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Mid September will see much of the manufacturing technologies community together in Hannover for EMO 2019. Shows like EMO are invaluable opportunities to find out about the latest technology, network with peers and, of course, do some business. Whether it is global events like EMO or smaller more locally focussed ones that specialise in particular technologies.
The manufacturing calendar is full of occasions when the people who work in the industry can go out and see something new. Of course, today there is ever more pressure than ever on everybody\u2019s time and it can be a struggle to get out of the office and away from the day to day asks that come with running a business. People will only invest in business development if they believe it is likely to yield a return on investment. That is where shows can, or at least should have a strong role. By bringing so many companies under one roof, or in the case of shows like EMO lots of interconnected roofs, they enable people to spend their time more effectively and see the companies that matter to them.
At the MTA, we try to make our members\u2019 time at shows more useful to them. We either host Pavilions or otherwise support members at the main shows in Europe, the US, China, Japan, India and Russia. It\u2019s an important part of our work and also helps us to keep abreast of international developments in the industry. In fact, the only way to really appreciate what a global industry we work in, and how important it is to see the whole world\u2019s manufacturing infrastructure is by attending the shows that stir interest in all those markets.
Closer to home, of course the MTA owns and runs the MACH Exhibition. The next edition of the show will be held at the NEC Birmingham between the 20th and 24th of April 2020. With over 85% of the space already allocated, the show seems set to be even bigger and better than last year\u2019s highly successful week. MACH performs, on a national level, many of the functions that EMO does, on a continent-wide level. It is the place to see what\u2019s new and to catchup on contacts and make new ones. But in some ways, MACH is more than a national show, with a developing focus on innovation and creativity in manufacturing. Technology areas devoted to themes like Additive Manufacturing make for a visitor experience that helps plug you into a worldwide ecosystem of new developments. We are also very proud of our Education and Development Zone which aims to turn the students of today into engineers of tomorrow.
Shows are much more than just marketplaces. While as show organisers it is always heartening for us to hear about machines being sold or contracts signed \u2018on stand\u2019, we know that there is so much more available to exhibitors and visitors alike. They are brilliant places for people to meet and talk about what they are doing and what excites them. Bringing people together in one place is important. In fact, it is the sort of connections that are made at exhibitions which can be the most valuable; connections with people bringing new perspectives, ideas and technologies to the table. Not least because many of those attending are not necessarily buying and selling, at least, not there and then. Relationships can start at one show and perhaps be fostered across several editions of the same or maybe different shows, before coming to fruition. One may learn about something new in a seminar or even in the queue for a sandwich.
Shows are part of the warp and weft of our sector, an opportunity to see tangible technology and talk about it to the people who understand it. New media is great, and increasingly visible at shows around the world, but the role of the trade show continues \u2013 evolving and changing - but always a place to see the latest updates, the brand new launches and the next big thing.