EuroBLECH 2018: Step into the Digital Reality
Published on : Monday 30-11--0001
From automobiles to white goods, aviation, aerospace and defence, panel manufacturers and well, machine tools – it is sheet metal that provides the skin and sheen. Metal sheets of various thicknesses ranging from a few microns to a few mm are processed, cut, bent, folded, stamped and much else on various types of machines. For professionals of the sheet metal industry – design engineers, production managers, quality managers, buyers, manufacturers, technical directors and experts from associations and R&D – EuroBLECH, a biennial event, is the must-attend in order to discover the latest trends and machinery in sheet metal working.
EuroBLECH 2018, the 25th International Sheet Metal Working Technology Exhibition, takes place from 23-26 October 2018 at the Hanover Exhibition Grounds in Germany. Around 1,400 exhibitors from 38 countries are expected to participate in this show, major exhibitor countries being Germany, Italy, Turkey, China, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Austria and the USA. Visitors to this year’s show can expect the complete spectrum of intelligent solutions and innovative machinery for modern production in sheet metal working, which are presented in form of numerous live demonstrations at the exhibition stands.
At the moment, the digital transformation is playing a major role in the industry, which enables an increased efficiency and thus a higher level of automation and predictive maintenance. These developments are reflected in this year’s motto for EuroBLECH “Step into the digital reality”, since Industry 4.0 and the relating Smart Factory have become major topics in sheet metal working. This has now become an important area for small and medium-sized companies planning to invest in these technologies in the near future in order to gain a competitive advantage in their market.
During a press conference organised in Mumbai last month, Ms Geeta Bisht, Director – International Fairs, Hannover Milano Fairs India Pvt Ltd, introduced the guests from the organisers of EuroBLECH who had come to address the Indian technical media. Ms Susanne Neuner, PR & Marketing Director, Mac Brook Exhibitions Group, the UK based organisers of the show, presented an overview of the show that was first held in 1969 at London with around 100 participating companies. Later the show moved to the continent, first to Switzerland and then Essen in Germany, and as it grew in size, it finally settled at Hannover in 1992 thanks to the huge fair grounds, having grown too large for the other venue. “EuroBLECH is a vertical event for the sheet metal industry covering the entire value chain, a barometer depicting the latest technological trends in the industry,” said Ms Neuner. “EuroBLECH attracts visitors from small and medium-sized companies as well as large enterprises who are looking to source a variety of different manufacturing solutions in sheet metal working,” she added.
“The digital transformation is momentarily an important topic in the industry. This requires a close collaboration along the entire value chain, from production control to maintenance,” said Ms Evelyn Warwick, Exhibition Director of EuroBLECH. “The biggest challenge for companies in the sheet metal working industry is to create an intelligent manufacturing environment which is based on the secure exchange of data and the networking of machines and processes. EuroBLECH 2018 offers its visitors the possibility to find solutions for these challenges and to connect with business partners to help them with the integration of these processes, machines and systems into their production,” Ms Warwick added.
Indian Participation
India is not a major exhibitor at EuroBLECH with just 8 companies registered for the 2018 edition (there were 6 in 2016), but 4 of these are new entrants this year and the organisers are expecting two more. Dee Tee Industries Ltd, Dhananjay Auto Craft Pvt Ltd, Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association, ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd, NASH Industries (I) Pvt Ltd, Pawan Precision, Sahajanand Laser Technology Ltd and Stamp’it Robotai & Solutions Pvt Ltd, are the companies that have confirmed participation, together occupying 220 sqm of exhibition space. But the number of visitors from India is increasing over the years.
As the largest exhibition for the sheet metal working industry worldwide, EuroBLECH is the marketplace for visitors to discover and source the latest innovative manufacturing solutions. Numerous live demonstrations at the exhibition stands offer trade visitors the opportunity to experience machines and systems from all areas of sheet metal working in action. The EuroBLECH exhibition profile covers fifteen technology sectors and therefore covers the entire sheet metal working technology chain: sheet metal, semi-finished and finished products, handling, separation, forming, flexible sheet metal working, tube/section processing, joining, welding, additive manufacturing, surface treatment, processing of hybrid structures, tools, quality control, CAD/CAM/CIM systems, factory and warehouse equipment as well as R&D.
The exhibitor list, available on the EuroBLECH website, is regularly updated and provides plenty of information on exhibiting companies, such as exhibitor profiles, online press boxes, company videos and contact details. The EuroBLECH newsletter, which is sent out monthly ahead of the show, offers the latest news about the show, the exhibitors and the industry sector.
EuroBLECH 2018 will be held in Halls 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 27 at the Hanover Exhibition Grounds in Germany.
Caption
Pix1: (L-R) Ms Susanne Neuner, Ms Evelyn Warwick and Ms Geeta Bisht at the Mumbai Press Meet.