Interview with
Dr Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Deutsche Messe AG
Hannover Messe 2024: The leading venue for the "sustainable industry" drive
At the end of April, the Hannover Messe will once again be welcoming leading international industrial companies. The exhibition is increasingly featuring as the starting point for sustainable visions of the future. This is evidenced by the motto, the partner country and the presence of the All Electric Society.
When the term industrial trade fair is brought up, Hannover Messe is the undisputed leading international event. This year's motto is "Energising a Sustainable Industry": More than 4,000 exhibitors from the mechanical engineering, electrical and digital industries as well as the energy sector will be on site and are committing to act as a networked industrial ecosystem. The paramount objective is achieving climate neutrality through sustainable industry.
Dr Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Deutsche Messe AG, is aware of the thematic overlap with the All Electric Society, i.e. a future in which CO2-neutral electricity is the central form of energy worldwide:
According to Klöckler, in addition to the production of renewable energy, it is always essential to be able to actually utilise this energy. Sector coupling - i.e. linking the energy sector with the industry, transport and building sectors and then optimising them together – that is what is called for here. In Klöcker's words, sustainable industry "only works as a joint endeavour in the wonderful mix of corporations, SMEs and start-ups".
The relevant providers come from industries that are driving the megatrends of automation, digitalisation and electrification and the first two are no newcomers in Hanover. Trade fair board member Köckler emphasises the relevance of electrification above all: "What use is the best digitalisation in the cloud or in server centres and what use is the best automation if I don't have securely available energy?" The goal must be achieving a competitive and sustainable industry. Electrification is a global project that can not only be driven forward by politicians, but also by companies such as Harting.
According to the trade fair organisers, the unique integration of major IT players such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services and SAP will also make it possible to interlink the sectors in Hanover. With Siemens and Schneider Electric, we also have representatives who, according to Köckler, "combine OT and IT, which is also a USP for our trade fair".
Automation and energy will be converging at the trade fair in Hall 11, where the "All Electric Society" is also being depicted. ZVEI, the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association, was in charge of the project.
Köckler is also looking forward to the opening event with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of this year's partner country Norway: "Politicians also want to decide together with the exhibitors on how to move forward. The aim is to keep industrial production in place in Europe." Moreover, Norway is also a country that is an energy producer and is currently trimming its industry for greater decarbonisation. This positions Norway as role model and partner that can help Germany in achieving greater energy autonomy.
