Local firms fly Singapore flag at world's largest industrial tech show in Germany

SOME 19 local companies will be flying the Singapore flag at the world's largest industrial technology trade show in Hannover, Germany from Apr 23 to 27.

These firms will be showcasing their advanced manufacturing products and services under the first Singapore Pavilion at the Hannover Messe fair, where they will get the opportunity to rub shoulders and learn best practices from top names in the business.

Each edition of the Hannover Messe attracts over 6,500 exhibitors and 250,000 visitors.

Singapore exhibitors span from large corporations to startups, including Singapore Technologies Kinetics, Onn Wah Precision Machining and Pixel Automation.

Advanced manufacturing, or Industry 4.0, combines machines with digital technologies such as data analytics and artificial intelligence to create what is known as a "smart factory". It is identified as a key driver of Singapore's future economic growth.

Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran will be leading a delegation of government officials to Hannover Messe, accompanied by officials from various ministries and economic agencies. Some 20 Singapore companies, not including exhibitors, will also attend the fair.

Over the next few days, Mr Iswaran will also deliver speeches at the Germany-Singapore Business Forum (GSBF) and the Asean Forum 2018 in Hannover.

The GSBF aims to promote business and capability partnerships between German and Singaporean companies, where the minister will witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Enterprise Singapore and the German Accelerator to boost market access and economic ties between the two countries.

On the sidelines of GSBF, Mr Iswaran will also have a bilateral meeting with his German counterpart, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier.

At the Asean Forum 2018, Mr Iswaran will highlight the potential for global companies to collaborate with Singapore to access the significant market opportunities in Asean. The theme for this year's forum "Digital Transformation in Industries" is in line with one of Singapore's key objectives as Asean chair to deepen regional connectivity, especially in the areas of e-commerce and the digital economy.

To further profile Singapore as a world-class manufacturing hub, a Singapore country booth is also set up at the Hannover Messe, jointly organised by the Singapore Economic Development Board, Enterprise Singapore, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research and Singapore Tourism Board.

This serves to promote the 2018 premiere of Industrial Transformation Asia Pacific, the Asian edition of Hannover Messe, where Singapore will play host this October.