ONE VISION, FIFTY YEARS STRONG

EMO Hannover 2025 marks its golden anniversary this year, celebrating five decades as the world’s leading trade fair for production technology. In the lead-up to this edition, the EMO Hannover 2025 World Tour in India, organized by the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW) was successfully held across five major cities, from April 21-25, 2025.

EMO Hannover 2025 World Tour in India began in Pune on April 21, 2025, followed by consecutive events in Chennai on April 22, 2025, Bangalore on April 23, 2025, Ahmedabad on April 24, 2025, and wrapped up in NCR (Delhi Region) on April 25, 2025.

The roadshow was led by Rajesh Nath, Managing Director, VDMA India Services Pvt Ltd, German Engineering Federation (VDMA); Dr Markus Heering, Executive Director, VDW; Christian Pfeiffer, Senior Vice President – Sales and Member of the Management Board, Deutsche Messe AG, to promote the 50^th edition of the EMO Hannover show scheduled to take place from September 22–26, 2025, in Hannover, Germany.

Connecting Through Conversations

Emphasizing the importance of global platforms like EMO Hannover, Nath noted, “India needs access to advanced technology, and exhibitions such as EMO Hannover offer Indian manufacturers the opportunity to source it, whether through global players, joint ventures or collaborations.”

He highlighted India’s progress in the Manufacturing sector and remarked, “When India becomes a US$ 5 trillion economy, the aim is that the Manufacturing sector will contribute US$ 1 trillion to the economy.”

Dr Heering elaborated on the trade fair’s global significance saying, “Fifty years of EMO is a long history. EMO Hannover is by far the most international show in the world.” Highlighting its unique value for both exhibitors and visitors, he added, “With participants from 140 countries, the show offers unmatched global reach. There’s no other platform where you can meet so many people from so many countries in such a short time.”

He further delved into the core themes of the exhibition this year—automation, digitalization, and sustainability—referring to them as the ‘magic triangle’ shaping advanced manufacturing.

Pfeiffer spoke about the charm of the city of Hannover as well as the strategic location of the trade fair venue that add to the overall EMO experience. He also offered advice to Indian MSMEs and SMEs looking to partake in the exhibition, emphasizing that the size of a company’s booth does not determine its success at the show.

He also touched upon the concept of ‘serendipity’—a fundamental benefit of physical tradeshows. “When people meet by coincidence, when they see a new product by coincidence, something happens,” he noted. “It’s hard not to make use of serendipity during a trade show with close to 2,000 exhibitors and more than 100,000 visitors.”

Pune: The Road to Hannover Begins Here

During the Pune event, Mohini Kelkar, Director Business Development, Grind Master Machines Pvt Ltd, a veteran exhibitor at EMO Hannover, shared her views on the show, “We visited EMO in 1997 and saw microfinishing technology for the first time. It caught our attention, and we decided to develop it in India,” she recalled. “EMO gave us insight into what we needed to create for the international market—and today, this has become our most manufactured machine.”

Nishikant Ahire, Chairman & Managing Director, Ahire Machine Tools Pvt Ltd, emphasized the value of global exposure as the company prepares to exhibit for the first time at EMO. “If you're thinking of going global, you need to be on a global platform. EMO Hannover is where you get that kind of exposure,” he said.

Next Stop: Chennai

Often referred to as the ‘Detroit of India’, the Chennai edition of the tour witnessed the presence of K Soundhar Rajhan, Chief Strategy Officer, LMW Ltd; C Renganathan, Managing Director, Chennai Metco Pvt Ltd, and S Suresh Kumar, Managing Director, Veltech Auto Part (India) Pvt Ltd.

Speaking about the company’s debut at the exhibition, Soundhar Rajhan said, “We have participated in all the major Indian and Asian exhibitions and now are ready to showcase our products on this prestigious global platform.” He attributed the company’s move to the strong opportunities available in the European market.

Emphasizing the value of long-term participation in the show, Renganathan noted, “We’ve been attending EMO for 20 years now. Our goal is to increase exports, and for that, we need visibility, and EMO offers a platform for enhancing our visibility.”

From a visitor standpoint, Kumar shared how his previous experiences at the exhibition, coupled with the opportunity to witness cutting-edge technology, influenced his business decisions.

Insights from the Bangalore Event

The event in the Silicon Valley of India, Bangalore, featured prominent industry players, such as R K Purohit, Managing Director, Sphoorti Machine Tools Pvt Ltd and Anirudh Ravi, Head - Supply Chain Management, Fenwick and Ravi.

Purohit highlighted his company’s long-standing association with the show, remarking, “EMO is one of the biggest machine tools shows in the world. It provides a platform to showcase new products to a global audience and offers a great opportunity to tap into export markets.”

In alignment Anirudh shared how the company’s consistent presence since 2003 has transformed their business. “We have significantly improved our product quality, thanks to the exposure to international brands, customers, and visitors,” he noted, adding that about 30 percent of their business now comes from exports, primarily from Europe.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Indian companies, regardless of size,” he emphasized. “Even if you can't participate as an exhibitor, attend as a visitor. Spend four to five days exploring the show—it’s invaluable.”

Five Cities, One Clear Message

The final stops in Ahmedabad and Delhi NCR rounded off a successful roadshow. The focus of all five editions remained on encouraging companies across India’s industrial corridors to be a part of the World’s biggest Metalworking Show.

NITYASREE KUMARASWAMY Correspondent Magic Wand Media nityasree@magicwandmedia.in

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