In both cases the spotlight will be on collaboration between IT companies and manufacturing enterprises – for example, in the area of artificial intelligence and the creation of industrial IT platforms.

"Companies with good ideas need strong partners," emphasizes Olaf Daebler, Global Director Industrial Supply at HANNOVER MESSE. "Close collaboration within networks delivers significant benefits – not only for the partners, but for society as a whole. Issues such as environmental protection and the conservation of natural resources will play an increasingly important role in the future." Various exhibitors at "Industrial Supply" will present their interpretation of the keynote theme of this year's HANNOVER MESSE: "Integrated Industry – Connect & Collaborate" .

Digital development chain: Lightweight Design from Baden-Württemberg

Customization of components in real time, ready for production on a 3D printer – visitors will be able to witness this science-fiction scenario at HANNOVER MESSE at the group presentation "Lightweight Design from Baden-Württemberg" . Under the heading "live mass customization" the exhibitors will demonstrate a seamless digitized process chain which drastically reduces the time to market. The product in question is an additively manufactured sledge seat for a Paralympic biathlon competitor. To initiate the process sensors are deployed to determine the precise weight of the athlete. This information is then fed into a PLM system containing the CAD data of the seat. Using simulation techniques the seat is optimized and adapted to the athlete's weight. This enables the input of raw materials to be minimized. Via the PLM system the optimized CAD data is transferred to an online platform which automatically obtains price quotes and delivery times from external suppliers. The following enterprises are involved in this "live mass customization" project: Rosswag GmbH - Rosswag Engineering, INTEC International, Cassini Systems Europe GmbH, TECOSIM Technische Simulation GmbH, Altair Engineering GmbH and fabrikado GmbH.

Closed loop for steel and steel scrap: Salzgitter and BMW

At HANNOVER MESSE 2018 the steel company Salzgitter Mannesmann Stahlhandel GmbH and BMW Leipzig will present a convincing example of "Connect & Collaborate" – in the form of a closed delivery loop. Since November 2017 Salzgitter has been supplying steel coils to the BMW press shop in Leipzig. On the way back special-purpose delivery vehicles return the entire volume of press scrap to the Salzgitter steelworks. This closed loop is doubly efficient: firstly, the vehicles are fully laden on both legs of the journey and thus minimize CO2 emissions. Secondly, the steel scrap is ideal suited to recycling and can be reintroduced into the steel production process without any losses.

Via this closed loop Salzgitter is in a position to supply steel just in time to a car production plant. This eliminates the need for a consignment warehouse. Instead of weekly deliveries the steel coils now have to be supplied punctually (plus/minus 30 minutes) to the BMW production plant just one day after the order has been initiated.

This places high demands on logistics and process reliability and necessitates numerous modifications to the IT infrastructure. BMW now has direct online access to Salzgitter's inventory data. Salzgitter automatically converts the requisition data into transport orders, which are transmitted within minutes to the haulage company. Each individual order is closely monitored. Further related issues will be on the agenda at CeMAT, the world's leading trade fair for intralogistics & supply chain management, which is taking place in parallel with HANNOVER MESSE 2018.

Pöppelmann: closed materials cycle reduces plastic waste

Based in Lohne in the German state of Lower Saxony, Pöppelmann GmbH & Co. KG is committed to using recycled materials as part of its sustainability strategy. A leading plastics producer, the company's five factories employ a workforce of 2,000 and supply products to customers in more than 90 countries – in the food industry, commercial horticulture, mechanical and apparatus engineering, the automotive industry, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and medical technology. For around 20 years Pöppelmann has deployed recycled materials in its various business sectors. Now the company has decided to go a step further with a strategic initiative called PÖPPELMANN blue®. The transition from a linear to a circular economy is an ecological necessity. Wherever possible, PÖPPELMANN blue® aims to re-use plastics in the same stage of the value chain from which they originate. In practice this means, for example, that a plastic edge protector is recycled and then redeployed as an edge protector. In this way Pöppelmann has responded to a central political demand. According to the European Commission, Europe's citizens generate 25 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. Against the background of population growth and dwindling resources environmental and climate protection pose a global challenge. The EU Commission has unveiled a long-term strategy aimed at reducing plastic waste. Recycling will play a key role in this context.

Alongside lightweight design, smart supply solutions will figure prominently at Industrial Supply 2018. This Leading Trade Show for Innovative Subcontracting Solutions and Lightweight Construction presents a complete array of industrial processes and materials and opens up new perspectives on alternative and complementary options.