EMO Review
land to someone who can’t read; and it’s no good telling
them they’re part of the most successful dynamic
economy in Europe - which we are - when they can’t
count.
‘We have a fracture between those who can look
forward to a very optimistic future in the knowledgebased
economy, and those who cannot. What we’ve got
to do is get those who are in that fortunate position to
reach out, down, round and under those who are not.
Employees, governments, parents, journalists, religious
leaders have got to do it, all have a role to play. We’ve got
to be able to say “if you want to be part of this amazing
world where there are good quality jobs to be had, you
don’t need an honours degree. Come into work where
you can use your skill”. We’ve got to get them to read
and write, and that - on the skills issue - is the big
challenge for the nation.’
Putting this into the EMO context, during his visit
the UK companies he saw raised a number of key
points that they government should address to ensure
the continuing prosperity of the UK manufacturing
sector:
■ Show in what it does and what it says, that
manufacturing is important
■ Create a commercially attractive and globally
competitive environment
■ Help business to create a skilled workforce
■ Create financial incentives to invest continually in
plant and equipment and people and skills
“EMO is growing ever more international. We’ve
had visitors here from 20 countries including China,
Japan, Turkey and the Czech Republic.”
Marc Saunders, Renishaw
Digby Jones prepares
to board the bobsleigh
on the Renishaw stand
“We have never
experienced
anything quite
like it before.
The atmosphere
is really good.
We are on a
high.”
Simon Lee,
EdgeCAM
Renishaw technology, as
always a major element of
the UK’s global
presence
18 MWP november 2007
■ Make exporting procedure attractive and easy
■ Educate young people in practical science subjects.
MTA president, Geoff Lloyd, commented: ‘The visit
has been a real boost to the UK companies who have
invested in coming to the EMO exhibition; the UK
manufacturing technologies sector is booming at the
moment and already EMO has generated many orders.’
Simon McVicker, head of external affairs at the MTA
said: ‘High profile contact with Ministers such as
Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham go to show that the
MTA’s political influence is as strong as ever. MTA will
continue to ensure that the interests of the UK
manufacturing technologies sector are heard. We used
EMO to let the Government know exactly what we as
an industry need from them in order to succeed; in
short, support in skills, investment in modern plant and
equipment and exports will be key to our success in the
future’.
So, EMO was a lively event in many ways, but what
were the facts and figures? Overall there were 2,118
exhibitors from 42 countries, occupying 180,000 square
metres, up 12% on last time. 166,000 people attended the
six day event, from eighty different countries; over 37%
of trade visitors were from outside Germany. 2,105 were
from the UK, which is arguably disappointing, but in
fact this represents an increase of 30% on 2005.
Exhibitors under the UK flag, led by high profile
companies such as Delcam, Renishaw and 600 Group,
strictly speaking numbered forty three but this figure
doesn’t really truly reflect the UK presence, given the
massive inward investment to, for example, Mazak and
Heller, and the prominence of these companies in a
European context.
While there were no evident disruptive or gamechanging
breakthroughs (remember hexapods?) the
range of technology on view was as always impressive.
Continuity seemed to be the theme, with a number of
strands which have emerged over successive EMOs
continuing to develop, and to be absorbed and exploited
by production engineers in the appropriate context -
such as automation, advanced CAM capability,
increasingly sophisticated measurement systems,
greater accuracy and repeatability, enhancements to
machines, systems and consumables which address
environmental and safety issues and so on. Additive
technologies - perhaps potentially the main challenge
in the long term to traditional methods, especially in
view of the pressure on raw material resources - were
still very much a sideshow.
Dr John Collins, business development manager of
the MTA summarises UK reactions: ‘This EMO
Hannover has been a great success with all the
exhibitors and visitors finding the show an extremely
useful and valuable experience. Between them, the UK
exhibitors completed 30 million euros of business and
expect to do much more over the next year from
contacts made at the show’.
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