news & facts fairs
news & facts fairs Products and services on offer at EMO form the basis for modernizing the industry Under the motto of Innovate Manufacturing EMO stands for innovation, an international outlook, inspiration and the future of the metalworking sector. “As a platform for dialogue between all international players in the industry – manufacturers and users alike – it is unique in the world, because nowhere else do visitors encounter so much international expertise as at an EMO event”, says an enthusiastic Dr. Markus Heering, executive director of the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), which is responsible for organizing EMO. Around 1,500 exhibitors from 40 countries have currently registered for EMO 2025. Two years ago the trade fair attracted around 92,000 trade visitors from almost 140 countries. For 50 years EMO has been the only trade fair to present the entire value-added chain for metalworking: from machine tools, production systems, additive processes, precision tools and automation through measuring technology, quality assurance, software and accessories. The target groups are the global industrial trendsetters: mechanical engineering, automotive industry, aerospace engineering, metalworking and metal processing, medical technology, energy suppliers, but also the electronics industry and many other branches of industry. “The products and services on offer from EMO exhibitors form the basis for the all-round modernization of the industry. After three years of recession and a major investment slowdown, at least here in Germany, the exhibitors are offering plenty of impetus for investment in production with new developments and new solutions, so that our customers can head well-equipped into the future.” says Dr. Heering. The EMO exhibitors are not only setting the pace in terms of technology. The trade fair also aims to provide guidance on how demand is expected to develop. At the EMO economic forum Made for Tomorrow – Discover what drives the future of manufacturing. on September 23, 2025, in Hannover, experts from the top customer industries in the metalworking sector will discuss how they see future developments. EMO focusing on global megatrends Industry all over the world is in the middle of an extensive transformation process. Similar challenges can be seen every - where: competition is intensifying. Investors are taking a wait-and-see approach. Costs are rising. The demand for sustainable products is increasing. At the same time the aging of society and the subsequent increase in the shortage of skilled workers are also making advances more difficult, while the integration of new technologies such as additive manufacturing and artificial intelligence necessitates continuous advanced training. EMO 2025 will address these challenges and focus on three topics: automation, sustainability, digita l- ization including artificial intelligence. Automation for greater efficiency in the metalworking industry Against the background of high quality requirements and the shortage of skilled workers, automation is vitally important for the industry. Automation solutions increase efficiency and quality in the production process. They represent one of the main drivers for investments and are offered in many different forms by numerous EMO exhibitors. Automation replaces manual activities and ensures more transparency in the entire production process. Automation should be easy to operate, be flexibly adaptable to the individual needs of the users and be capable of being integrated in manufacturing from series production through to economical single-piece production. Automation extends from simple solutions such as pallet changers and handling systems through to the use of robots and autonomous factories with self-driving systems. Automation also means help for machine operators, for example through assistance systems. A growing trend is the integration of ancillary processes such as cleaning, labeling or measuring. Sustainability for greater climate protection A large number of countries are focusing on measures for greater climate protection and investments in the green transformation of their industry. In companies this is driven by legislation, which involves numerous reporting obligations, and by customers who want to calculate their carbon footprint. The focal points of sustainability in production are lower energy and material consumption, and the introduction of a circular economy. Experience shows that investments in new machines lead to energy savings of around 25 %. The CO 2 footprint is reduced thereby. Numerous individual measures achieve the desired objective in this context. Modern electric motors and innovative drive technology save a considerable amount of electricity compared with the predecessor generation. Other determining factors include improved control technology, optimized design of compressed air and hydraulic applications, or friction-minimized warehousing and guidance systems. Ancillary and follow-up processes also play an important role here, for example, temperature control of cleaning baths during parts cleaning or cooling of a machine. The sustainability area in hall 15 at EMO 2025 will be the ideal meeting point to experience state-of-the-art solutions for sustainable production in the future. Here exhibitors will provide information on trends in energy efficiency, the integration of renewable energies, the circular economy and life cycle concepts. These not only promote climate protection but also reduce production costs in times when energy and raw materials are scarce. “Together with other organizations, the VDW has also been working on a basis for calculating carbon footprints from an early 30 no. 3, September 2025
news & facts stage on. This has resulted in a standardized form that is in extremely high demand among customers. Of course we will also present this in the sustainability area” says Dr. Markus Heering. Artificial intelligence and digitalization for greater productivity Digitalization and networking have long been important topics in production. Artificial intelligence has now been added. However there are still some variables that can be adjusted in order to attain greater productivity with data and develop new business models. Semiconductors make it possible for users to design their production processes more intelligently by harnessing technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). These create transparency about the efficiency of production processes, facilitate real-time monitoring and control of machines and processes and also enable predictive maintenance. The basic prerequisite here is the use of open, standardized data interfaces. Machine manufacturers in many countries are now familiar with the global umati initiative (universal machine technology interface) or have already joined it. umati will once again be demonstrating the benefits of standardized machine networking at EMO 2025 in hall 6, being of great interest to users from all over the world. That’s why umati also cooperates with all major international initiatives such as NC Link from China and mt connect from the USA. Digitalization and networking also promote the customization of products and adaptation to rapidly changing market requirements. With methods such as mass customization, companies can manufacture small batches of customized products without losing the efficiency of series production. It is important to integrate data analyses and Big Data in production processes. Evaluation of large data volumes can help to optimize production processes, detect errors at an early stage and use resources more efficiently. This increases competitiveness on the global market significantly. At EMO 2025 the AI Hub@EMO 2025 in hall 6 will offer practical demonstrations of the potential of artificial intelligence in production to investors from industry and the administration sector. Experts from the field of research will be on hand to provide information and answer detailed questions. “EMO exhibitors are invited to communicate their best practices and network with the AI Hub@EMO2025 to give visitors a complete picture of the future of production with artificial intelligence” says Dr. Heering. Being an opportunity for companies to position themselves in the market. The AI Hub will be complemented by “P.O.P. Talks”, which will take place daily at 2 p.m. at the central EMO lecture forum in hall 12. The various aspects of AI in production will be highlighted and discussed – sometimes controversially – in different formats, lectures, interviews and panel discussions. These include possible applications, data security, auto mation, political framework conditions for digitization and much more. Advanced manufacturing – the future of the metalworking sector world-wide The three focus topics are closely linked and describe the production of the future. Advanced manufacturing means automation, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, e.g. with the use of robots. The aim is to reduce costs, increase quality and compensate for staff shortages. Digitalization, in turn, is an enabler for automation. The next step is to integrate artificial intelligence into all areas of the company, such as HR, marketing, software development and, ultimately, production. This will ensure that machines are operated more efficiently and that production processes are made more sustainable on the basis of the data obtained. The focus is on energy and material efficiency as well as the circular economy. This in turn reduces costs and conserves resources. further information: www.emo-hannover.de Reconditioning capabilities in Europe strengthened MMC Hardmetal Europe Holdings (MHE), a group company of Mitsubishi Materials, Metalworking Solutions Company announced the acquisition of U.F.P. s.r.l. (UFP), one of the largest and well-established providers of reconditioning services and customized tool design solutions for cutting tools in Europe. This strategic acquisition responds to growing customer demand for more tailormade solutions as well as flexible and faster reconditioning and recoating services, ensuring greater operational efficiency and reliability. By integrating UFP into its operations, MHE will improve service proximity, significantly reduce response and delivery times which means more cost-effective solutions to European customers. Established in 1987, UFP has built a strong reputation in the metalworking industry for the high quality of its special tools, reconditioning and recoating services with unbeatable delivery times. With two production facilities in Italy, the company serves a wide range of industries, including aerospace, medical, automotive, energy and defense. Highlighting the importance of the acquisition, Tetsuo Yamazumi, president of MHE said: “This is an important milestone in our vision to establish a modern service hub in Europe. By combining UFP’s expertise with our existing capabilities, particularly at our production facility in Spain, we are expanding our service portfolio and strengthening our competitive position in the European market.” By localizing the reconditioning services for European customers, the company will further optimize logistics and reduce the environmental impact of its operations. Mirko Merlo, chief strategy officer of the Metalworking Solutions Company, explained: “This acquisition accelerates our efforts towards a circular economy. Through sustainable business practices and powerful synergies we are creating new growth opportunities aligned with evolving industry standards.” further information: www.mmc-carbide.com no. 3, September 2025 31
