The Hannover Messe trade fair opens on 23 April 2017 under the motto “Integrated Industry-Creating Value”. Economic Affairs Minister Zypries is participating in the official opening ceremony on 23 April, and will tour the fair on 25 April. Hannover Messe is the world’s largest industrial trade fair, with 6,500 exhibitors from 70 countries. This year’s partner country is Poland, the first of the more recent members of the European Union to act in this capacity.

Economic Affairs Minister Zypries said: “Germany is once again showcasing itself at Hannover Messe as a strong economy based on an industrial core. Industrie 4.0 is the trade fair’s central theme, and forms the basis for smart products and new, service-oriented business models. Germany is now top for Industrie 4.0. Germany’s Plattform Industrie 4.0 is one of the world’s largest and most successful networks to support the digital transformation of manufacturing firms. The many organisations we are working with around the world show that we are well on track to achieve our goal of establishing Germany as a leading supplier and market by 2025. I am delighted that Poland is this year’s partner country at Hannover Messe. This is an important sign of the strength of European economic relations.”

Further information about media-relevant items on the schedule of the Economic Affairs Ministry at the trade fair:

On Sunday, 23 April 2017, Minister Zypries will attend the opening event of Hannover Messe from 6 p.m. Following this, she will host a dinner in honour of Poland, the partner country, to be attended by Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development and Finance, as well as Polish and German business representatives.

On Tuesday, 25 April 2017, Minister Zypries will have a political breakfast with Michael Ziesemer, President of the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (ZVEI), and Karl Haeusgen, Vice-President of the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). Following a joint photo opportunity with leading members of Plattform Industrie 4.0 at its stand at 10.15 a.m., she will open the Leaders’ Dialogue of Plattform Industrie 4.0 on “Industrie 4.0 – Implementation, Networking and International Cooperation” with a speech at 10.30 a.m. At 11 a.m., Minister Zypries will tour the trade fair with the President of the ZVEI and the Vice-President of the VDMA. At 1 p.m., she will meet with 25 women entrepreneurs for the Mittelstand-Digital Ladies Lunch, and discuss opportunities and challenges of digitalisation. In the afternoon, Minister Zypries will hold bilateral meetings with Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Henk Kamp, Malaysia’s Trade Minister Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan, and Australia’s Industry Minister Arthur Sinodinos.

On Wednesday, 26 April 2017, Parliamentary State Secretary Dirk Wiese will also visit Hannover Messe. Parliamentary State Secretary Wiese will hold speeches at the Transatlantic Forum of the Federation of German Industries and the German-Japanese Business Forum. He will also tour the trade fair.

On Thursday, 27 April 2017, Parliamentary State Secretary Uwe Beckmeyer will speak at the announcement of the partner country for the 2018 Hannover Messe and tour the trade fair.

On Sunday, 23 April 2017, State Secretary Matthias Machnig will hold a speech at 3.30 p.m. on “Securing and advancing technical capability? How ready is German industry to cope with the future?” at the BDI Business Forum, and will attend the opening event of the trade fair. On Monday, 24 April 2017, State Secretary Machnig will hold the opening speech at the Industrie 4.0 Forum and participate in the ensuing high-level panel on “Digitising European Industry - Challenges and Perspectives for SMEs”. At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, 25 April 2017, State Secretary Machnig will participate in a joint press conference with State Secretary Dr Georg Schütte, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Bernd Leukert, SAP board member and chair of the Plattform Industrie 4.0 steering group, and John Tuccillo, Chairman of the Industrial Internet Consortium. Following this, State Secretary Machnig will speak from 10.50 a.m. in a panel discussion of the Plattform Industrie 4.0 Leaders’ Dialogue.

Further information about the programme of events can be found here.