Hannover Fair 2005: 58th edition opens with 6,000 exhibitors

Hannover, Germany—Some 6,000 exhibitors from 60 nations are spreading technologies and products over more than 2 million sq ft of display area at the 58th edition of the Hannover Industrial Fair, which got underway today at the city’s fairgrounds.

By Control Engineering Staff April 11, 2005

Hannover, Germany— Some 6,000 exhibitors from 60 nations are spreading technologies and products over more than 2 million sq ft of display area at the 58th edition of Hannover Industrial Fair , which got underway today at the city’s fairgrounds. Enthusiasm of exhibitors and show management is running high on the first day of fair, which now includes Interkama+. They now await the judgment of visitors.

Continuing a tradition of pre-show events, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder presided over lengthy opening ceremonies for Hannover Fair 2005 held the previous evening at Hannover’s Congress Center. Russian President Vladimir Putin and other German officials also participated in the ceremonies.

This morning, April 11, the two political leaders are jointly opening the fair’s “Partner Country Russia” Pavilion in Hall 13 and the German-Russian Business Symposium, which also is part of the fair program. The Russian Pavilion is showcasing that country’s technological expertise and wide range of industrial products, covering 71,000 sq ft of displays.

This year, the full line up of shows comprises “11 fairs within a fair”—the largest number ever for this event:

  • Factory Automation (Halls 7-9, 11, 14-17)

  • Interkama+ (Halls 7-9, 11, 14-17)

  • Motion, Drive & Automation (Halls 17, 19-26, open air site)

  • Digital Factory (Hall 16)

  • MicroTechnology (Halls 14, 15)

  • Energy (Halls 11-13, open air site)

  • Research & Technology (Hall 2)

  • ComVac (compressed air & vacuum technologies, Hall 27)

  • Surface Technology (includes Powder Coating Europe, Hall 6)

  • Subcontracting (Halls 3-5)

  • Industrial Services & Equipment (Hall 27).

Two flagship shows—Factory Automation and Interkama+—combine manufacturing and process aspects of automation into a synergistic whole that cross-links previous separate exhibitions. About 1,200 exhibitors make up these two arenas alone. Interkama also encompasses IT solutions, field devices, control and regulatory systems, and instrumentation.

Motion, Drive & Automation, held in odd-numbered years, spans the world of electrical and mechanical power transmission along with hydraulic and pneumatic technologies. The theme of “condition monitoring” as it applies to drives and industrial systems is prominent throughout this show sector. Introduced in 2004, Digital Factory has grown to 180 exhibitors (from 150 last year) and has increased 50% in space. Product Lifecycle Management is a key focus and rapidly growing part of this show sector.

Further coverage of Hannover Fair 2005 will follow in Control Engineering in print and online.

Control Engineering Daily News Desk
Frank J. Bartos, executive editor
fbartos@reedbusiness.com