"Companies have successfully taken the first steps on the path to digitalized and networked production and are now in the process of igniting the second stage," emphasized Thilo Brodtmann, Managing Director of the VDMA. "New business models on platforms, the use of 'digital twins' or initial experiences with machine learning - all of this will play an increasingly important role in mechanical engineering. HANNOVER MESSE is the place where the future of industry is discussed and presented; we are once again very satisfied with the results this year," said Brodtmann. According to the VDMA, the convergence of automation, software and intralogistics will also continue to characterize HANNOVER MESSE.

"HANNOVER MESSE has once again shown that the global Industry 4.0 movement has its home here. Expanded value networks, new forms of human-machine collaboration and the increasing integration of artificial intelligence in production are key features of digitalization and networking that were once again the first to be seen in Hanover. All of this will require even more connectivity in the future, which is why the ZVEI has been calling for an industry-capable 5G network from the outset," said Dr. Klaus Mittelbach, Chairman of the ZVEI Management Board. "The trade fair also sent out two other messages: only cooperation, not isolation, enables technological progress and social prosperity. And schoolchildren can be inspired when they come into contact with technology - as they did at the trade fair. We need to do even more to attract them: they are the urgently needed skilled workers of tomorrow."

Of the 210,000 visitors, more than 70,000 came from abroad. This means that the proportion of international visitors was 30 percent. Most visitors from abroad came from China (6,500), the Netherlands (5,300), Poland (2,700) and the USA (1,700). There were 1,400 visitors from the partner country Mexico.

The fact that IT and mechanical engineering are continuing to grow together and industrial IT platforms and other new business models are emerging was one of the key trends in Hanover this year, as was the imminent arrival of artificial intelligence in factories. In the automation halls, it was clear that drive and fluid technology is a key driver of digitalized and networked production.

The close networking of production and logistics was discussed in the CeMAT halls, as the digital factory will not function without intelligent logistics systems. The product highlights included industrial trucks, autonomous shuttles, picking robots and complete systems.

Assistance systems such as exoskeletons, AR glasses and, above all, robots were further highlights. Agile manufacturing and intralogistics rely on driverless transport systems, drones and voice assistants. The trend towards human-machine collaboration continues unabated.

The energy halls were all about energy efficiency while protecting the climate at the same time. The focus was on decentralized, smart energy systems as well as infrastructure solutions for environmentally friendly mobility of the future.

The supplier companies also demonstrated their innovative strength as development partners, networked with their customers. With multi-material design and lightweight construction concepts, components can be completely rethought and become not only more cost-effective and efficient, but also more powerful.

More than 160 Mexican companies presented their products and innovations at the trade fair. Chancellor Merkel and Mexico's President Enrique Peña Nieto agreed that progress and prosperity can only be achieved with open markets. Mexico's participation was therefore also marked by the international free trade agreement that Mexico and the European Union agreed on last Saturday. In future, the countries want to trade 99 percent of their goods duty-free.

The next HANNOVER MESSE will be held from April 01 to 05, 2019. The partner country will be Sweden. The next CeMAT will again be held jointly with HANNOVER MESSE from April 20 to 24, 2020.