Hannover. Deutsche Messe is set to bring its global industrial network to Africa for the first time. The inaugural 'Industrial Transformation Africa' trade fair will take place in Casablanca, Morocco, from September 29 to October 1, 2026. In parallel, Deutsche Messe is setting up the Smart Factory Academy Casablanca as a year-round platform for the topics of automation, robotics, and Industry 4.0.

With 'Industrial Transformation Africa', Deutsche Messe is creating a central platform for industrial innovation, international cooperation, and technology transfer across the African continent. Complementing the trade fair is the Smart Factory Academy Casablanca, a platform offering businesses training programs, workshops, conferences, and hands-on demonstrations in the fields of automation, robotics, and Industry 4.0 on a year-round basis. The Academy will enable companies to showcase their technologies long-term, upskill talent, and maintain continuous engagement with the market.

Together, the trade fair and the Academy form an integrated, 365-day strategy focused on sustainably expanding Deutsche Messe's presence and impact in the African market, while boosting technology transfer and international cooperation over the long term.

Dr. Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe: "Africa is a rapidly expanding and strategically vital market for industry, with Morocco playing a central role in this landscape. Together, 'Industrial Transformation Africa' and the Smart Factory Academy create a unique business model enabling us to engage with our customers throughout the year rather than meeting up with them just once annually at the trade fair. This gives us the means to strengthen our global HANNOVER MESSE network and create sustainable stimuli for industrial development in Africa."