Five Fast Things about Hannover Fair in Germany:

1. It’s a business trip: We’re pretty casual about our trade fairs in the U.S., but at Germany’s Hannover Fair (Hannover Messe to the natives) this trip is all about business. The spectacular marketing efforts on the show floor are driven by a effort to write big business right at the fair. On top of that, all the men wears suits and ties. The U.S. attitude has gotten more casual on doing business and wearing ties. Maybe that’s why industrial trade shows are struggling... 
2. Kinder is welkommen: Not only are small children seen on the trade show floor, the influx of high school and college-age attendees is noticable. And they are both seen and heard by the exhibitors. There is a special emphasis on engaging young people in engineering at this show, and it should be observed and copied by every U.S. trade event now, before we slip further behind on this issue.
3. The importance of your neighbors: Delegations from every emerging European economy are making presentations at Hannover Fair. The established manufacturing leaders also are visible. They don’t have NAFTA to worry about. They don’t need it. They work to encourage regional cooperation and regional growth because it’s good for everyone. 
4. Technology is ahead of the curve: The robots can juggle. “You shouldn’t be jealous of the robots,” one person told me, but I still am. Robotics has been a big emphasis of the trade event. I’ll discuss the discovery of robotic jellyfish in this month’s issue of Plant Engineering, but suffice it to say that it is an impressive sight...
5. They actually accept the concept of global warming. And they are committed to doing something about it. The impetus is because it’s the right thing to do for the world. It’s a shame the Germans aren’t the world’s largest manufacturer, because that kind of commitment might actually have a more significant impact. Instead, we have some people in the U.S. who still dismiss the enture concept as a myth. Like the incumbent in the White House.