Once a year, in April, companies of all shapes and sizes — along with political leaders, representatives from trade groups and economic-development organizations — gather at Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industrial technology trade fair in Hannover, Germany. Participants engage in dialog that hopefully leads to new business opportunities and helps drive local economies. Visitors and exhibitors use this show to explore international markets, build a foundation for future business, discuss world geopolitical issues, and attract potential companies and investors to their part of the world.

Hannover Messe by the numbers
While 2016 was considered an “off year” because certain industry segments like surface finishing were not part of the show, the numbers were still impressive: 190,000 visitors from 75 countries and more than 5,000 exhibitors sprawled over almost 11 million square feet of show space. This year, because the United States was the official “Partner Country,” the U.S. presence was the largest ever in the show’s history. The U.S. had 426 exhibitors, of which 125 where economic-development organizations, including Empire State Development, CenterState CEO, and The Agency from our state and region. All told, about 5,000 people from America attended. However, one got the feeling that a third of them were from the government. Maybe that’s because President Obama was there.

What you missed
If you weren’t able to make it to Hannover Messe this year, here is what you missed. Industry 4.0 (or fourth industrial revolution involving the computerization of manufacturing) and the evolving global energy market were the two hottest topics. While there appears to be an abundance of coal and oil, more nations are increasingly turning to renewable energy to clean up the environment and prepare for the future. The Netherlands, for example, plans on being carbon neutral by the year 2021. Other highlights included: smart grids, the Energy Efficient Center, MobiliTec Marketplace, industrial and embedded security, predictive maintenance, lightweight construction solutions, and tech transfer forums — just to name a few. 

U.S. pavilions
In an effort to make it easier for U.S. companies to exhibit at Hannover Messe, the U.S. Department of Commerce — in conjunction with the organizers of the trade show — created six industry pavilions. The pavilion topics included research and technology, investment (for all economic-development organizations), industrial supply, digital factory, industrial automation, and energy. By strategically locating these pavilions throughout the trade fair, it increased the opportunity for visitors to come into contact with U.S. exhibitors. This became important because many exhibitors, unfortunately, did not take advantage of any services to help set up matchmaking meetings before the show. If you decide to participate at next year’s show, I would highly recommend that you plan in advance to get the best bang for your buck.

The value of being at Hannover
If you are a company that operates in any of the industrial sectors represented at the Hannover Messe, it is a great opportunity for you to interact with people and businesses from all over the world in one place. If you are new to the world of international business, this show, not unlike any international trade fair, allows you to gain insights into who is doing what and learn more about trends and opportunities that may exist for your company. The beauty of this show is that in addition to the thousands of exhibitors from around the world, you have multiple discussion sessions across a broad range of topics that will appeal to most everyone. The fair also offers several opportunities for show participants to network in a less formal environment during the many after-show mixers. You might even get invited to some VIP receptions after hours that will not only provide you with access to some great contacts but also introduce you to a culinary and cultural experience that will last a lifetime.

Planning for next year
The Hannover Messe show will take place again on April 24-28, 2017, and it is not too early to start thinking about a possible visit. The official partner country next year will be Poland, so if you have been thinking about setting up an outpost in Eastern Europe or identifying new business partners in that region, you may consider attending the show. Since hotel accommodations are difficult to find, you don’t want to wait until a month or two before the actual show. If you wait, you will either be commuting over an hour in each direction or paying more than $300 per night for the equivalent of a Holiday Inn Express. Another reason to start thinking early is that the U.S. Commercial Service (the trade promotion arm of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration) has limited resources. If you wait until a couple of months before the show to take advantage of its inexpensive international partner search, you will most likely miss out. I saw a number of U.S. companies at this year’s show that had absolutely no support from the U.S. Commercial Service because they waited too long. 

Another option for international matchmaking opportunities is the b2fair, which is a matchmaking event, organized by Enterprise Europe Network and the Chambre de Commerce Luxembourg. Since there are many international economic-development agencies present at the show you might also want to check in with the respective country office to see if it might help you. If you need help with any of the above, I would be more than happy to point you in the right direction. Here’s looking forward to seeing you in Hannover next year.

Mark Lesselroth is founder of Brenner Business Development, a CNY–based international business-development consultancy focused on helping small to medium-sized companies in the U.S. explore international opportunities, as well as assisting foreign-owned companies to enter the U.S. market. Contact him at mark@brennerbd.com.