Hannover. HANNOVER MESSE 2023 offers both: not only a unique platform for exchange between representatives of industry, lawmakers, academia and society, but also the latest technologies for a resilient, networked and carbon-neutral industry.

"For each of the current challenges facing the world, there will be solutions on display at HANNOVER MESSE," says Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG. "Carbon neutral production, artificial intelligence, hydrogen technologies, energy management and Industrie 4.0 – these are the overarching themes of the world's leading exhibition for industry. Only by weaving these technologies together will it be possible to secure our prosperity sustainably while pursuing climate change mitigation."

More than 4,000 companies from the engineering, electrical and digital industries as well as the energy sector will be showcasing solutions for the production and energy supply of the future under the lead theme of "Industrial Transformation – Making the Difference": digitalization and automation of complex production processes, AI's first steps in industry, hydrogen as an energy supplier for factories, as well as using software to record and reduce carbon footprints.

Besides Germany, most exhibitors will be coming from China, Italy, Turkey, the USA and Indonesia. Global tech companies such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, SAP, Siemens, Bosch, NOKIA, ServiceNow and Schneider Electric will be represented, as well as leading technology SMEs such as Beckhoff, Festo, Harting, ifm, Pepperl+Fuchs, Phoenix Contact, Rittal and SEW. Renowned research institutes such as the Fraunhofer or KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) as well as more than 300 startups promise cutting-edge technologies and completely new business models.

HANNOVER MESSE will be opened by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. Indonesia is this year's partner country of the tradeshow for industry.

AI and machine learning

Ever since the hype started around ChatGPT, everyone has been talking about generative AI. Systems such as ChatGPT, DALL-E or Luminous from the German AI company Aleph Alpha are already capable of supporting text writing, programming and design today.

Aleph Alpha is going one step further at HANNOVER MESSE: the company is joining forces with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to show how an industrial robot can be controlled using natural language. The robot reacts and responds to the worker's questions and commands as it goes about its business.

At the same time, visitors to HANNOVER MESSE will be able to experience how robots are accomplishing assembly tasks by following the hand movements of human workers, and even learning from the operator's mistakes.

"AI can trigger a boost in efficiency in industrial manufacturing, while at the same time reducing the pressure on companies in Germany and Europe that are facing shortages of skilled workers – so, it will be an important factor in securing the prospects of existing industrial locations," says Köckler.

Hydrogen – source of energy and hope for the future

Green hydrogen is seen by many as an energy source and a beacon of hope in the energy transition. Industry wants to use it to break free from its dependence on fossil fuels, and to reduce CO2 emissions.

But there are challenges: producing hydrogen is a complex and expensive activity, because hydrogen is not yet used on a large industrial scale. Issues of availability, transportation, and large-scale storage remain to be solved.

Köckler: "More than 500 companies at HANNOVER MESSE will be showcasing solutions for using hydrogen in industry." Siemens Energy, for example: the company is running simulations to study the effects of changes in the energy mix: What happens when fossil fuels are replaced by renewable energy sources such as hydrogen? What role do storage solutions play? What are the challenges and solutions in industrial processes? "This makes Hannover the world's largest and most important platform for the hydrogen topic," adds Köckler.

At HANNOVER MESSE, users from industry and political policymakers will be able to obtain information running the whole gamut, from the potential of hydrogen as an energy source to learning what course must be set as we move toward hydrogen as the basis for industry.

Industrie 4.0, Manufacturing X and the Metaverse

It will take data to unlock the full potential of Industrie 4.0 – lots of data that can be accessed by all companies involved in the value chain. A new connected data ecosystem aims to provide the solution: Manufacturing X.

The first steps towards implementing Manufacturing X will be presented at HANNOVER MESSE in close cooperation with Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the BDI, VDMA and ZVEI trade associations.

At the same time, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are revolutionizing the development of industrial products. The world's first industrial glasses for the Metaverse, which enable interaction and collaboration between AR and VR, will be on show at HANNOVER MESSE.

Other companies will show how the boundaries between the virtual and real worlds are becoming blurred; tasks such as making alterations to 3D models, safely installing components or even customer training are thus made easier.

Visualizing energy flows and consumption

The interaction between software and machines harbors considerable potential for energy savings. Smart energy monitoring solutions presented by HANNOVER MESSE exhibitors will help to identify and optimize energy consumption at machine level and thus reduce the carbon footprint.

"Even today, most industrial users are practically unaware of many hidden consumption flows," observes Köckler. Non-regulated motors in pumps, fans, compressors or machines are still everyday features in many factories. Improvements in energy efficiency are virtually impossible to achieve without intelligent control technology and interactions between electrical engineering and IT.

Köckler: "In Germany, industry accounts for about 45 percent of electricity consumption. The solutions presented by companies exhibiting at HANNOVER MESSE can make an important contribution to significantly more energy-efficient production."

Comprehensive program of conferences

HANNOVER MESSE is a unique knowledge platform with a total of more than 1,100 presentations and panel discussions. Pioneering thinkers will present the strategies and solutions they are employing to respond to the challenges posed by the new era. The focus here is on the topics of digitalization, climate change mitigation and green hydrogen.

The "Your Future" initiative for young talent

With the "Your Future" initiative, HANNOVER MESSE and its partners have developed a new concept aimed primarily at school and university graduates, and young professionals. HANNOVER MESSE not only offers them a central discussion platform but also holds guided tours to potentially interested exhibitors.

WomenPower career congress

The WomenPower career congress is one of the most successful networking and discussion events for women when it comes to diversity, career development, sustainability and new worlds of work. The congress is held annually under the auspices of HANNOVER MESSE, and is aimed primarily at participants from the STEM sector. The motto this year is "Celebrate Diversity".

Partner country – Indonesia

Indonesia, the largest economic powerhouse in the ASEAN region, is the partner country for HANNOVER MESSE 2023. The motto is: Making Indonesia 4.0. Indonesia aims to be one of the world's top ten economies by 2030, at which point renewables are expected to account for 51.6 percent of total electricity generation. At HANNOVER MESSE, this aspiring country will be presenting itself as a reliable partner for companies around the globe.