EMO Hannover is one of the four largest trade fairs for machine tools in the world. It was previously known as EEMO (European machine tools exhibition), and was also frequently called Hannover machine tool exhibition for short. Now when people say EMO, they think of the world of metalworking. There are something changed for the new EMO.

EMO Hannover officially opens its doors today after a four-year break. We can see the new LOGO shown above. This new design was published on EMO Hannover Relaunch Conference in 2021 by VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), the host of EMO Hannover. It signifies that EMO Hannover will be no longer simply a fair of machine tools, but an exhibition of world leading production technology. It is relevant to the future of manufacturing industry, and covers the entire production technology value chain. Therefore, when people talk about EMO Hannover, it brings to them the world of metalworking.

EMO Hannover 2023 will be held in Hannover, Germany, from 18 to 23 September. What’s the highlights? Let us see below.

EMO Hannover 2023: innovate manufacturing

“Innovate manufacturing” is a new claim of EMO Hannover 2023. It addresses the challenges that will face the industry in the months and years ahead, showcases the entire range of modern metalworking technology which is at the heart of every industrial production process. The main focus is on cutting and forming machine tools, manufacturing systems, precision tools, automated material handling, computer technology, industrial electronics and accessories.

Future Insights  – About Business, Connectivity and Sustainability

Production technology is changing in response to industrial transformation, while,itself,is also a part of the solution. EMO Hannover 2023, under the hot focus of “ Future Insights”,takes us to three themes closely related to our society, bringing different levels of impact on the manufacturing industry and its ability to provide solutions.

The first theme is – Future of Business. This theme focuses on “new markets, new business models, new opportunities and the potential of a company’s innovation culture, introducing Agile methodology and developing methodological knowledge to change structures and work method.” In this respect, EMO Hannover is a platform of expertise, not only in product technologies, but also in company organizational structures, strategies and methods. All above lead to increased efficiency and then the opportunity to earn greater commercial returns.

The second theme is – future of Connectivity. Industry 4.0 and connectivity are the key topics at the exhibition. For Chinese visitors staying in key positions in this field and interested in the future trends of the industry, the new EMO Hannover would provide them with a platform for in-depth exchanges with international experts. “Future of Connectivity” is centred on trends like Industry 4.0, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), digital business models, predictive maintenance, machine learning, inter-connectivity, interoperability, as well as artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality applications. IT and software engineering are the key elements for today’s production technology, while data mining means developing new business models. This is the basis for the vertical interconnection of plants, and also the horizontal interconnection with suppliers and customers within the value chain. 2023 EMO Hannover will showcase the above two aspects, hence extending to a new focus topic: the Internet of Things in production, offering a one-stop digital solutions platform.

At EMO Hannover 2023, the host, together with different manufacturers and systems, would demonstrate networking capabilities from shop floor to IT structure, and show us how data can be used to optimise production. Large-scale digital applications are key to industrial and social development in China. Digitalization and networking are indispensable for the development of automotive industry, mechanical engineering and other industries. 2023 EMO Hannover will impress visitors by presenting important aspects of the development of production technology, including automated driving, traffic flow, new drives, automated robots as well as new production processes that significantly reduce CO2 emissions.

The third theme is – “Future of Sustainability in Production”. Sustainability is undoubtedly one of the most pressing global challenges in present days. To make progress on production technology, we should take environmental sustainability into account during investment planning. Waste heat recovery, use of renewable energies, industrial energy and material efficiency, economical use of water, cooling lubricants and product packaging all contribute to more sustainable production. When planning the development of new machines, in-house production conversion or overall factory landscape, we should list sustainable development as a part of mandatory requirements. China’s investment programmes in industry remain in the front line of the trend, making it a great opportunity for Chinese companies to go “zero carbon”.

EMO Hannover will present preventive methods, solutions and concepts for resource-efficient and climate-neutral production and plant planning, for the circular economy of production, circular value creation, energy-efficient production, sustainable supply chains and safe workplace design. In addition to the many individual exhibitors showcasing solutions in this field, “Future Sustainability in Production” also looks more deeply into production and linking the scientific approach to practical applications. Our focus should be on energy efficiency, which has so far been neglected by the general public, but has enormous potential. Except for some special presentations, the concurrent forums at the trade fair will also provide companies with solutions for machines, components and production environments through keynote speeches and best practices.

The above three themes of “Future Insights”is independent of another, but while interconnected. Connected manufacturing could lead to new business models. Sustainable products could open up new markets. And more efficient production could save resources. Any advance in these three areas presents a major step forward for industrial production – or “innovate manufacturing”, to be precise.

Numerous industrial experts in China gathering in EMO Hannover

The last EMO Hannover 2019 already attracted 3,300 experts from China. As a result, they formed the second-largest group of visitors from abroad. In total, there were around 120,000 visitors from 149 countries. Of these, 51 percent traveled from outside Germany.

For the moment, EMO visitors come from all major industrial sectors including machine and plant construction, the automotive industry and parts suppliers, aerospace technologies, precision engineering and optics, shipbuilding, medical engineering, tool and mold making, steel and lightweight construction.

In 2021, Chinese consumption of machine tools, an indicator of the development of industrial production, amounted to around 28 billion US dollars. About 28 percent of China’s demand is imported. The main suppliers are Japan, Germany, the Taiwan region of China, South Korea, and Switzerland. Currently, more than 760 exhibitors are coming to EMO Hannover 2023 from the five countries mentioned above alone. This means that Chinese visitors have an extensive range of products and services from their top suppliers along the entire value chain and, in addition, a wide range of products and services from many other countries that are worth checking out.