Arno Reich: The merger was brought to us as an explicit request from leading exhibitors and associations. It was then the result of many discussions and consultations between companies, associations and us as trade fair organizers. Previously, companies from the drive and fluid technology sector were present at the Hannover Messe every two years. In the age of digitalization, innovation cycles are changing. In addition, Industry 4.0 is blurring industry boundaries. Components must now be considered in the overall system in order to ensure optimum networking and efficiency. With the merger, we have therefore consistently followed the logic of a market that is increasingly offering and demanding cross-industry and cross-system solutions and networked products. With the new IAMD, we are strengthening the position of Hannover Messe as the world's leading trade fair for Industry 4.0. From intelligent components to data management in the cloud, it offers a view of the entire solution and not just individual components like no other event.

SCOPE: Strictly speaking, the unification of OT and IT was overdue. It is now making good progress - and Industry 4.0 has long been an established term. Where do you see the potential once this current development is complete? Will there be a temporary standstill and what could the next technological leap look like?

Reich: The digital transformation is a process that has been with us for some time and will continue to accompany us. There is no turning back. The current challenge is to take advantage of the opportunities and renew our own business models and production processes accordingly. It is fascinating to see how innovative development and production methods are leaving the expert circles and becoming an integral part of the everyday life of small, medium-sized and large industrial companies. There can therefore be no question of stagnation. On the contrary, I am convinced that the pace of change will increase even further. After all, when it comes to machine learning and artificial intelligence or augmented reality and industrial IT platforms, these are technological leaps that are only just beginning to unfold their potential. So it remains very exciting.

SCOPE: Industry 4.0 has not only brought technologies together, but has also prompted companies from a wide range of sectors around the world to cooperate. How has this made itself felt at the Hannover Messe in recent years, how has it changed it?

Reich: The Hannover Messe has indeed changed in that digitalization and Industry 4.0 are being driven by two sides. On the one hand, there are players from the ICT sector who are entering into partnerships with industry. On the other hand, it is the industrial side that is gaining more and more software expertise. These new partnerships and networks will be exhibiting in Hanover and explaining their value-added processes - the large ICT companies in particular will be consistently presenting new projects and developments for the digital transformation of industry together with their industry partners at their stands. For IT giants such as Microsoft, SAP, IBM, Oracle and Amazon Web Services, there is no way around Hannover these days. This enriches the trade fair immensely and creates an atmosphere of dynamism and new beginnings, which not only plays a role among the big players, but also attracts small and medium-sized companies.

SCOPE: And the consumer? Does industrial digitalization also have a direct impact on them?

Reich: Quite apart from the fact that the digital transformation of industry is leading to serious changes in the world of work and is therefore of importance to society as a whole, the consumer naturally benefits. Digitalization is not an end in itself. In order to stay ahead of the competition, the aim is still to make products and solutions more efficient, more sustainable, safer and of better quality. Digitalization offers numerous approaches to achieve this in new ways.

SCOPE: Networking in any area also harbors certain security risks. In your experience, do companies - both manufacturing and IT companies - pay sufficient attention to this issue? And can security keep pace with other technical developments and keep the resulting risks to a minimum in the future?

Reich: It's almost impossible to give a general answer. What is certain, however, is that IT security is of great and growing importance. Industry 4.0 is not possible without the protection of data and know-how in cross-company production and communication processes. This is what we are showcasing in Hanover. With the new "Industrial Security" exhibition area, we are creating a central point of contact for users and product developers from the mechanical and plant engineering and industrial automation sectors in the Digital Factory area in Hall 6. The specialists there will showcase everything that protects against cyber attacks and operational failures - from security by design, authentication and encryption to copy protection and access control.

SCOPE: Finally, a question on what is perhaps the most topical subject at this year's Hannover Messe alongside the increasingly successful additive manufacturing - electromobility: will there soon be a boom here too, both in the technology and in the sales markets?

Reich: Without a doubt, yes. Electromobility has long been in the headlines as a topic. Now the next step is for it to actually conquer the markets on a large scale. At the Hannover Messe, it is clear how much is at stake. After all, it's not primarily about the cars, but about what's behind them - from the charging station to the question of how the electricity gets there. A nationwide infrastructure is the prerequisite for a boom in the sales markets.