The trade fair automatica planned for 8 to 11 December 2020 will not take place due to the current tightening of travel restrictions in connection with the Corona pandemic, Messe München has announced. This decision was taken in agreement and close coordination with the VDMA Robotics + Automation as the conceptual sponsor and the automatica advisory board. Previously, the trade fair, which actually always takes place in June, had been postponed to December.

The government travel restrictions, as well as the travel bans imposed by many national and international corporations, caused most exhibitors to fear that only a fraction of the normally expected visitors would have come to the New Munich Trade Fair Centre. The organizer, in turn, feared that the reputation of automatica would be damaged if it were to take place at a very low level and without any real benefit for the exhibitors. A cancellation of the presence event therefore seemed to be the only way out. "The original decision to postpone automatica was correct. However, because the external conditions have deteriorated considerably recently, a reassessment of the situation is now unavoidable. We are pleased that Messe München has reacted flexibly and is now breaking new ground together with the industry," confirmed Patrick Schwarzkopf, Managing Director of VDMA Robotics + Automation.

Digital range to be expanded

Instead, the online offer of the fair is now to be expanded: In the new online event series "Let's talk by automatica", for example, top-class experts, suppliers and users will regularly highlight current issues and trends in robotics and automation. In addition, it is planned, among other things, to offer virtually essential components of the supporting program originally planned for the December fair. This applies to the International Symposium on Robotics (ISR), for example. Details will follow in the course of the coming weeks.

Additional event planned before automatica 2021

Messe München is also currently working with exhibitors to develop a new presence format with digital elements, adapted to the conditions of the Corona era. This event is planned as a compact trade fair before the fair for early summer 2021 and is to become an add-on to Automatica. Detailed information on this will also follow as soon as possible.