The automation industry is navigating through difficult waters. High inventory levels and a lack of incoming orders continue to depress sales following previous supply chain shortages. The concept of China as an extended workbench, which has significantly boosted the European and German economies over the past 20 years, seems to be coming to an end. And after recent political developments in America and Europe, the signs increasingly point to protectionism rather than free trade and open borders.

At many companies we spoke with at SPS – Smart Production Solutions 2024, the mood was therefore cautious but also optimistic.
 

Facts and Figures about SPS 2024

In such times, a get-together of the industry is all the more important. With 51,291 visitors, the organizer Mesago was even able to record a slight increase of around 1,200 visitors compared to the previous year. “Given the currently challenging economic situation in the industry, the increase in visitor numbers compared to the previous year is a strong and important signal for the automation industry,” emphasized Martin Roschkowski, President of Mesago Messe Frankfurt.

On the company side, however, there was a decline from 1,229 exhibitors in 2023 to 1,114 exhibitors this year – a decrease of 9.3 percent – while the exhibition area remained almost the same at 125,000 m² compared to 128,000 m² the previous year. Nevertheless, the figures also reflect the partly tense economic situation of many companies.

AI Applications in Automation – A Silver Lining

Nevertheless, many of our conversation partners were also optimistic. Many hope that the trough will be passed next year and that both sales and revenues will pick up again. There is reason for hope, and it was also evident this year that European and especially German market participants in the field of digital automation are still playing in the top league technologically. Under the motto “Bringing Automation to Life,” the focus was among other things on the application of artificial intelligence in the field of automation and in the context of ongoing digital transformation. “For us, the top trend at SPS is clearly artificial intelligence. We are convinced that this technology will bring enormous productivity advantages in the coming years – perhaps even decades,” explained Dr. Axel Zein, Managing Director of WSCAD GmbH. In particular, the potential for further increasing efficiency and the advantages in productivity were highlighted. Accordingly, the trade fair forums also provided insights into topics such as AI in automation and digital transformation. In the context of AI-based applications, IT management solutions, security measures, cloud and edge-based solutions, and IoT applications were also in the spotlight.

Promoting Young Talent to Address the Skills Shortage

The skills shortage has also reached the automation sector. This year’s SPS tried to address this with a makeathon and the Young Talents Day. Students were able to apply their knowledge and work on real projects during the makeathon. The guided tours led the young target group to six exhibitors, where they gained valuable insights into the latest trends and technologies. Two job fairs also provided an overview of current job offers. “The interest in participating in these offerings was immediately very high among our exhibitors, and the places were filled in no time. This confirms to us that we have hit the right nerve in times of skills and young talent shortages,” summarized Sylke Schulz-Metzner, Vice President SPS.

SPS 2025

The next SPS will take place next year from November 25 to 27 in Nuremberg, thus returning to its original date after the end of the pandemic. To exchange ideas with the SPS community throughout the year until then, the trade fair offers an extensive program, such as the SPS Automation Hub, the monthly Technology Talks, and the SPS Insights. On May 22, 2025, the Industrial Technology Summit will also take place in Stuttgart, providing another platform for exchanging technological advances and their applications.