42 n SPS PREVIEW October 2024 www.drivesncontrols.com 1,200 exhibitors head to Nuremburg for SPS This year’s SPS – Smart Production Solutions – automation show will take place in Nuremberg, Germany, from 12–14 November. The event, which has been running for more than three decades, showcases the latest in industrial automation and production technologies and services. Last year, SPS attracted 1,229 exhibitors, occupying a total area of 128,000m2 across 16 halls. Some 38% of the exhibitors came from outside Germany, 71% of them from the rest of Europe, and 21% from Asia. The UK accounted for 4% of the exhibitors, making it the seventhlargest foreign contingent. In 2023, there were 50,081 visitors to the show, more than 530 of them coming from the UK. This year, the organisers are expecting the show to be similar in terms of the number of exhibitors (around 1,200) and the space they occupy (around 125,000m2). The tough economic climate in Germany means that that the proportion of German exhibitors is expected to drop from 40% last year to 38% this year. The foreign exhibitors will be drawn from 35 countries. More than 90% of the show’s stands have been rebooked by companies that have exhibited previously. UK-based exhibitors will include Alltorq, Delta Motion, Fortress Interlocks, Mechan Controls and Trio Motion Technology. This year, sensor exhibitors will be expanding into a third hall because the two halls previously dedicated to sensing technologies are now full. As well as the exhibition stands, visitors will be able to attend a variety of forums, panel discussions, product presentations and live demonstrations. For example, VDMA (the German Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers Association) and ZVEI (the German Electro and Digital Industry Association) are organising a Technology Stage where the topics to be discussed will include: drives; digital transformation; industrial communications; safety and security; sensors; sustainability; and AI in automation. Some of the presentations will be in English, and for those that aren’t, simultaneous translation will be available. For anyone who cannot make it to the physical show in Germany, there will be online video transmissions of key presentations via a service called “SPS on air”. The online service will start about two weeks before the show, and continue to operate for some time after the event, allowing remote “visitors” to catch up on presentations that they might have missed. Last year, SPS on Air attracted around 4,000 participants. A series of joint stands at the show will focus on specific topics. For example, on the Automation meets IT stand, around 20 suppliers will offer insights and advice on this subject. The stand will focus on topics such as: IT management for manufacturing; cloud and edge-based technologies; security for manufacturing; IoT and AI-based solutions; and open source systems. A Start-up Area, which was launched last year, will return in 2024, allowing automation industry newcomers from around the world to make presentations and to promote their technologies and activities. In addition to the physical exhibition, the SPS organisers have set up an online Automation Hub that will operate throughout the year, offering monthly keynote speeches and lectures on automation topics. The hub also offers news and information on the automation industry, as well as a job search function called the CareerDrive portal. n The German automation megashow, SPS, returns to Nuremberg next month. The tough economic environment in Germany means that the three-day event will probably remain at a similar size to last year’s show, attracting about 1,200 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors, with a larger proportion of exhibitors expected to come from outside Germany. SHOW FACTS Where: Nuremberg, Germany When: Tuesday, 12 November 2024 - 9am–6pm Wednesday, 13 November 2024 - 9am–6pm Thursday, 14 November 2024 - 9am–5pm Entry: Tickets from €57 are available via the show’s Web site (although most visitors are given free entry passes by exhibitors) Web site: https://sps.mesago.com X: https://twitter.com/spsmesse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/sps-smartproduction-solutions Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spsmesse Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spsmesse
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