US and Germany grow together

The US is Germany’s number one trading partner for first time in 40 years. Total trade volume reached €173 billion in 2015, and a recent Deloitte study indicates that German manufacturers see the US as the driver of the world economy. Deutsche Messe’s five industrial trade fairs that are co-located with IMTS (12 - 17 September 2016; McCormick Place, Chicago) confirm the renewed interest from Europe’s largest economy: 20% of the more than 400 exhibiting companies are based in Germany. With 48 exhibitors, the German Pavilion is more than two times bigger compared to 2014.

“Re-industrialisation and a lower euro exchange rate have generated growing demand for ‘Made in Germany’,” said Wolfgang Pech, Senior Vice President at Deutsche Messe. “The latest statistics from the German Engineering Federation confirm this: in the first three quarters of 2015, German machinery and plant manufacturers exported products worth almost €13 billion to the US Many of our German customers expect substantial sales growth in America in the near future, so it is no wonder that German participation in our events in Chicago has spiked. We provide a great platform for meeting current and new customers.”

Collectively, the five events – Industrial Automation North America, MDA North America, ComVac North America, Industrial Supply North America, and Surface Technology North America – showcase exhibiting companies from 22 countries, including such well-known names as B&R Industrial Automation, Balluff, Beckhoff Automation, Delta, Festo, Harting, Hawe Hydraulik, Hiwin, Igus, Lapp, Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Phoenix Contact, Rollon, Rittal, Rockwell Automation, THK, Wittenstein, and Yaskawa. In addition to Germany, China, Holland, Italy, and South Korea contribute country pavilions and the National Fluid Power Association presents its members in the IFPE Fluid Power Zone.

Industrial Automation North America unites Germany’s Industrie 4.0 with America’s Industrial Internet of Things: numerous exhibitors present solutions that integrate data from the plant floor with enterprise planning systems to maximise production efficiency. Collaborative robots also take centre stage, demonstrating that they can work safely with humans and perform an expanded range of tasks such as assembly, grinding and deburring.

At MDA North America, the trend is single sourcing as exhibitors showcase process improvements in power transmission and control and fluid technology as well as performance-monitoring sensors that improve quality and increase safety. Surface Technology North America focuses on industrial surface treatment and finishing – from pre-treatment to coatings, paint finishes and electroplating. Industrial Supply North America is a platform for parts, components, materials and lightweight construction. ComVac North America highlights developments in the compressed air and vacuum technology sector.

Combined, IMTS and Deutsche Messe’s events will feature more than 2000 exhibiting companies on 1.3 million ft2 of net display area. AMT, organiser of IMTS, expects more than 120 000 registrants. “Orders for manufacturing equipment and machinery in the US are expected to bounce back towards the end of 2016, so we expect to see many manufacturers in Chicago looking to upgrade their factories and plants,” says Pech.

Another highlight is the first-time Hannover Lounge – a co-operative effort by Deutsche Messe, Hannover Marketing & Tourismus, hannoverimpuls, and Hannover Airport – that promotes Hannover, Germany, as a business and tourist destination and provides information about investment opportunities and establishing operations in the Hannover region.

Deutsche Messe’s US subsidiary, Hannover Fairs USA, Inc., organises Industrial Automation North America, MDA North America, ComVac North America, Industrial Supply North America, and Surface Technology North America in cooperation with AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology. The five events are co-located with IMTS 2016 and belong to Deutsche Messe’s HANNOVER MESSE Worldwide portfolio.

Edited from source by Stephanie Roker

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