,” said Köckler. “The companies come here to invest. They want to spend money. But ultimately, with their manufacturing facilities, they’ve got to manufacture products that are competitive.”

Köckler was joined by Arif Havas Oegroseno, head of the Diplomatic Mission for the Embassy of The Republic of Indonesia in Berlin and Markus Asch, CEO Rittal International.

Indonesia is the partner country for Hannover Messe 2023. Rittal offered an exhibitor perspective.

Both Oegroseno and Asch offered remarks to contextualize their economic interests and to highlight major themes and objectives for this year’s event.

Visit Machine Design's Hannover Messe hub for more event coverage.