METAV International Fair For Manufacturing Technology and Automation

Special events attract new target groups
The next METAV international fair for manufacturing technology and automation will be held from 23 till 27 February 2010 in Dusseldorf. In even-numbered years, METAV has become firmly established as an important technology showcase for all forms of manufacturing technology and automation from Germany, addressing manufacturers and customers from throughout Europe. The METAV presents the full range of manufacturing technology. Special emphases are on machine tools, manufacturing systems, precision tools, automated material flow, computer technology, industrial electronics and parts and accessories. The scope of visitors to the METAV includes all major branches of industry, with a particular focus on the machine and plant construction sectors, the automotive industry and its suppliers, iron and steel, the non-ferrous metal industry and the skilled trades. A large number of fringe events dealing with topical issues in manufacturing technology will be held for these customer groups at the forthcoming METAV.
The market leaders and major suppliers of production technology have long since recognised the potential of the METAV, using it as a platform from which to demonstrate their competence. This was reaffirmed by Oliver Guhring, Sales and Marketing Director of Guhring oHG in Albstadt: “We are convinced that the economy will recover during the second half of 2009. In view of this, METAV 2010 will then be the ideal platform– following on from the EMO 2009 in Milan– on which to present our company’s product innovations on the German market.” Dietmar Hermle, Management Spokesman for the Berthold Hermle AG engineering works in Gosheim, added: “From the very outset, the Berthold Hermle AG engineering works have regarded METAV as being the ideal trade fair platform for establishing contacts to customers and enquirers alike in the central and north German area. And, irrespective of the more problematic economic climate, Hermle will be presented at the METAV in 2010 too, albeit with a slightly reduced stand area.”
As the first comprehensive metalworking trade fair after a protracted gap in Germany, METAV will be the first opportunity since more than a year to address German trade visitors on a large scale. “We anticipate that, on account of budget cuts and restrictions on travel, many of them will be unable to attend the EMO in Milan. With them in mind, the VDW has come up with an attractive special offer for the METAV, giving them the opportunity to catch up with the very latest in technological developments,” emphasised Wilfried Schafer on behalf of the VDW. “Since the middle of the present year there have been an increasing number of signs that the economic crisis may well have already bottomed out. More cheerful news is being heard from Asia, America, and also from Europe. We know from experience that it usually takes a further six months before a recovery in demand in the processing sector reaches the machine tool industry,” commented Dr. Wilfried Schafer, Executive Director of the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW), the organisers of the METAV.
Many customer branches, in particular the automotive industry, are currently energetically involved in positioning themselves with new products. In order to do so, they will require new manufacturing technology, and the METAV is where they can learn all about such technology. This means that METAV exhibitors will be at the right place and time to provide their customer groups with the crucial impetus for boosting their business.

Special events addressing new target groups
In addition, numerous attractive special events will enable METAV exhibitors to tap new areas of competence and new customer groups. As just one example, the Institute of Machining Technology from the Technical University in Dortmund will be presenting its top-level grinding seminar at the METAV on 25 February 2010, accompanied by a special exhibition on “Grinding Technology and Fine Machining”.
A show entitled “Metal meets Medical” will directly address the medical engineering target group. Operating from a joint stand, suppliers of cutting, laser, surface treatment, drive systems and measuring technologies, automation and control technology will be able to demonstrate their competence for this growth market. As part of the joint stand, Siemens, one of the largest METAV exhibitors, and a number of partner companies will present innovative solutions for the production of medical components throughout the entire process chain.
METAV 2010 will break new ground on 25 and 26 February, launching the first-ever Recruitment Day in cooperation with the newspaper “VDI nachrichten”, addressing qualified specialists and executives as well as young engineers. This is an opportunity for exhibitors, parallel to their exhibition presence, to arouse the interest of enthusiastic graduates and young professionals for their companies. A further special feature targeting qualified and dedicated recruits for the machine construction sector is the traditional special youth show “Mechanical Engineer– Job with Power”, organised by the VDW trainee recruitment foundation.
Key industrial clusters within North Rhine-Westphalia, including Automotive and Produktion NRW, will also be participating in the METAV with their own information stands. They will address the issue of the effects that e-mobility has on manufacturing technology, demonstrating the potential inherent in cross-innovations, i.e., how networking individual competence can help boost innovation. The aim is to highlight the performance and potential of North Rhine-Westphalia as a high-tech region.

Bookings up to expectations
“Every trade fair is a mirror of the market. Given the present troubled situation, however, we were pleasantly surprised by the level of bookings for METAV 2010,” explained Wilfried Schafer. Companies are evidently using METAV in the hope of timing the presentation of their new developments to coincide as closely as possible to the point of economic recovery. Many new exhibitors are now already on board who were either absent from the previous METAV or who have never exhibited at a METAV before. The VDW anticipates that the improved mood of the economy will, in the weeks and months ahead, increasingly motivate companies to make greater use of the METAV as an important marketing instrument within the European market.