Siemens exec to keynote GAMS conference Sept. 12

Hannover Messe extends to U.S. for IMTS Show.

By Bob Vavra, CFE Media May 18, 2018
Raj Batra, president of the Digital Factory division for Siemens USA, will deliver the keynote address at the 2018 Global Automation and Manufacturing Summit (GAMS) on Sept. 12 in Chicago. The 2018 GAMS event is co-presented by CFE Media and Hannover Messe USA and is part of the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS), which is Sept, 10-15 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

In this role at Siemens, Batra is responsible for overseeing development, marketing, sales, R&D, vertical industry and manufacturing aspects for the Digital Factory division in the United States. Batra is a member of the Board of Governors of The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees of the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), and a Member of the Board of Directors of PI-North America. 

“We’re honored to have someone of Raj Batra’s caliber get our 2018 GAMS conference started,” said Jim Langhenry, publisher and co-founder of CFE Media. “With the emphasis on the digital factory at Hannover Messe USA this year, we believe Raj’s comments will set the tone for a great day of knowledge exchanges between our speakers and our attendees.”The GAMS event will begin at 11:30 a.m. with registration and lunch, followed  by Batra’s keynote. Sessions throughout the day will focus on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), with a particular emphasis on cybersecurity, robotics, discreet automation and maintenance. The day’s events will conclude with a cocktail networking session at 5 p.m.

Siemens is a Platinum Sponsor of the 2018 Global Automation and Manufacturing Summit, and Beckhoff, Infor, Stratus and UL are Gold Sponsors for this year’s event.

IMTS partnership grows

The partnership between Hannover Fairs USA and the Association for Manufacturing Technology around the biannual International ManufacturingTechnology Show (IMTS) in Chicago has produced continued growth in both the show as a whole and the industrial automation, motors and drives component that long has been the strength of the annual Hannover Messe show in Germany.

That partnership will reach a new level in the 2018. For the first time, Deutsche Messe will market a show under the Hannover Messe brand. Hannover Messe USA was presented at a press conference in Hannover April 24 during this year’s Hannover Messe in Germany, and among the dignitaries on hand for the announcement was Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner, who touted his state’s role in manufacturing and transportation as key drivers to attract the event. “Illinois is at the heart of manufacturing in the United States,” Rauner said.  “IMTS isone of great trade shows in the world, and we believe it will transform the networking between companies around the world.”

The 2018 IMTS Show is on track to be among the most successful ever. The 2016 show drew more than 115,000 attendees and generated an estimated $1.78 billion in future sales. The 2018 show will have more exhibitors in both the IMTS and Hannover Messe USA pavilions, and that could driveeven greater attendanceMarc Siemering, senior vice president of industry, energy and logistics for Deutsche Messe AG, said the extension of the Hannover Messe name followed the successful Partner Country effort from the United States in 2016.

“That created tremendous awareness for the brand, and we want to extend that brand to North America in 2018,” Siemering said.

“It makes all the sense in the world for us to be at IMTS in Chicago,” said Larry Turner, president and CEO of Hannover Fairs USA. “It’s been a great partnership for us.”

IMTS 2018 comes at a time of great growth not just for the show, but formanufacturing as a whole,” said Peter Eelman, vice president of exhibitions and business development for AMT. “The U.S. economy and the manufacturing market as a whole remains in a strong position,” Eelman said. “The baseline is consumer sentiment, and that remains strong, with steady GDP growth and the passing of several tax reforms that has put money into the economy.”

Bob Vavra, content manager, CFE Meda, bvavra@cfemedia.com.