In spite of the economic crisis, Productronica attracted 1,150 exhibitors and additionally represented companies (2007: 1,477). The fair therefore suffered a much lower decrease than many companies in the industry. The exhibition area amounted to 75,000 square meters in seven halls. The internationality of the trade fair therefore remained at the same high level from the previous event.
It was no surprise to see a drop in the number of visitors to 28,000 (2007: 40,514) as a result of the current economic recession and the travel restrictions existing in practically every company in the electronics production industry. However, there was a further increase in the expertise of visitors. The number of decision-makers rose from 88% in 2007 to 91% this year. The proportion of visitors from the top management level in their company increased from 15% in 2007 to 19% in 2009. „Productronica, the largest trade fair for electronics production, therefore confirmed its position as the leading international event for the industry“, said Klaus Dittrich, Managing Director of Messe München.
What made the fair successful in economically challenging times was the strategy of innovation chosen by exhibitors and fair organizer Messe München as the appropriate answer: The Productronica Innovation Guide published by Messe München and EPP was one of the possible ways to show new and effective ways of manufacturing electronics (download: http://productronica.com/en/home/visitors/innovationguide).The fair organizers had more innovative ideas which added new aspects: The first “munich electronics summit” was held as part of productronica. The public CEO Round Table formed part of this first summit meeting of top international executives from the electronics and electronics production industries. During this event, CEOs from these two industries discussed the role of technological innovations in coping with the current economic crisis and talked about their companies’ future strategies. The podium discussion provided an insight into a highly topical subject in the industry: ”Innovations as driving force for surviving the current crisis”. The keynote speech at the start of the discussion was given by Ram Charan, one of the world’s leading management and business consultants. During his keynote speech Charan emphasized that electronics production must remember its role as an “enabling industry”, i.e. the opportunities which it opens up to other industries with its technologies. „The winners in the electronics production industry will primarily include those companies which enable their customers to keep pace with this development. In addition to innovation, productivity is one of the magic words relating to customer orientation.“ According to Dr. Charan, the economy needs new confidence and basic innovations which unleash the forces of productivity. The future of the industry lies wherever electronics production can continually satisfy this demand.
Dr. Charan stressed that companies and, in particular, their managers must now promptly formulate a future vision and a detailed implementation plan. According to the participants, the electronics production industry actually has great potential to emerge stronger from the crisis.
EPP EUROPE 514
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