Hannover. At this year's Hannover Messe, Schwarz Digits, the IT and digital division of Schwarz Group, demonstrates how companies can transition from a period of AI experimentation to scalable industrial applications while securing digital sovereignty and data integrity.

Bernd Wagner, CSO of Schwarz Digits, will deliver a keynote address on the topic “Sovereign Cloud Infrastructures as the Foundation for Global Competitiveness” on the Center Stage. The manufacturing and automotive sectors are facing a defining choice. Volatile markets, a chronic shortage of skilled labor, and margin pressures require a fundamental shift toward greater resilience and self-reliance. At the same time, complex regulatory landscapes, stricter legislation, and increasing competitive pressure demand a new IT strategy that protects systems, data, and intellectual property (Industrial IP) in a sovereign cloud infrastructure.

Schwarz Digits stands as the reliable partner for digital sovereignty, dedicated to returning control over data and processes to the European economy. The company addresses the most critical challenges of our time, specifically Digital Sovereignty.

“Robust IT infrastructures are now the foundation of global competitiveness for industrial companies and small and medium-sized businesses,” says Bernd Wagner. “We help industrial companies securely integrate cloud, AI, and IT services into their processes to dramatically increase efficiency while keeping control over their own data.”

At HANNOVER MESSE, global consultancy Bain & Company will share insights on how industrial players can navigate the structural shift – from controlling machines to orchestrating intelligence – to capture emerging profit pools in the next era of industrial automation.

Recent research [hyperlinked] conducted by Bain & Company shows that by 2030, nearly 50 percent of industry revenues are expected to rely on AI-enabled offerings, fundamentally reshaping where value is created. As traditional control systems become increasingly commoditized, economic value is shifting away to software, data, and intelligent edge devices.

At the same time, more than half of future growth is expected to come from vertically specialized solutions tailored to specific industries such as automotive, aerospace and defense, or food production. This transformation requires companies to rethink not only their technology stack, but also their business models – from one-off project delivery to lifecycle-based, outcome-driven services.

“Profit pools in industrial automation are migrating from hardware to intelligence, and at its core, AI has now become a prerequisite,” said Adrien Bron, head of Bain & Company’s Advanced Manufacturing & Services practice in DACH, and one of the speakers at the HANNOVER MESSE Center Stage. “The risk for incumbents is not sudden disruption, but gradual erosion of relevance,” said Bron. “Future leaders will make clear strategic choices – prioritize the industry verticals, embed an AI-enabling data strategy and workflow, and create an ecosystem of partners.”

Amazon Web Services (AWS) will join HANNOVER MESSE to share how manufacturers can realize Industrial AI at scale. Leading manufacturers are using AWS to deploy agentic AI systems that help optimize complex operations and supply chains, physical AI systems that operate reliably in demanding factory environments, and industrial data fabrics that help turn fragmented operations into a single, intelligent system – all on a cloud that is more scalable and secure. On the Center Stage at HANNOVER MESSE, Ozgur Tohumcu, general manager of Automotive and Manufacturing at AWS, will provide insights on how manufacturers can take advantage of these capabilities in their own demanding environments and deploy Industrial AI at scale. Florian Lechner, Head of Digital Production and Logistics at Volkswagen Group will also share how they’ve realized the benefits of Industrial AI with AWS through their Digital Production Platform, connecting 43 plants to a single factory cloud and deploying AI applications that have unlocked significant gains in throughput, quality, and sustainability.

“For nearly 20 years, AWS has partnered with manufacturers to drive their digital transformation, and today we are at the forefront of helping them become AI-first companies through Industrial AI,” said Ozgur Tohumcu, “We are providing the essential data foundations, cloud infrastructure, and AI capabilities that enable manufacturers to rapidly transform from traditional operations to AI-driven enterprises – moving from concept to production-scale reality. At HANNOVER MESSE, we are showcasing this AI-first transformation in action. Visitors can experience a complete end-to-end product journey that demonstrates how Industrial AI powers every stage of modern manufacturing – from intelligent design and autonomous supply chains to physical AI in production – and see firsthand how leading manufacturers are deploying Industrial AI at scale to reimagine their entire business.”

HANNOVER MESSE

HANNOVER MESSE is the world's premier trade fair for industry. 3,000 exhibiting companies from the mechanical engineering, electrical and digital industry as well as the energy industry gather there to present solutions for a competitive and sustainable industry. The main exhibition areas are Automation & Digitalization, Energy & Industrial Infrastructure, and Research & Technology Transfer. The topic of artificial intelligence is a common thread running through all exhibition areas. A high-caliber conference program complements the exhibition. The next edition of HANNOVER MESSE will be held in Hannover from 20 to 24 April 2026, with Brazil as the partner country.