"The big challenge is not to see IT as an isolated solution, but to network all data and systems in such a way that they bring the greatest possible benefit for business success," says Hubertus von Monschaw, Global Director Digital Factory in the Hannover Messe team. "This year in Hanover, companies from all over the world will be demonstrating how artificial intelligence is once again significantly expanding the capabilities and possibilities of existing software solutions."

Digitalization offers new opportunities to bring integrated products to market faster, save costs, automate complex processes and introduce new business models such as Product-as-a-Service. "Real-time monitoring of external voices using IOT or social media can provide a comprehensive and customer-centric view and AI/machine learning can make decision-making easier and better," says Ulf Köster, Solution Director Digital Transformation Solutions at Oracle.

Köster describes a consistent connection of business processes and data through a digital thread that runs along the entire supply chain from product development, planning and production to commercialization and customer service as a prerequisite for a successful digital transformation.

The continuous, integrated flow of data and values across all business areas is also a key focus for SAP. "It must be guaranteed in order to know the status of production at all times, to be able to react immediately to fluctuations and to ensure more predictable and sustainable production overall," says Hala Zeine, President Digital Supply Chain at SAP. "Speed, quality, individuality and the integration of new technologies such as 3D printing, blockchain and machine learning are the most important requirements that manufacturing companies currently have to meet."

abas Software is also one of the providers of digitalization strategies and measures along the value chain. ERP plays an important role in this. "We see the ERP system as the basis for digital transformation, because it not only maps a company's critical business processes," says Mark Muschelknautz, Chief Marketing Officer at abas Software AG. "In the wake of IoT, Industry 4.0 and networked production, ERP must also master new challenges, such as the flexible real-time monitoring of processes and machines, the aggregation of data in conjunction with new analysis tools or the controlling of processes to meet compliance requirements."

The companies in Halls 5, 6, 7 and 8 at Hannover Messe answer all software questions along the industrial value chain and thus develop the prerequisites for what will be the leading theme of the world's leading trade fair for industry in 2019: Integrated Industry - Industrial Intelligence, i.e. the digital networking of people and machines in the age of artificial intelligence.