Hannover Messe 2014 draws 180,000 visitors from more than 100 countries

After reporting strong attendance and buying power, organizers have declared Hannover Messe 2014 another successful event.

“This year the world’s leading industrial trade show addressed the key issue of the future of industry by presenting the solutions needed for tomorrow’s intelligent factories. Hannover Messe is the only trade fair in the world which covers the entire spectrum, from individual components to fully functional, smart production lines. And this is precisely what industry decision-makers are looking for,” said Jochen Köckler, member of the managing board at Deutsche Messe. “Industry has found the focus of Hannover Messe 2014 to be right on target. The event has clearly revealed the long-term growth potential for exhibiting firms which is taking shape as a result of the push towards Industry 4.0 [U.S.: Advanced Manufacturing] – and customers are now ready to make the necessary investments.”

Featuring more than 5,000 exhibitors, the event attracted more than 180,000 visitors from more than 100 different nations. More than one in every four visitors came from abroad, mainly from the European Union (57%) as well as from South, East and Central Asia (20%). In terms of individual countries of visitor origin, the Netherlands – as this year’s Partner Country – took first place, followed by China in second.

Staged under the keynote theme of “Integrated Industry – NEXT STEPS,” the trade fair focused on intelligent, self-organizing factories and the transformation of energy systems. According to Köckler: “Industry 4.0 will be with us sooner than many people would have thought possible just one short year ago. The exhibitors have demonstrated a clear commitment to negotiating the ‘next steps’ on the road to the fourth industrial revolution, rapidly and purposefully.”

Dietmar Harting, chairman of the Hannover Messe Exhibitor Committee, said, “Hannover Messe is where digitized, integrated industry is putting down roots, before growing into a mighty tree. This is the starting point for driving industrial advancement in countries around the world. For us exhibitors, Integrated Industry is going to remain a key priority for some time to come.”

The event showcased market-ready solutions and products addressing the key challenges of standardization and IT security. A large number of demo installations gave visitors a first-hand view of products moving through the various stages of production without any human intervention until individual processing at the very end. Data security was another core issue at the fair. “Forum debates on process and data security issues attracted several thousand visitors, and industrial businesses will definitely be cooperating more closely with international cybersecurity providers, to prepare factories for the extensive integration that lies ahead,” noted Köckler.

The focus of attention in the “energy halls” was on the transformation of energy systems. Future growth in the use of renewable forms of energy, decentralized energy supply systems and intelligent distribution systems were high on the agenda. Exhibitors presented technologies and solutions for the ongoing energy transition, with displays lending firm shape to the energy systems of the future.

The next Hannover Messe will be staged from April 13 to 17, 2015.