A few weeks I returned from EMO in Hannover, Germany, and reflected on the very connected history between EMO and IMTS.
To begin, while our IMTS acronym is fairly well known, you may not know that EMO actually stands for Exposition Mondiale de la Machine-Outil, which officially became the show name in 1975, when the event was held in Paris. Though EMO no longer cycles through Paris, the name has remained from its French origin. Earlier versions of what became EMO began in 1951, with the first event in Hannover the following year.
During a lunch with Dr. Jochen Kockler, Chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe (the parent company of our IMTS partners, Hannover Fairs USA), I learned that the Hannover Messe*, an industrial event held every April, and the fairgrounds were conceived after World War II as a way to reengage the German economy with world markets. The first Hannover Messe was held in 1947. Recognize that year? It was also the year IMTS moved permanently to Chicago! As the fairgrounds were being fully developed, the predecessor of EMO was held intermittently in Hannover through 1971. The modern EMO first visited Hannover in 1977 and in rotation with Milan and Paris at first, now only with Milan, has now marked 14 visits to the famed Hannover Messe fairgrounds.
The now well-established cycle of IMTS in the even-numbered years and EMO in the odd-numbered years began in 1974 with IMTS, making this the 43rd year of cooperation with our European partners, the CECIMO organization, on a rotation that benefits manufacturers worldwide. That brings us to the 2017 EMO Hannover, held September 18-23. In its closing press release, EMO lists exhibiting companies as approximately 2,200.
Looking at our exhibiting company list for IMTS 2018, we currently stand at approximately the same number. The overall attitude of attendees and exhibitors alike was very positive at EMO, a vibe we anticipate will carry over into IMTS 2018.
The shared history of IMTS and EMO touches manufacturers across industries and across the globe by showcasing new technology frontiers; bringing together customers and producers; and connecting through a unique common bond that you can next experience at IMTS 2018. Planning for the next EMO? It will be back in Hannover, on September 16-21, 2019!
*German - “fair”
