Hanover, The World's Biggest Industrial Fair, Has Closed For The First Time In 73 Years

"Industry will not be able to meet in Hanover this year." The global pandemic of a novel coronavirus outbreak has upended the annual jamboree of the 73-year-old HANNOVER MESSE, the world's largest industrial fair. After postponing the event until the summer, the organizer of the Hannover exhibition company announced on March 26 that the Hannover industry fair would not be held this year due to the worsening outbreak. The next Hannover expo, from now until April 2021, will provide exhibitors and visitors with the opportunity to learn about economic policy directions and technical exchanges through digital information and web services.

A blanket travel ban, a ban on group gatherings and a related ban in the Hannover region led to the first round of the Hannover industrial fair in more than 70 years." At the same time, the novel coronavirus crisis is affecting the economy, and the manufacturing industry, the core customer of Hanover, is struggling with the severe consequences of the epidemic. Demand and sales from German industry are falling, leading to supply bottlenecks, shutdowns and reduced working hours." The organizers said in a statement.

In 1947, while Germany was still trying to recover from the defeat of World War II, the British empire decided to hold a trade show to stimulate the German economy. The first "Hannover expo" was launched with the purpose of displaying "made in Germany" products. It was a great success in the 21-day exhibition period, and the Hannover exhibition gradually developed into a global weathervane-style platform for international technology and industrial exchanges. The Hannover show, held in early April 2019, brought together 6,500 exhibitors from 75 countries and nearly 40 percent of the 215,000 professional visitors were from outside the country -- after Germany, China had the second largest audience (7,200), the Netherlands (5,900) third, Italy (3,400) fourth and the United States (3,400) fifth.

A total of 35,371 cases of novel coronavirus virus infection have been confirmed in Germany, with 172 deaths, according to data released by federal health authorities as of 15:00 local time Tuesday. The mayor of the northern German city of Hannover has tested positive for COVID - 19 virus and will be quarantined at home, the city government said Monday. During quarantine, he will continue to work from home.

In early February, after assessing the outbreak, organizers announced that the Hannover fair would go ahead in April. In a statement released in late February, the plan remained in place. It wasn't until early march that the organizers decided to postpone the show until mid-July, because "a new show date would provide a better opportunity to restart a stalled industry."

Jochen・Cockler said in its latest announcement: "Our exhibitors, partners and entire team have made every effort to make the show work, but today we must acknowledge that 2020 will not be the year to host the world's most important industrial event." But organizers won't let the show completely disappear." In times of crisis, the need for policy direction and communication is particularly acute," says Cockler. Exhibitors and visitors can exchange information on upcoming economic policy challenges and technological solutions in a variety of web-based ways. Interactive expert interviews, panel discussions and best case presentations will be broadcast live around the world.

"We firmly believe that there is no substitute for direct human contact, and we look forward to the time after the outbreak of novel coronavirus is over," says Cockler. "But we have to be flexible and pragmatic in how we organize, especially in times of crisis. As organizers of the world's most important trade and industry fair, we hope to steer clear economic policy and maintain normal economic life during the crisis. We're doing that with new digital products."

"The cancellation of Hannover 2020 is an unfortunate decision, but the only correct one," said Thilo Brodtmann, executive director of the federation of German machinery and equipment manufacturers. For now, the mechanical engineering industry must concentrate on minimizing the consequences of pandemics in its own business for it to set sail again. The engineers will all return to Hanover in April 2021."

Source: thepaper.cn