Munich.The next AUTOMATICA will take place earlier than it usually does. Instead of as previously in June, AUTOMATICA 2012 will already take place on the ground of the New Munich Trade Fair in May: from Tuesday, 22 May, until Friday, 25 May 2012. The already received registrations give grounds for optimism, so that the number of occupied halls will increase from the previous four to five. A congress is already being held this year in advance of the next trade fair on the initiative "Green Automation", which was a great success at the last AUTOMATICA. On 29 March 2011, the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) is holding the technology forum "Produce Green - in a Green Way" about the challenges of resource efficency in collaboration with VDMA Robotics and Automation and Messe Muenchen for the first time.

Economic trends favour a successful AUTOMATICA 2012. The International Trade Fair for Automation and Mechatronics is an important information platform for manufacturing companies. The professional association VDMA Robotics + Automation already predicted last autumn that the automation industry will achieve a strong two-figure growth rate in 2011. There are also many other indicators; among others, private consumption is increasing. The Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung (Society of Consumer Research) (GfK) expects an increase of 1.5% in the expenditures of private German households in 2011. Because increasing consumption is not just limited to Germany, the trend should also spur on the willingness of manufacturing companies to invest and further promote automation worldwide.

AUTOMATICA 2012 Shows Continual Growth

Messe München is confident that the International Trade Fair for Automation and Mechatronics will be able to follow up on its previous success. The numbers speak in favour of this; 21,000 sq. m. of net exhibition area are already booked almost 16 months before the trade fair start.
Anja Schneider, Project Manager responsible for the fair at Messe München, is completely convinced that her trade fair 2012 can grow in every respect compared to the previous one: "An increase in the number of exhibitors and the net area can already been seen in the advance bookings. Considerably more than 10 percent more area has already been booked by now compared to the comparable time period of the last AUTOMATICA. I am optimistic that AUTOMATICA 2012 will fill five halls, i.e., one more than in 2010. We are very pleased that exhibitors, who had to refrain from taking part in 2010 for economic reasons, are going to take part again and that a few companies have also decided on exhibiting at the trade fair for the first time."

The key players from robotics and automation have already signed up. In January, more than 240 renowned exhibitors had already confirmed their participation at the International Trade Fair for Automation and Mechatronics. Wilfried Eberhardt, Managing Director of Sales & Marketing, KUKA Roboter GmbH, Augsburg, is convinced of the value of AUTOMATICA: "Robot manufacturers are not represented so completely at any other trade fair. For us, AUTOMATICA is clearly the undisputed leading trade fair for robotics worldwide and a source of incentive for the complete industry. Consequently, we also celebrated the world premier of our new robot generation exclusively there."
Download of the preliminary exhibitor directory is available online http://www.automatica-munich.com/de/Home/cn/Aussteller/ehcn/ausstellerliste

Automation Industry: Green Automation Remains a Main Topic

There was an especially great deal of interest in the initiative "Green Automation" at the last fair. It was started by AUTOMATICA in collaboration with VDMA Robotics + Automation and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) in 2010. It makes two perspectives of future automation clear: on one hand, components saving resources for sustainable production, and on the other hand systems for competitive series production of green technologies. Martin Hägele, Department Head of "Robot Systems" at the Fraunhofer IPA, is very pleased with the success of the initiative: "This profession of faith in 'Green Automation' produced an overwhelming response from suppliers and users."

As continuation of the "Green Automation" initiative of AUTOMATICA 2010, the technology forum "Produce Green - in a Green Way" (original German title "Grün Produzieren und Grünes Produzieren") about the challenges of resource efficency will be held at the Fraunhofer IPA in Stuttgart in collaboration with VDMA and Messe Muenchen for the first time, in which there will be reports about experiences and results from research and actual practice. This event taking place on 29 March 2011 in Stuttgart for a whole day will provide information in a general lecture about the new guidelines from Brussels on energy and resource efficiency. Users from the automobile industry will talk about their objectives and experience with respect to resource-saving measures. Suppliers such as Kuka and Festo will demonstrate ways of developing more efficient automation components and systems. In addition, information closely related to actual practice will be provided about the technical topics Total Energy Efficiency Management, ECOMATION – Increasing Energy Efficiency, PROFIenergy, lightweight construction and biopolymers, etc.
As the IPA technology forum will show, the topics sustainability and energy efficiency are becoming increasingly important in industry. As a result, they will also play a significant role at AUTOMATICA 2012. Trade fair visitors will experience numerous "Green Automation" highlights at the exhibitor's stands and in the supporting programme.
Informations about the congress in Stuttgart are available at IPA Congress Office via phone: +49 (0)711 970-1204.

Clear Trade Fair Profile in Step with Actual Practice

AUTOMATICA is the leading European innovation platform of Robotics & Automation on the highest level. The complete manufacturing industry finds pioneering automation solutions there. Another advantage of AUTOMATIC is its range of exhibitions, which was developed in close collaboration with the robotics and automation industries. Assembly and handling technology, robotics and industrial machine vision represent the core areas. The offer is supplemented by the areas of positioning systems, drive technology, sensor technology, control systems technology, safety technology, supply technology, software and services as well as research and technology. With them, AUTOMATICA presents the complete range of automation and depicts the complete value-added chain from components to systems and from applications to services.

Visitors Give Top Grades

Not only the exhibitors, but also visitors are extremely satisfied with AUTOMATICA. This was confirmed in a representative survey conducted by the independent institute TNS Infratest at the last fair. AUTOMATICA is a leading trade fair for 89 percent. 94 percent of the exhibitors assessed AUTOMATICA 2010 as “excellent to good”. 93 percent gave top grades for the completeness of the range of offers. In spite of its great variety, it is a trade fair of short distances and a clear layout because the halls are divided clearly into topics, making it possible for every visitor to find what he or she is looking for quickly.
Project Manager Anja Schneider is convinced that AUTOMATICA schedule from 22 until 25 May 2012, i.e., directly before the Whit Weekend, is convenient for visitors. The reason for the change of dates from June to May is the very full trade fair schedule of Messe München. The new dates have been coordinated with international trade fair and holiday calendar. The proximity to CERAMITEC - Technologies – Innovations – Materials held parallel should also be interesting for many visitors. The fair will also take place on the grounds of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre at the same time, but will use the East Entrance. Both these trade fairs were already held successfully in this constellation in 2006.
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Photos of the last AUTOMATICA are online at http://media.messe-muenchen.de/Automatica/Standard/SelectCatalog_Presse.jsp.

AUTOMATICA, International Trade Fair for Automation and Robotics
AUTOMATICA is the international trade fair that brings together all areas of robotics and automation under one roof. It has been held every two years at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre since 2004. The aim of the fair is to present the entire value-added chain in robotics and automation. The industry-driven concept for AUTOMATICA has been developed by Messe München GmbH and the conceptual sponsor of the fair, the robotics and automation division of Germany´s engineering federation (VDMA). Exhibitor and visitor statistics for the AUTOMATICA trade fair are audited by an accountant on behalf of the Gesellschaft zur Freiwilligen Kontrolle von Messe- und Ausstellungszahlen (FKM, Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics). AUTOMATICA is a 'UFI approved' international event, a certification awarded by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.

Messe München International (MMI)
Messe München International (MMI) is one of the world´s leading trade-fair companies. It organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and key high-tech industries. Each year over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part in the events in Munich. In addition, MMI organises trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and South America. With six subsidiaries abroad – in Europe and in Asia – and with 64 foreign representatives serving 89 countries, MMI has a truly global network. Via its six subsidiaries – in Europe and in Asia – and 64 foreign representatives actively serving over 90 countries, MMI has a worldwide business network. Environmental protection and sustainability are key priorities in all MMI´s operations, at home and abroad.
Further information: www.messe-muenchen.de

Press contact:
AUTOMATICA
Claudia Huber, Communication Manager
Tel. (+49 89) 949 - 20862
Fax (+49 89) 949 – 97 20869
claudia.huber@messe-muenchen.de

VDMA Robotik + Automation
Thilo Brodtmann, Managing Director, VDMA Robotik + Automation
Tel. (+49 69) 6603 - 1590
Fax (+49 69) 6603 - 2590
Email:thilo.brodtmann@vdma.org
www.vdma.org/r+a