Among all the industry events where you can discover the capabilities of Additive Manufacturing, there is HANNOVER MESSE (HM) but the truth is, you don’t go to HANNOVER MESSE for just one technology, you go to HANNOVER MESSE because you’ve understood that it’s the most important international platform that brings together industrial ecosystems.
In his introductory speech at HANNOVER MESSE ’s pre-event held in Eindhoven (The Netherlands) on February 5th, Hubertus von Monschau, Global Director Trade Fair and Product Management HANNOVER MESSE bei Deutsche Messe AG, said HANNOVER MESSE is “the only event where you bring together all industries in one place at one time”.
With over 4000 exhibitors, 130,000 on-site attendees, 14,000 products and solutions as well as 300 startups, HANNOVER MESSE is typically the type of event for which you need to prepare upfront to make the most of your time and money. To help you in this preparation, we share below key insights we learned from the press conference recently organized in Eindhoven.
Define your reason
There are hundreds of reasons why professionals attend HANNOVER MESSE and for this 2025 edition, von Monschau summed it up in 4 reasons: innovation, political discussions, business, and most importantly collaborations.
While it makes sense to discover innovative technology solutions shaping industries, HANNOVER MESSE is on the short list of international events that can pride itself on enabling political discussions. This event “stands for open markets, free trade. Countries need a place to discuss and overcome global challenges. Bringing together political delegations and industry leaders from around the world is the ideal route to do so. HANNOVER MESSE provides an opportunity to work together and generate growth,” Hubertus von Monschau explains.
This focus on political discussions brings on the spotlight challenges faced on a global scale, affecting several countries at the same time. Among these challenges, one notes supply chain disruptions (how to make them reliable?), climate change, economy, high energy prices, workforce development (cooperation between humans), and cybersecurity.
Each of these topics brings a specific technology solution, and although it is not the only solution to do so, I am happy to see that Additive Manufacturing is an ideal solution to two of these challenges, namely, supply chain and climate change.
While social media might make an event like HANNOVER MESSE seem all about glitz and glamour, the reality is that it remains a business platform. As the Global Director of Trade Fair and Product Management puts it, “In the end, there has to be an outcome—[for both exhibitors and visitors]”.
Most of the time, this outcome can only be achieved with the right partners on one’s side hence the need for “building ecosystems together”.
Canada, partner country
On the heels of Norway, Canada will take center stage as the 2025 partner country for HANNOVER MESSE. As a reminder, one third of all professional visitors come from outside Germany – and more than half of these come from outside the EU. This makes Canada an interesting country to discover in Germany.
“It’s a particularly significant year as Canada assumes the presidency for G7. We are working with the Netherlands to achieve common goals in multiple areas. When the formal invitation came to us in 2022, our Prime Minister was eager to accept the invitation. The event gives us the possibility to showcase what we do but also to collaborate with the Netherlands and other countries on common challenges. We will focus for instance on decarbonization and the greener economy. By being a partner’s country, we hope it underscores Canada’s role as a reliable partner in helping address the challenges the world faces,” Hugh Adsett, Ambassador of Canada to the Kingdom of the Netherlands states.
For Adsett, the designation of Canada as a partner country is a reminder that relationships matter; “they matter between people, they matter between countries.”
“Canada is an example. We are expecting more than 200 companies from Canada – there will be a decentralized representation from various industries,” Hugh Adsett, Ambassador of Canada to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, enthuses. “HM will provide a platform for everything required to operate a large-scale manufacturing”, he continues before introducing the number of fields where Canada will demonstrate its technologies:
- Automation (Smart Manufacturing)
- Robotics: Applications areas in the field. How to manufacture energy store? A key focus will be made on recycling solutions within this area.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): how can machines build machines? AI being one of the major drivers of innovation, it’s something that cannot be ignored at HM.
- E-Mobility
- Clean Tech
- Quantum Computing
- Motion & Drives
- Digital ecosystems: business management software, digital platforms, data & cloud, engineering software, IT/OT Security, Wireless technology & 5G
- Electrification: (Hydrogen & Fuel Cells, Energie 4.0, Power Engineering). We are gradually switching to energy generation that is sustainable. Exploring solutions that could meet this challenge is crucial.
Spotlight on the BENELUX region at HM
Peter Stolk, Chairman of Holland High Tech, announces the presence of the BENELUX pavilion in Hall 8. Holland High Tech supports programmes and projects in the top sector High Tech Systems and Materials.
Companies of this pavilion will showcase their solutions under the theme “Together for a Smart & Sustainable Future” with a key focus on the relaunch of the smart connected supplier network.
“We will have a representation of the Dutch government, modern institutes and companies. For the first time, startups will join us to showcase what they bring to the industrial ecosystem,” Stolk points out.
Speaking of The Netherlands in particular, Stolk reminds that the country is strong in developing and making climate-neutral technologies and digital systems. They will explore collaborations with other countries and partners to be in better control of market fluctuations.
This article has first been published in the January/February edition of 3D ADEPT Mag.
