If you haven’t visited before, the size and scale of Hannover Messe is almost incomprehensible. With more than 4,000 exhibitors presenting their solutions for a digital, connected, and sustainable industry, meeting more than 100,000 visitors from around the world, it’s sometimes hard to pinpoint what really matters.

And while three very full days didn’t give me nearly enough time to experience even a fraction of the available thought leadership sessions and exhibits, this year the two big takeaways were clear – optimism and impact.

• Was I surprised by the optimism? In all honesty, yes. We all know that manufacturing is having a tough time. From rising costs to supply chain challenges, unpredictability is a constant reality. But it’s also an industry that has found it’s “cool” after years of being accused of being technology laggards. I was amazed by the things manufacturers are doing with the latest and greatest technologies like Generative AI, Metaverse, additive manufacturing, robotics, and Digital Twins. All showcasing how manufacturers can benefit from these emerging technologies today, not five years down the road. We were delighted to share how excited we are about the future of Manufacturing with Technology Record during the event.


• And that leads to my second takeaway, impact. Not the kind that takes years to realize but impact you can see in weeks. All my conversations with clients centered on the need to invest in operational efficiencies that will steady their business against a tide of market pressure. To focus on the challenges that matter now - cutting the cost of business operations, reducing waste for responsible manufacturing, and driving real ROI – so Manufacturers can get to value sooner.

What I love about these events is the ability to demonstrate the art of the possible and the power of people and partnerships. Some of my highlights included:

• Avanade, Accenture and Microsoft partnering to showcase our smart digital manufacturing and intelligent digital twin solutions to help Manufacturers address today’s immediate recessionary and sustainability challenges.
• Our three companies presenting at Microsoft’s Supply Chain Reimagined event with a fascinating discussion on using Data, AI and Innovation to revolutionize existing supply chain ecosystems.
• The opportunity to reconnect with some existing partners and learn what their latest and greatest capabilities are, as well as to develop some new partnerships with companies that bring unique solutions to the table that allow manufacturers to do more, faster, and with fewer resources.

If we didn’t manage to connect in Hannover, contact me for more information, and be on the lookout for more insight from Avanade on how you can become a more agile, innovative and sustainable manufacturer. I hope to see you in person at Hannover Messe 2024 – we’ll be the ones in orange!