Hannover Messe brand extended to U.S. for IMTS Show

Illinois Gov. Rauner part of press event to tout 2018 show In Chicago in September.

By Bob Vavra, CFE Media April 25, 2018

The partnership between Hannover Fairs USA and the Association for Manufacturing Technology around the biannual International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago has produced continued growth in both the show as a whole and the industrial automation, motors and drives component that long has been the strength of the annual Hannover Messe show in Germany.

That partnership will reach a new level in the 2018. For the first time, Deutsche Messe will market a show under the Hannover Messe brand. Hannover Messe USA was presented at a press conference in Hannover April 24 during this year’s Hannover Messe in Germany, and among the dignitaries on hand for the announcement was Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, who touted his state’s role in manufacturing and transportation as key drivers to attract the event.

“Illinois is at the heart of manufacturing in the United States,” Rauner said.  “IMTS is one of great trade shows in the world, and we believe it will transform the networking between companies around the world.”

The 2018 IMTS Show, which will be Sept. 10-15 at McCormick Place in Chicago, is on track to be among the most successful ever. The 2016 show drew more than 115,000 attendees and generated an estimated $1.78 billion in future sales. The 2018 show will have more exhibitors in both the IMTS and Hannover Messe USA pavilions, and that could drives even greater attendance

Marc Siemering, senior vice president of industry, energy and logistics for Deutsche Messe AG, said the extension of the Hannover Messe name followed the successful Partner Country effort from the United States in 2016.

“That created tremendous awareness for the brand, and we want to extend that brand to North America in 2018,” Siemering said.

“It makes all the sense in the world for us to be at IMTS in Chicago,” said Larry Turner, president and CEO of Hannover Fairs USA. “It’s been a great partnership for us.”

Among the partnerships is one between Hannover Fairs USA and CFE Media, which will co-organize the 2018 Global Automation and Manufacturing Summit (GAMS) on Wednesday, Sept. 12 starting with registration at 11:30 a.m. The half-day seminar will bring in experts from around the world to discuss the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and its impact on robotics, cybersecurity, maintenance and production. Siemens is the GAMS Platinum Sponsor, and Beckhoff, Infor, Stratus and UL are Gold Sponsors.

IMTS 2018 comes at a time of great growth not just for the show, but for manufacturing as a whole,” said Peter Eelman, vice president of exhibitions and business development for AMT. “The U.S. economy and the manufacturing market as a whole remains in a strong position,” Eelman said. “The baseline is consumer sentiment, and that remains strong, with steady GDP growth and the passing of several tax reforms that has put money into the economy.”

Those federal tax cuts, Rauner said, have been the main talking points on his two-week trade mission in central Europe designed to help recruit additional manufacturing and business to Illinois. “The tax regulation changes have been a massive step forward,” Rauner said. “We’re now much more competitive with our tax rates and the tax benefits we can offer. It will enhance investment in America and enhance U.S. investment around the world.”

The issue of global trade was mentioned by both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto at the Sunday opening ceremony for Hannover Messe that Rauner attended. Rauner dismissed much of the talk on both sides of the Atlantic as more gamesmanship than policy.

“Global trade drives economic prosperity. We should be knocking down barriers to trade,” Rauner said. “It is important to note that there is no such thing as ‘free trade’. There should be fair trade, and there should ad adjustments in our trading policy especially with countries such as China over intellectual property.

“It’s also important to see the difference between posturing and rhetoric,” Rauner added. “I don’t think it benefits anyone to get caught up in the rhetoric. There are different ways of negotiating, with different styles.”

Bob Vavra, content manager, CFE Media, bvavra@cfemedia.com