The fair, which was cancelled in 2021 and held digitally in 2020, brings together people and technologies from the development, production, services, and the applications of microelectronic assemblies and systems to share developments and exchange ideas. Organisers say it is personal contact – the chance to personally greet customers, reconnect, and learn about new products and solutions live – that is at the heart of this year’s event. 250 exhibitors have already registered for the event, of which around 30% come from outside Germany.
“Another year of the pandemic has shown us how irreplaceable personal encounters are,” Anthula Parashoudi, Vice President of SMTconnect, said. “Discussions, inspirational exchange and the dynamics of being together make my heart beat faster. I have so missed the atmosphere of the SMTconnect in the past 2 years and am looking forward to this personal reunion!”
“Walking through the halls of a trade fair is an unparalleled experience”, added Petra Haarburger, President of Mesago Messe Frankfurt, the company behind the exhibition. “The sound of the machines and demonstrations, people in animated conversations creates an atmosphere and buzz which only takes place when like-minded people get together and discuss what they are passionate about. Digital connections are here to stay but there is nothing as electrifying as the feeling of people connecting”.
The last event for which figures are readily available (as the show was cancelled in 2021 and held online in 2020) took place in 2019. This pre-pandemic show saw 417 exhibitors from 28 countries, and 13,050 visitors, 35% of which came from outside Germany, network over 26,000 square meters of exhibition space.
Highlights
Organisers say the 2022 fair will once again host an array of prominent exhibitors including Asys Automatisierungssysteme, AAT Aston, Fuji Europe Corporation, smartTec, and Yamaha Motor Europe. The Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM will also be present a much-anticipated update to their production line. Such developments rely upon industry players being given the chance to engage in dialogue with other experts, said Mesago. “It’s really an industry-wide cross-section meeting for all engineers, which you just don’t get any other way,” Ulf Oestermann Business Developer Fraunhofer IZM Berlin, noted.
Forum
This year’s fair will once again include a conference programme of diverse and expertly-devised discussions, product demonstrations, and company presentations known as the ‘Forum’. In addition, it will feature the IPC hand soldering competition; a special interest area for companies dealing with PCB components and materials known as ‘PCB meets Components’; and the EMS Park, a special showcase area for contract manufacturers and full-service providers designed to provide relaxed but efficient networking opportunities.
Concurrent exhibitions
SMTconnect 2022 will be held alongside two further specialized shows. The first, PCIM Europe, is the global exhibition and conference for power electronics, intelligent motion, renewable energy, and energy management. The second, SENSOR+TEST, is a leading forum for sensors, measuring and testing technologies worldwide. “The combination of the SMTconnect with the two concurrent exhibitions PCIM Europe and SENSOR+TEST is a particularly attractive opportunity to present yourself as a company,” Markus Wille, Product Manager from Unimicron Germany, said.
