The corona virus also infected the world’s largest industrial show: after the Hannover Messe was postponed to July, the cancellation followed. (Picture: Screenshot of Hannover Messe Website)

With the motto “Better late than not at all!” Deutsche Messe AG announced how it intends to deal with the Hanover Fair planned for April in view of the disease Covid 19: It should be postponed to July 13th to 17th, 2020. This should also include the 5G Arena with the accompanying 5G Forum take place only in summer – so the planning, until the end of March the cancellation followed.

The world of industry will not be able to meet in Hanover this year. Comprehensive entry restrictions, bans on contacts and a prohibition order from the Hanover region make it impossible to host the Hannover Messe. At the same time, the economy is also affected by the corona crisis. The manufacturing industry – core clientele of the Hannover Messe – is already struggling with the serious consequences of the pandemic. German industry is experiencing declining demand and sales. As a result, there are supply bottlenecks, production stops and short-time work.

“Given the dynamic development around Covid-19 and the extensive restrictions on public and economic life, the Hanover Fair cannot take place this year,” says Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Deutsche Messe AG. “Our exhibitors and partners, as well as the entire team, went out of their way to carry out the event. Today, however, we have to realize that it will not be possible to host the world’s most important industrial fair this year.”
Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Deutsche Messe AG

It is the first time in the 73-year history of the Hannover Messe that the event has not been organized. However, the organizers do not miss the fair entirely. “The need for orientation and exchange is particularly important in times of crisis,” says Köckler. “That is why we are currently working flat out on a digital information and network platform for the Hannover Messe, which we will open to our customers shortly.”

Web-based there will be various formats with which exhibitors and visitors can exchange information about the upcoming economic policy challenges and technological solutions. Live streams transport interactive expert interviews, panel discussions and best-case presentations all over the world. The digital exhibitor and product search also gets new functions. Among other things, visitors and exhibitors can get in direct contact.

“We are firmly convinced that nothing can replace direct contact from person to person, and we are already looking forward to the time after Corona,” says Köckler. “But especially in times of crisis, flexibility and pragmatic action are required. As the world’s most important industrial trade fair, we want to provide orientation and keep economic life going – especially with the new digital offering.”

Thilo Brodtmann, VDMA general manager: “The cancellation of the Hanover Fair 2020 is an unfortunate decision, but it is the only right one. The mechanical engineering industry must now concentrate on cushioning the consequences of the pandemic in their own companies in order to be able to start again afterwards In April 2021, the mechanical engineers will be back in full force in Hanover.”
VDMA general manager Thilo Brodtmann

Wolfgang Weber, CEO of ZVEI: “The fact that the Hanover Fair 2020 cannot be organized is a bitter loss, but it is the right thing to do. The fair is the window for the electronics industry that unfortunately remains closed this year. This is how our companies become use the time until 2021 to deal with the significant consequences of Corona. The next year they will be all the more present with the latest products and solutions related to Industry 4.0 and the energy system of the future.” Wolfgang Weber, Chairman of the ZVEI Board of Directors

Hannover Messe 2021 will be held from April 12th to 16th 2021.

(This post has been updated to follow the original message.)

The questions from exhibitors, speakers and visitors had accumulated over the past few days. Although it was still said at the end of February that a decision had to be waited until calendar week 12, after many discussions, nails were made earlier. The Hanover Region Health Office had strongly recommended that those responsible take note of the information provided by the Robert Koch Institute. These include comprehensive measures to ensure health when organizing major events. This includes temperature measurement stations at all entrances, as well as the implementation of the measure to not allow participants from risk areas and to refuse access to the events to participants who have had contact with people from risk areas. This would have resulted in a comprehensive review of all trade fair participants – from exhibitors and visitors to service providers, stand builders and catering companies – for a major international event such as the Hannover Messe is difficult to imagine.

So it was also stated in a press release on the postponement that the “measures mentioned cannot be implemented by Deutsche Messe.” In addition, their implementation would result in the failure-free execution of the event being impaired to such an extent that the intended purpose of the event could not be achieved for the exhibitors or the visitors, or could only be achieved with considerable restrictions. The decision to postpone the date between July 13 and July 17, 2020 was made in the past few days in close coordination with the Hanover Region Health Office, the exhibitor’s board of the Hanover Trade Fair and the partner associations VDMA (Association of German Mechanical and Plant Engineering) and ZVEI (Central Association of the Electrical and Electronics Industry).

“With the appointment in July, we are offering our exhibitors the earliest possible time to present their innovations to a global audience and to initiate business. In view of the global economic challenges triggered by the corona virus in the first half of the year, the new appointment offers significant opportunities the world’s most important industrial trade fair is already providing important impulses for the global economy in July. ”
Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Deutsche Messe AG

“The VDMA supports the decision of the Deutsche Messe AG. In view of the current difficulties caused by the corona virus, we think a postponement of the Hannover Messe to July is correct. We expect the situation to calm down in the coming months and mechanical engineering will then benefit from an invigorating business situation. ”
VDMA general manager Thilo Brodtmann

“Today’s decision of Deutsche Messe AG to postpone the Hannover Messe is correct in terms of content and comes at the right time. As an internationally important industrial fair, it lives in a special way from meeting people from all over the world. This can only be done if there are no health risks It is important for the electronics industry to present their products for Industry 4.0, electrification and more energy efficiency to the public this summer. ”
Wolfgang Weber, Chairman of the ZVEI Board of Directors