50th EMO opens its doors in Hannover

EMO Hannover 2025 was officially opened today in a ceremony by General Commissioner Carl Martin Welcker, François Duval, CECIMO President; Olaf Lies, Minister-President of Lower Saxony; Stephen Albrecht, Executive Board Member of Liebherr-International AG; Evelyne Coulombe, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., Embassy of Canada in Germany; and Gitta Connemann, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, marking the start of the world’s leading trade fair for production technology.

The event set the tone for a week of innovation, collaboration, and global dialogue in the manufacturing sector. From 22 to 26 September, Hannover will showcase what drives the industry forward all year round.

CECIMO President François Duval delivered a welcome address with a powerful message: “Our industry is transforming here and now, driven by innovation, cooperation, and cutting-edge technologies.”

“The challenges may have evolved, and the technologies advanced, but the spirit remains the same: to showcase the very best of our industry, inspire new ideas, and write the next chapter of manufacturing together. This edition of EMO highlights how digitalisation, AI, and automation are transforming production and redefining what’s possible in industry,” he said.

Mr Duval also highlighted the milestone that makes this edition particularly special - EMO’s 50th anniversary. Tracing its journey from the first edition in Paris in 1975 to Hannover in 2025, Mr Duval underlined how the fair has grown into a global hub where innovators, manufacturers, and industry leaders come together to shape the future of production. Over five decades, EMO has become a symbol of innovation, progress, competitiveness, and collaboration across the sector.

In these uncertain times, EMO continues to serve as a vital platform for stakeholders to drive the future of this strategically important industry, ensuring that machine tool builders not only keep pace but lead in the technologies that will define tomorrow.

Concluding his address, Mr Duval outlined the industry’s key priorities: “We must simplify, we must invest, and we must strengthen. If we succeed in these three dimensions, society will not only deliver on its climate and sustainability ambitions, but also secure prosperity for generations to come.”

Over the next five days, more than 1,600 exhibitors from 45 countries will present the latest systems, technologies, and solutions spanning the full spectrum of production processes.

EMO Hannover is organised by the German Machine Tool Builders' Association (VDW) on behalf of CECIMO, the European Association of Manufacturing Technologies.