The Hannover Messe is known as one of the largest industrial technology fair in the world. What used to be only the showcase of the German economic miracle is today a key international event in which we can find a full range of technical innovations throughout the whole value chain - from automation to supplier solutions. For a week, nearly 25 hectares of technological innovations and competitive solutions, 150 delegations gathered 5.5 million of commercial contacts. Impossible for Wallonia to not be present at this event!
The key themes of the 2018 edition are digital for the industry - automation, robotics, virtual and augmented reality, integrates processes and IT solution. As you will see in the enclosed brochure, wallonia will be present with strong actors of our Industry 4.0. For more than a decade, we have put open innovation at the heart of our territorial development strategy including, since 2015, important investments in the digitalization of our industry. Nowadays, our regional development strategy focuses more than ever on innovation, through important investments in transversal axes such as digital technologies, smart territory initiatives and the circular economy programs. It might then seem natural to expect that Wallonia would be part of this edition!
Wallonia-Brussels International (WBI) and the Wallonia Trade and Investment Agency (AWEX) have thus joined their forces to lead a Walloon delegation coming from various fields. With the support of the Walloon Digital Agency and its digitalization program "Made Different", our Infopole ICT Business Cluster and Mecatech - the Innovation Cluster for Mechanical Engineering - will also be present with representatives from technological factories and research centers as well as experts from academia and spin-offs who will give you a taste of our technological solutions.
For the Walloon participants, The Hannover Messe is also a unique opportunity to showcase their technologies and expertise, meet and connect with German and foreign companies and delegations in order to conclude new technological partnerships or launch joint research projects.
The delegation from Wallonia will be present in the Research and Technology Hall (Hall 2) and our participants will be available for one-to-one business meeting. Do not hesitate to visit and greet us around some magic tricks and technological discussions!
Ms Pascale DELCOMMINETTE, CEO