The Federation of German Industries (BDI) believes that German industry remains under pressure and expects stagnation instead of growth. At the same time, the association is emphasizing the industry's innovative strength at the Hannover Messe.

Schaeffler has been awarded the German Innovation Award 2026. The prize was awarded for an industrial metaverse approach that links real production processes with digital simulations and enables AI-supported manufacturing.

Beckhoff Automation is showcasing the integration of AI in machine control systems at Hannover Messe 2026. Physical AI enables autonomous processes directly in the machine - without a cloud connection.

Beckhoff increased its global turnover by 6% to 1.24 billion euros in the 2025 financial year. The company invested 80 million euros in research and development and employs 5450 people worldwide.

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Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits the ZVEI stand at the Hannover Messe and talks to pupils from the David Roentgen School. A smart factory and an AI-supported co-robot are presented as part of Industry 4.0 projects and the promotion of young talent.

Topics such as digitalization and sustainable production will shape Hannover Messe 2026, and a number of prizes will also be awarded during the trade fair.

RobCo is presenting a new industrial robotics system for dynamic tasks in industry at the Hannover Messe. With 'Autonomous Alfie', the company is opening up a new category of robotic solutions. This allows tasks in which processes, objects and environmental conditions vary to be increasingly automated.

Schaeffler was honored with the Hermes Award 2026 at the Hannover Messe. The award-winning actuator platform reduces installation space, increases torque and lowers system costs in service robotics.

Wittmann reorganizes the management team: From May 2026, owners Michael Wittmann and Dr. Werner Wittmann will combine the management of the entire group of companies in a dual leadership team. Rainer Weingraber is leaving the company.

Automated storage systems place high demands on the drives in horizontal and vertical conveyor technology.

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The EU Commission has approved the German industrial electricity price: Until the end of 2028, electricity costs for energy-intensive companies can be subsidized with 3.8 billion euros and capped at five cents per kilowatt hour. The VCI criticizes the relief effect as being too low.

A start-up project at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) aims to fundamentally simplify the production of green hydrogen: Mass-produced photoreactor panels are to be used to produce hydrogen directly from sunlight and water - without electrolysers, without electricity consumption and without a grid connection.

Digital employees are automating routine tasks in industrial companies: Guest author Sören Michl, Vice President AI Adoption at IFS, uses four practical examples to show how AI agents speed up processes, reduce errors and increase efficiency.

On the occasion of the strike announced by ver.di on the first two days of Hannover Messe 2026 (20 and 21 April), which will paralyze public transport in Hanover, the organizer, Deutsche Messe, is expressing clear criticism and great concern about the impact on the trade fair and business location.

New connectors and an app solution for the IIoT framework from PLCnext Technology make it easier to collect data from controllers, sensors and field devices - especially in existing systems.

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Humanoid robots are seen as a beacon of hope for industry - but their success depends largely on the right drive technology.

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Assa Abloy is expanding its portfolio with the Aperio DR100, a card reader with relay for demanding access points. The solution supports online and offline scenarios as well as various identification media and facilitates integration into existing access and building management systems.

Industrial AI raises key production figures such as OEE, quality and energy efficiency to a new level - but only with the right IT architecture. This is what Chris Kramar, Director and General Manager OEM Solutions DACH at Dell Technologies, says in his guest article.

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At the "European Robotics Forum" (ERF) at the end of March, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, together with Trumpf and Lorch, won the "euRobotics Technology Transfer Award". The entry was a no-code solution that enables companies to use cobots for small batch sizes without specialist knowledge or high costs for welding.

Energy-intensive industries are facing major challenges: Complex supply chains, fossil raw materials and processes that are difficult to decarbonize make the path to greenhouse gas neutrality more difficult. A guest article by Dr. Gabriela Espinosa from TÜV Süd Energietechnik.