Hannover, Germany. Dutch startups, trade specialists, technology partners, system integrators and hardware and software suppliers present advanced and pragmatic technology solutions at HANNOVER MESSE 2017 in Hall 4. With showcases of innovative cooperation projects, they demonstrate what "Integrated Industry – Creating Value" means for them. They offer examples of innovations, creativity, flexibility and cooperation in the value chain. This group pavilion is one of the largest Dutch showcases at HANNOVER MESSE 2017.

Startups from the Netherlands supplement this presence at the "Holland Innovative" innovation market. Building bridges between startups and large firms – that is the specialty of Holland Innovative, headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands. These high-tech experts conduct optimization and development projects for large companies, as well as contributing their experience to supporting promising startups. At HANNOVER MESSE they are providing a platform for some 20 innovative entrepreneurs, with products ranging from self-moving robots to simulated cardiac surgeries to creative lighting concepts.

Here is a look at the companies participating in the Dutch pavilion and the Holland Innovative showcase:

AVEK Haarlem: Individual products and extreme automation

Less paper = more production

Individual products, combined with extreme automation in manufacturing: This is the formula for success for AVEK , based in Haarlem, Netherlands. "We manufacture customized springs and therefore always try to be included during the engineering phase for these products," explains CEO Dennis Abels. This early integration is one of the principles of the company strategy. Fully automated production enables a price level that attracts even customers from China on a regular basis.

From sunroof to satellites: AVEK Haarlem manufactures products made of wire and strip steel for a wide range of applications. "We produce springs that BMW, Porsche and Volkswagen use for sunroofs, for example," reports Abels. The company developed an especially long spring for blinds in a car cab – a product that has since conquered its market. <read more>

Brainport Industries: From suppliers to development partners

Integrated supply network for OEM success

Stronger together: Brainport Industries headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands is a high-tech network for the supplier industry – with around 95 connected companies from throughout the Netherlands. "Together we represent 9,000 employees and annual revenue of €2 billion," says CEO John Blankendaal. Members of this organization have risen from suppliers to development partners for the large OEMs. Brainport Industries presents innovative companies from the supplier industry at the Dutch Pavilion.

"Before, the process in the supply industry consisted of three steps: demand, offer, execution. Roles were clearly defined: You want, we make. But this model has no more future. We had to develop genuine added value. Our approach is to move further up the manufacturing chain, to be included during product development. "That's how our slogan, From Supplier to Development Partner, came to be," explains Blankendaal. <read more>

Brainport Industries campus: Specialists from the supplier industry united at an innovative site

Tomorrow's factory is a reality

The future is taking shape: The Brainport Industries campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands combines the most innovative and successful companies and institutes from the high-tech supplier industry under a single roof in the Brainport Region. "We have the best resources and minds to create a factory of the future here; a magnet for customers, talents and innovations," says Erik Vermeulen, Innovation and Business Development Manager. "The foundation is ready, and we want to begin operations at the start of 2018," adds John Blankendaal, CEO of Brainport Industries supplier network. The Brainport Industries campus concept is presented at the Dutch Pavilion at HANNOVER MESSE.

Leading research institutes and prestigious firms will work together on the Brainport Industries campus to bring ideas to life and develop business cases. The first companies are moving onto the campus in late 2017. They reflect the high-tech supply chain and are specialists in manufacturing, logistics and technology. Educational institutes, startups and several manufacturing support companies will also be present on the innovative campus. <read more>

CLT Metal Service is a fast and nimble supplier of defect-free round and profile tubes

The supply chain of the future

Fulfill customer needs precisely – this is what CLT Metal Service can do with its fully automated processing center. With its "Smart Metal Shaping" concept the company delivers tailor-cut round and profile tubes for the food industry, chemical industry and mechanical engineering. Now CLT Metal Service is taking the next step with customers and suppliers – to build the supply chain of the future. Current benchmark projects and the rising number of regular customers are proof that the company is on the right track.

Word has gotten around that CLT Metal Service in Horst, Netherlands operates one of Europe's most cutting-edge laser processing centers. An investment that serves the customer well and means hard cash for the company. "Throughput and delivery times are becoming increasingly important," notes Sales Director Hans Kempen. These days projects have to be completed in narrow timeframes. And that is exactly where the company can save its customers time and money. <read more>

Etchform: Tailored solutions for thin metallic precision parts

Matrix for optimal costs

Reducing overall operating costs with niche processes and neutral consulting: that is the specialty of Hilversum-based Dutch company Etchform . "Our core processes are etching and electroforming of precision parts made of metal, specifically for high-tech applications," explains CEO Johan van der Kraan. Etchform advises its customers independent of the process, however. A technology matrix plays a key role. The company also offers solutions for the entire product life cycle – from prototype to mass production to replacement part management. It covers products from simple shield panels to complex applications for European satellites. Neutral consulting: What does that mean? "Many providers only want to sell their own methods. We do things differently: We analyze the customer's need and recommend the right manufacturing process based on this analysis. This can mean not involving our own processes at all. That is how we help our customers keep total operating costs the focus from the start," explains the CEO.

How does this consulting work? "On our website is a technology matrix you can use to easily find out what process is best suited to your needs: Laser, plasma or water jet cutting? Punching or etching? Or electroforming?" <read more>

Flexible Manufacturing field lab: Quick conversions from large to small series

Minimizing downtimes

Single-batch and individualized mass production – these trends pose a particular challenge for manufacturing companies and their suppliers. They have to produce ever smaller series without raising the cost per item. Here is where the Dutch Flexible Manufacturing field lab comes into play. "One solution involves the extensive integration of robots and intelligent sensor technology into manufacturing processes. Production must be as fully automated as possible to minimize downtimes caused by refitting. This is the only way to still meet the requirements of the market," declares John Blankendaal, CEO of suppler network Brainport Industries from the Netherlands. To reach this goal, researchers, businesses and organizations work together in the field lab.

The name is the program: The Flexible Manufacturing field lab research team wants to develop solutions for producing in large and small series with equal efficiency and automation – the goal is maximum flexibility in manufacturing. "We've noticed a rising demand for small production volumes. This is due to increasing individualization with ever greater variations of individual machines and consumer goods. That's why we founded this field lab, to help industry become more flexible in its production," explains Henk Kiela, Professor of Applied Mechatronics at Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Eindhoven, Netherlands. <read more>

Dutch Smart Connected Supplier Network field lab

A language for all data

Orders, plans, technical drawings and invoices: A wide range of data is collected in the daily operations of the supplier industry, which must be exchanged between various parties. But problems frequently arise due to the coexistence of many different data processing systems, such as incompatibility, lost time and susceptibility to error. The Smart Connected Supplier Network field lab aims to solve these problems, and was officially presented for the first time at HANNOVER MESSE 2016. Now a year later, it has already made significant progress towards its goal of finding a common denominator for all systems. "We support the development of a shared language," says John Blankendaal, CEO of Dutch supplier network Brainport Industries.

"At Brainport Industries we work together with many suppliers that use different systems, so that data often has to be entered manually. This has many disadvantages," says project manager Peter Laloli. "We have to ensure that data are interoperable, such that different systems can interpret them uniformly." This reduces effort for companies and thus contributes to lowering costs – and strengthening competitiveness. <read more>

Helmink Hoontechniek: High flexibility enables the acceptance of widely different projects

"No" is an unknown word

Broad positioning in a narrow niche: This is the secret to success for processing specialist Helmink Hoontechniek from Hardinkxveld-Giessendam, Netherlands. "We are purely a honing contractor, but across the entire breadth of services," explains CEO Michel Helmink. The company's portfolio includes a wide variety of industries, products, materials and dimensions. The strategy is working: So far it has been able to fulfill all customer-specific requirements. "No" is a word Helmink customers never hear.

Honing is a precision machining process used for a very large range of products. So the order palette is correspondingly broad: From large pipes for the oil and gas industry to cylinders for shipbuilding or small hydraulic and precision systems for mechanical engineering – Helmink Hoontechniek processes what the customer needs to deliver. "If we can't execute a contract with available resources, we develop a solution quickly," says the CEO. So far he has never had to turn down a project. And that is the company promise he intends to keep in the future as well. <read more>

Jeveka: Specialist in fasteners and tools

The role of customers in Industry 4.0

Know everything about the customer: Wholesaler Jeveka from Almere, Netherlands is specialized in high-end fasteners and tools. "Along with our internal business processes, we invest greatly in customer relationships," says CEO Stephanie Veltkamp. The company's aim is to join together with its customers from the start to think about and develop solutions. Jeveka wants to place this customer focus at the center of its HANNOVER MESSE appearance – along with its premium product portfolio.

Close to the customer – what does that mean for Jeveka? "At first it sounds obvious. But for us this has a strategic dimension. We want to know our customers precisely, know what they will need in the future, how they tick and where they need assistance," explains the CEO. In today's fast-paced markets, this is how the company stands out from the competition. "Industry 4.0, digitization, automation, time-to-market – all these catchphrases can mean that the customer has no more role to play." Jeveka wants to navigate against this current. "We have our own processes under control, and they contribute to us best supporting and supplying our customers. But what matters is that we know everything about them." <read more>

Softwareport: Total software concept revolutionizes mechanical engineering

Cutting development time in half

A mechanical engineering revolution: That is the promise of Softwareport , a cooperation between three Dutch software specialists. "We connect three different worlds together: high level control, embedded software and virtual prototyping/simulation – that is our answer to Industry 4.0," says Jeroen de Bruijn, CEO of partner Festa Solutions. Concretely this means that Softwareport accompanies businesses from the development of a machine to its control and integration into the entire business operation – all based on intelligent data usage. This can cut the development time for machines in half, the software specialists believe.

"There are many software providers who develop standard solutions. That's not what you'll find here. Our customers want to get something special, something that no one else offers," explains De Bruijn of the Softwareport approach. What does that mean in practice? With the rise of Industry 4.0, says the CEO, lots of embedded software is currently being written. These are programs used to run machines. <read more>

tbp electronics: Speed up product development with "early involvement"

"Thinking ahead instead of revising"

Time is money – this is especially true when developing new industrial products. But how can the time-to-market be shortened? Dutch electronics specialist tbp electronics has the answer: "Early involvement of suppliers iin the design phase of new products is crucial for their rapid market introduction," says CEO Ton Plooy. If electrical engineering is included during the planning phase, for example, a fully functional product can be developed on the first try – following the "right first time" motto. The first German customers are highly satisfied with the approach.

Until now, says Plooy, product developers usually followed the credo "first the design, then the components." They would get closer to the final product using a trial and error process. But this requires building multiple prototypes and conducting many tests, which leads to high costs and time delays. "In contrast, our motto is" "to think ahead instead of revise after the fact," says Plooy. If a new product meets all requirements the first time, this saves time and therefore money. And you can stay a good step ahead of the competition. <read more>

VDL Enabling Technologies Group: Catalyst for Industry 4.0

The power of cooperation

Manufacturing companies that cooperate closely with partners are the wave of the future. That is the view of Emiel Harink, Business Manager of VDL Enabling Technologies Group B.V. (VDL ETG) , from Eindhoven, Netherlands: "You can't get too far with the traditional supply chain these days. With Industry 4.0 the main thing is to offer customers a clear added value. And you can only achieve that through extensive integration with professional partners. This is the next development step for industry."

The key word is integrated industries. What does this mean to VDL ETG? "Manufacturing companies need to focus increasingly on their own strengths, and outsource their non-core businesses to reliable partner companies. That is the only way to win over the market with innovative solutions and achieve growth," says Harink. VDL ETG is a tier one contract manufacturing partner with global business activities in development, manufacturing and supply chain management. The company has seven locations and 2,000 employees. VDL ETG has comprehensive experience in the following sectors: semiconductor industry, thin-film coating systems for photovoltaic solar cells, analytical instruments, medical systems, aerospace & defense and mechanization projects. The company already boasts a number of successful cooperations in Germany. <read more>

Holland Innovative at the University of Twente in Enschede:

High-tech from campus to clinic

The Dutch region Twente, right on the border with Germany, offers the best conditions for creative minds. Some experts even describe it as the European Silicon Valley – thanks above all to the University of Twente, which enjoys an international reputation as a breeding ground for technological innovations. Transforming ideas and new scientific discoveries into market-ready products and services is a particular kind of specialty. The lively startup scene with more than 800 companies in the neighboring Kennispark demonstrates the successes in this area.

Lisette van Steinvoren-Stamsnijder, local project manager for Holland Innovative , is thrilled to be right in the middle of things: "In high-tech and medical technology in particular, this is a very dynamic place to be. The infrastructure is outstanding. The MESA+NanoLab and Experimental Centre for Technical Medicine (ECTM) are just two examples." Another example is the Fraunhofer Project Center for Design and Production Engineering for Complex High-Tech Systems (FPC@UT). It works to bundle new cross-cutting expertise in research and industry to speed up Industry 4.0 developments. <read more>

Accerion: Precise positioning for robots and vehicles without infrastructure

When robots want to go their own way...

Industrial processes are unthinkable these days without robotics and artificial intelligence, but until now a special infrastructure has always been needed for worker robots. Now the Dutch startup Accerion from Venlo is going a step further: "We've developed a unique new method for determining the position of mobile robots and automated guided vehicles (AGV) with no need for an external infrastructure. With our Jupiter sensors they are now more autonomous and flexible than ever," says CEO Vincent Burg. Accerion is presenting its new sensor for mobile robots in Hannover.

Autonomous vehicles have been around for more than 30 years – they are not a brand new 21st-century development. Such vehicles are used every day in industry, on tracks or other infrastructure systems. But robotics are destined to touch on every area of life in the future – and affect how people work and live. For Burg, fully autonomous robots are the key to this vision. <read more>

CCGS: Three partners develop fully controlled growth systems

Towards the perfect city farm

How can we reliably feed the growing world population? This is a question that preoccupies researchers, politicians and business people worldwide. City farming – growing food in urban areas – offers one possible answer. Empty factory halls can be transformed into modern greenhouses, for example, where the sun is replaced by LED lighting. The Dutch cooperative CCGS is taking things a step further: At HANNOVER MESSE it is presenting a farming approach known as a Complete Controlled Growing System (CCGS). "We want to show that it's possible to produce high quality food right where it's needed," explains founder Peter Scheer of HAS University of Applied Sciences in Den Bosch, Netherlands. The foundation is the successful integration of planting, technology and project management into a comprehensive concept.

What is special about this system? "One major strength is that we can achieve maximum plant growth with minimal input of resources. The system extends across multiple levels. which lets us produce more per square meter than with conventional farming methods," explains Scheer. <read more>

Gorree in Vorm: Customer-specific grinding, lasering and longitudinal turning

Precise to the thousandth-millimeter

Making one from four: when Herman Gorree founded his startup AA Total Parts in 2006, he could have no idea what a multifaceted company it would become. Along with AA Total Parts, the companies Vereijkens Gereedschap Slijperij, HDLasers and Laserjob now belong to his portfolio, which operates under the name " Gorree in Vorm ." This entrepreneur in Venray, Netherlands has tapped into a market opening with his focus on grinding, laser technology and longitudinal turning. This past year Gorree led his firm yet another step into the future.

His proprietary grinding shop manufactures tools such as drills and mills from carbide metals. Gorree in Vorm has also developed an innovative machine. "It can work down to precision of a thousandth-millimeter, which is rarely seen. We use diamond grinders for this filigree work," Herman Gorree says proudly. Another advantage of the machine is that it can be adjusted precisely to customer wishes and produce individualized tools. The business division also offers its customers product maintenance and servicing options. <read more>

HighTechXL: Comprehensive hardware support for startups

"Europe's smartest square kilometer"

Many startups face the same challenge: How can they enter the market successfully – and how can they survive there? HighTechXL in Eindhoven, Netherlands has taken up the cause of supporting founders of hardware startups from initial idea to prototype, all the way to scale-up. "We bring founders into contact with an outstanding community of entrepreneurs, companies and investors, so that they can quickly gain a foothold in the market," explains founder and CEO Guus Frericks. HighTechXL is introducing itself at the Netherlands Pavilion at HANNOVER MESSE, and showing how other startups too can complete their business trajectory faster and more successfully.

"HighTechXL is the best place in Europe to let a high-tech company grow faster," assures Frericks. Startups and scale-ups can find inspiration from a global network of experts and investors there. Along with its "Accelerator Elite" program for startups, a shared innovation program and a support program for scale-ups, numerous events and workshops pertaining to hardware innovations are organized throughout the year. Regardless of the challenges facing the founders, they are sure to find expert support. <read more>

Workflow ++: Improving processes through continuous optimization

Produce flexibly, boost yields

Optimal processes determine product, yields and thus the future of the company. Reason enough to pay constant attention to optimizations, adaptations and new opportunities. "You can always improve something," says Jeroen Konings, founder and CEO of JEKO Tech in Ysselsteyn, Netherlands. How? He answers this question with the Workflow++ concept which he is presenting in several lectures at HANNOVER MESSE. A typical result is the D-Bag LCD robot, which demonstrates in Hall 4 how it lifts, opens and empties 25-kilo bags. <read more>

Vitaallicht: Biodynamic lighting from light city Eindhoven

Light source = life source

The first real days of spring. A few rays of sunlight and we feel refreshed and more alive. There is no question that daylight has a big effect on our mood and energy. Dutch startup Vitaallicht brings sunshine indoors – with a biodynamic lighting concept in the form of a floor lamp. "Sunlight is like exercise: It promotes health and improves performance by 4.5 percent," says founder Maarten Voorhuis.

The Vitaallicht products look like elegant designer lamps, but the difference with conventional lighting is quickly apparent when you turn them on. This is the first mobile, biodynamic LED light in the world that can be integrated easily via plug & play into existing space solutions. But why should you bring daylight into your home, when light already comes in through the windows? According to Voorhuis: "Sunlight is filtered even through open windows, reducing the lux dramatically. And we generally spend most of the day inside buildings. This insufficient contact with natural light causes our biological clocks to falter. We feel powerless, tired and depressed." Vitaallicht fills this gap by covering our natural daylight requirement. <read more>

Plasmacure: New treatment method for diabetic foot ulcers

How can you prevent amputations?

More than six million people in Germany suffer from diabetes. Many of them also have to battle the secondary condition of diabetic foot ulcers. It is estimated that 50,000 amputations are performed as a result in Germany each year. To reduce this high number of serious surgeries, Dutch startup Plasmacure from Eindhoven has developed a new, patented treatment method. "We use a cold plasma pad to achieve early treatment and healing of chronic diabetic foot ulcers," explains founder and CEO Bas Zeper. Plasmacure is presenting the treatment at the Netherlands Pavilion at HANNOVER MESSE, and hoping to make new networking contacts.

The medical technology company is headquartered at the HighTechXL Plaza high tech campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Zeper: "I've worked here for a long time and I know the surroundings. The campus is a great breeding ground for startups." Plasmacure was able to develop the cold plasma pad in a very short time with a team of entrepreneurs and experts, and they continue to apply mutual inspiration and shared knowledge to work on the new product. <read more>

SeMiLLa Sanitation Hubs develops a sanitation unit that transforms waste streams into drinking water

A project that saves lives

More than 1.1 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water, and 2.4 million have no access to adequate sanitation. A child dies every 20 seconds due to lack of clean drinking water – and lack of sanitation causes nearly one thousand children to die every day of diarrhea. It is time to do something. SeMiLLa Sanitation Hubs wants to contribute to the solution with a new sanitation unit: Using biological treatment and filtering it transforms urine, gray water and black water into clean water, nutrients and biogas. The Dutch startup is presenting its idea at HANNOVER MESSE.

This combination of sanitation facilities and immediate conversion of water and nutrients exists nowhere else. SeMiLLa Sanitation, founded in 2016, has started the ball rolling. "We want to make sanitation available to people around the world," says Peter Scheer of HAS University of Applied Sciences in Den Bosch, Netherlands. The system functions independently and guarantees clean drinking water. An unparalleled idea! <read more>