HANNOVER (dpa-AFX) - Artificial intelligence, hydrogen and climate-friendly production will be the major topics at the Hannover Messe next week (April 22-26). "Our exhibitors will show that a competitive and sustainable industry is also possible in Europe," said trade fair boss Jochen Kockler on Wednesday with a view to the upcoming exhibition. "Innovative technologies and a clear economic policy agenda - that's what matters if Hannover is to send out signals of new beginnings and confidence."

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Prime Minister of this year's partner country Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the world's most important industrial show on Sunday evening. Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has also announced his visit. Once again, 4000 exhibitors are expected at the trade fair, the same number as at last year's event. Numerous technology companies such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon Web Services, Dell, SAP, Siemens and Bosch have also registered. There will also be a number of SMEs and more than 300 start-ups.

"Visitors to the Hannover Messe are looking for answers to the question of how they can use automation, artificial intelligence, state-of-the-art drive technology, renewable energies or hydrogen in a meaningful way," explained Kockler. "This is precisely the know-how that exhibitors provide." Artificial intelligence (AI) will be one of the focal points. The trade fair will showcase concrete applications of how this can be used in industry: Robots that can be controlled by voice, machines that automatically detect errors or systems that reduce downtime through predictive maintenance.

In 2023, 130,000 visitors came to the trade fair, in 2019 even 215,000. In 2020, the trade fair was canceled for the first time since it was founded in 1947 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and in 2021 it only took place digitally./fjo/DP/nas