Deutsche Messe Announces Establishment of Robotation Academy in China

12 December 2016 Press Release HANNOVER MESSE 2017 (24–28 April, Mon.–Fri.)

Deutsche Messe announces establishment of Robotation Academy in China

Hannover. A Hannover-based project is setting out to conquer the world. November 2017 will see the opening of a new Robotation Academy in Foshan, China – developed and implemented by specialists from Hannover, Germany. Managing directors Thomas Rilke and Olaf Katzer laid the groundwork for the new project on Wednesday, 7 December, signing a contract in the presence of Hannover Mayor Stefan Schostok and Dr. Jochen Köckler, a member of the Deutsche Messe Managing Board. The Chinese guests were officially welcomed by Mayor Schostok. Upon its completion, the new Robotation Academy in Foshan will provide training for an annual total of 1,000 industrial representatives in the fields of robotics, automation and Industry 4.0.

For the last seven years, the Robotation Academy has been implementing its principle of teaming up with technology partners to stage courses and conferences and provide presentations on future technology trends – all from its headquarters at the Hannover Exhibition Center. “It is fantastic that we are now in the process of building an international network of technology academies,” declared Thomas Rilke, Managing Director of the recently established umbrella organization, the Deutsche Messe Technology Academy (DMTAC). “The need to organize technology competence centers and provide advice and training on a year-round basis is an international

Deutsche Messe AG Messegelände 30521 Hannover Germany Tel. +49 511 89-0 Fax +49 511 89-36694 [email protected] www.messe.de No. TecAc-001-17 – 121-Ogb 1/4 phenomenon. In Foshan, our new Robotation Academy will be located at the heart of one of China’s leading industrial hubs.”

Counting some eight million inhabitants, Foshan is located in the Chinese province of Guangdong. The city is not only a key location for mechanical and plant engineering and robotics, but is also the home base of Midea, a company which has recently taken a majority stake in robot manufacturer Kuka. Midea is one of 18 technology partners who will be sending their staff members for training at the Foshan Robotation Academy. In addition, more than 10 local Chinese robot manufacturers have expressed an interest not only in taking an active part in the Robotation Academy in Foshan, but at Hannover as well.

DMATC is a joint initiative of Deutsche Messe and the Volkswagen as well as a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Messe. In existence since 2009, the Robotation Academy has its headquarters in Pavilion 36 at the Hannover Exhibition Center. Currently the Robotation Academy in Hannover stages around 200 events every year, reaching some 3,000 participants from industry. Further DMATC academies are already in the process of being set up, focusing on topics like Smart Cities, Virtual/Augmented Reality and Additive Manufacturing, i.e. 3-D printing. DMATC also plays host to the German SME 4.0 Competence Center for Lower Saxony and Bremen (“Go Digital with Us”), which is located at the Robotation Academy in Hannover.

As the owner of HANNOVER MESSE, a series of worldwide automation tradeshows and the technology academy, Deutsche Messe is in a unique position to provide

Deutsche Messe AG Messegelände 30521 Hannover Germany Tel. +49 511 89-0 Fax +49 511 89-36694 [email protected] www.messe.de No. TecAc-001-17 – 121-Ogb 2/4 significant information offerings in the field of industrial robotics, automation and production engineering.

HANNOVER MESSE – Get new technology first! The world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology will next be staged from 24 to 28 April 2017 in Hannover, Germany. Running under the keynote theme of “Integrated Industry – Creating Value”, HANNOVER MESSE is a global hotspot for all the latest developments involving the digitalization of production (Industry 4.0) and energy systems (Integrated Energy). The upcoming HANNOVER MESSE will feature seven parallel shows: Industrial Automation, MDA – Motion, Drive & Automation, Digital Factory, Energy, ComVac, Industrial Supply, and Research & Technology. Poland is the featured Partner Country at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

Deutsche Messe AG From its headquarters in Hannover, Germany, Deutsche Messe AG plans and stages leading capital goods trade fairs around the globe. The company ranks among the five biggest tradeshow organizers in Germany, with revenue of 329.3 million euros and income of 9.4 million euros in 2015. The company’s event portfolio includes such world-leading events as CeBIT (digital business), HANNOVER MESSE (industrial technology), LABVOLUTION + BIOTECHNICA (lab technology and biotechnology), CeMAT (intralogistics and supply chain management), didacta (education), DOMOTEX (carpets and floor coverings), INTERSCHUTZ (fire prevention, disaster relief, rescue, safety and security), and LIGNA (woodworking, wood processing, forestry). With approx. 1,200 employees and a network of 62

Deutsche Messe AG Messegelände 30521 Hannover Germany Tel. +49 511 89-0 Fax +49 511 89-36694 [email protected] www.messe.de No. TecAc-001-17 – 121-Ogb 3/4 representatives, subsidiaries and branch offices, Deutsche Messe is present in more than 100 countries worldwide.

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Deutsche Messe AG Messegelände 30521 Hannover Germany Tel. +49 511 89-0 Fax +49 511 89-36694 [email protected] www.messe.de No. TecAc-001-17 – 121-Ogb 4/4