The future of the electronics production industry on display at productronica 2019
With the theme “Accelerating Innovation” productronica, the World’s leading trade fair for the electronics production industry, takes place at the Messe München trade-fair centre from November 12 to 15 2019. productronica 2019 will present the entire value creation chain for the electronics production industry and this year’s event will focus on a range of topics including smart maintenance, the smart factory, E-Mobility and the all-important need to attract young professionals to the industry. All this as well as SEMICON Europa which takes place alongside productronica as it did two years ago.
Positive Industry Signs
According to the latest VDMA Business Climate Index, the manufacturers of electronics production equipment expect turnover to grow by 1.0 percent in 2019. In 2020, the sector is expecting growth of 1.4 percent. Asia accounts for almost half of all turnover, followed by Germany with 25 percent and the European market with around 18 percent.
Falk Senger, Managing Director of Messe München, sees these figures as a positive sign for productronica 2019. He says “Electronics production is still in a good financial shape. We are therefore optimistic that we’ll have a successful trade fair and productronica will live up to its reputation as the world’s leading trade fair with large numbers of international exhibitors and visitors taking part.”
One issue affecting every company including those in the electronics production sector is the chronic lack of specialist staff and young people joining the industry. As Falk Senger explains, productronica 2019 will feature a dedicated exhibition area for this. “According to various studies, there will be 100,000 unfilled vacancies for electrical engineers in Germany over the next ten years. We see it as our task to attract young professionals to the electronics industry and to encourage dialog between companies and graduates.” Adds Falk Senger.
Accelerating Talents for young professionals
productronica 2019 will have several new features with the focus on young professionals and startups. With the “Accelerating Talents” area in Hall B2, productronica offers a platform for students, graduates and young professionals with the aim of encouraging them to take up a career in electronics production.
The concept is made up of three parts: An entertaining instructive trail to raise awareness of electronics production; A co-working space for discussions between visitors and exhibitors’ personnel managers and, in the Speaker’s Corner, visitors will find not only brief company portraits but also specialist Tech Slams presentations.
Premiere for productronica Fast Forward
In addition to finding young professionals, a key focus in electronics production is on startups. Together with the specialist magazine Elektor, productronica is bringing young companies and international industry representatives together. During productronica Fast Forward, startups will present their products and solutions in a separate exhibition area and a forum in Hall B2. The companies with the most promising solutions will receive the productronica Fast Forward award on the last day of the fair (Friday, November 15).
First ever hackathon at productronica 2019
Together with the VDMA and Fraunhofer, productronica will feature a hackathon format in Hall B2. Exhibitors will function as taskmasters for students, young professionals and startups who will have 48 hours in which to come up with ideas, solutions and prototypes at the fair. Exhibitors will benefit not only from the results of the challenge but also from contact with potential new employees. In return, hackathon participants will have to opportunity to introduce themselves to a potential new employer and show their skills during the challenge.
Smart maintenance live demos and 3D AOI Arena
Other new features at this year’s productronica include special shows for smart
maintenance and 3D AOI (automated optical inspection).
In Hall B2, visitors can learn how maintenance is the backbone of factory 4.0. The exhibition with demo park will show how smart maintenance can help to reduce operating costs, increase profits and improve production efficiency.
The 3D AOI Arena in Hall A2 is jointly organized by Messe München and Konradin Verlag. It will provide an overview of the 3D automated optical inspection market. Leading providers such as Cyberoptics, OMRON, Viscom and Yamaha will present the latest solutions during daily shows and hands-on sessions.
Solutions for the Future – The Innovation Award enters round Three
For the third time, productronica will be awarding prizes for innovative products. An independent jury will choose the winners in six categories from products from exhibitors at productronica. Applications for the categories Cables, Coils & Hybrids, Future Markets, Inspection & Quality, PCB & EMS, Semiconductors, and SMT may be submitted until September 9, 2019. Winners will be presented with their awards at productronica on November 12, 2019.
SEMICON Europa
Once again, SEMICON Europa will be held alongside productronica in Hall B1. This key exhibition and conference event has around 400 exhibitors involved in
semiconductor manufacturing as well as printed and organic electronics. Visitors can expect to see and learn about many topics including automotive, flexible hybrid electronics, medical technology and power electronics.
The conference programme is wide ranging with speakers from many leading global companies.
Full Supporting Programme
As usual, a full supporting programme is planned for productronica 2019. This includes the productronica forum in Hall A1, the Innovation Forum in Hall B2 and the PCB and EMS Speakers Corner in Hall B3. Visitors will be very interested to see several live demonstrations – Event Stage Cleanroom in Hall B2, the established and entertaining IPC hand soldering World Championship in Hall A1 and Smart Maintenance which will take place in Hall B2. Other live demos in Hall B2 include robotics and automation and E-Mobility.
Not forgetting the biggest exhibition for everyone involved in electronics production.
productronica’s new Exhibition Manager, Caroline Pannier, expects this year’s fair to continue the success of productronica 2107 when 1560 exhibitors from 43 countries presented their products and services to no less than 44,000 visitors from 85 countries. International visitors accounted for 52% of attendees with the UK placed fifth after Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.
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