Hannover, Germany. From wind energy to lightweight engineering, from global sourcing to the promotion of young engineering talent – in 2018 the Industrial Supply Forum will once again offer a rich and rewarding program. During the five days of HANNOVER MESSE, high-caliber speakers will address the most important technology and business trends in the industrial supply industry. The program of lunchtime panel discussions, first launched last year, will be extended, and from Monday through Thursday, experts will get together at Industrial Supply Forum in Hall 4 to explore the latest topics from every angle, thus promoting knowledge transfer and opinion sharing at Industrial Supply as the international trade fair for innovative subcontracting solutions and lightweight construction.

The Industrial Supply Forum will kick off on Monday, the first day of HANNOVER MESSE 2018, with the show's official Partner Country, Mexico. The event will open with a report by Johannes Hauser, director of the German-Mexican Chamber of Industry and Commerce, who will focus on the potential of Mexico as a business location and market for German companies. An overview of the legal conditions for investment in Mexico will then be offered by Dr. Edmund Duckwitz, former German ambassador to Mexico and current President of the German-Mexican Chamber of Industry and Commerce (CAMEXA). Both speakers will take part in the panel discussion at 1.00 p.m. in a session that addresses the question: "At a time of protectionism – where is Mexico headed?" Other topics in the lunchtime sessions include the "do's" and "don'ts" of intercultural exchange, digital recruitment in Mexico and the development and implementation of distribution and sales strategies in Mexico.

Buying and procurement on local and international markets

The Tuesday and Wednesday morning sessions at the trade show will center on topics selected by the German Association for Supply Chain Management, Procurement and Logistics (BME) . The well-established BME Buyers' Days now embedded in the Industrial Supply Forum allow for in-depth discussion and the presentation of sourcing strategies and best-practice talks by buyers on the sourcing of raw materials, supply management and Industry 4.0. The program also includes a special event for young professionals. On Tuesday, the lunchtime panel discussion will explore the role of digitization in buying and procurement. On Wednesday, the BME's traditional Global Sourcing Special session will be held for the first time within the Industrial Supply Forum. Experienced buyers with extensive knowledge of international procurement will provide insights into the importance of sustainable supply management in a global context. They will also present best-practice examples and outline the opportunities and risks of global sourcing. On Wednesday, the lunchtime panel discussion will address the digital transformation of the supply chain. Panel members include Johannes Giloth, Senior Vice President Global Operations at Nokia, and Peter F. Schmid, CEO of "Wer liefert was".

Current trends in forging

The German Forging Association (Industrieverband Massivumformung) is responsible for the program of the Tuesday afternoon session at HANNOVER MESSE. Tobias Hain, director of the Association, and Dr. Frank Springorum, Chairman of the Board, will report on current developments in forging and explain how SMEs, in particular, can benefit from cooperation between the various industry associations and help to drive innovation in Germany. Dr. Rolf Leiber, CEO of the Leiber Group, will outline the merits of hybrid forging as a solution for many complex challenges. Related topics will also be addressed. For example, Dr. Udo Zitz, Head of Engineering, Hammerwerk Fridingen GmbH, will speak on the use of hybrid forging in lightweight construction for the automotive sector, while Gregor Graf, Head of Engineering at Rosswag GmbH, will talk about additive manufacturing and its impact on the more traditionally-minded SME sector.

Lightweight construction and the platform economy

Lightweight construction is a lead theme at the Industrial Supply Forum , and this will be reflected in several of the contributions, including the talks on the forging and casting sectors. The role of innovation and lightweight engineering expertise in developing energy-efficient production techniques will be demonstrated in the talks in the Wednesday afternoon session. On Thursday morning, attention will focus on innovative industrial solutions in lightweight metal and intelligent lightweight construction. The Internet platform Fabrikado will be introduced in conjunction with solutions in additive manufacturing. Others involved in this network will briefly describe their experience and the potential of this kind of platform in developing additive manufacturing strategies. The panel discussion on Thursday will continue with the theme of lightweight construction, addressing the question: "Suitable materials for lightweight construction – carbon vs. steel?"

6th Wind Power Supply Forum

The final session on Thursday is the 6th Wind Power Supply Forum, which bridges the areas of industrial supply and energy. Following a welcoming address by Hermann Albers, President of the German industry association WindEnergie (BWE), various speakers will outline the part played by the numerous solutions provided by suppliers and service providers today in advancing energy transition. For example, Christian Goldmann, managing director of Cumulus by Drone Service, will focus on the topic of drone-assisted inspection of wind energy plants. Markus Michael, Head of Sales at Plarad, will be speaking about innovative technology and efficient services for wind turbines, while Kolja Michel, Head of Technology at pure energy GmbH, will talk about intelligent maintenance management. The second part of this afternoon session is dedicated to more research-driven topics. Dr. Volker Schöber and Dr. Christian Karl from Leibniz University in Hannover will introduce the LiFE 2050 project, which is designed to meet energy challenges, including the role of wind energy within a sustainable and decentralized energy system. Dr. Dominik Paulkowski, Project Coordinator at the Fraunhofer Institute IFAM, will address research efforts to reduce friction and wear in the sealing components of wind energy plant. Finally, the EU Connection Network Code "Requirements for Generators" as applied to wind energy plants will be explained in a lecture by Dr. Mark Meuser from the certifying body FGH Zertifizierungsgesellschaft mbH.

The closing session of the program on Friday, the last day of the trade fair, is dedicated to "Youth and Technology" at the Industrial Supply Forum . After all, the entire subcontracting and supply industry has an interest in the development of young professionals and next-generation engineers.