Under the motto Innovate Manufacturing, EMO Hanover 2025 stands for innovation, internationality, inspiration, and the future of metalworking. The world’s leading trade fair for production technology is the only event to present the entire value-added chain for metalworking: from machine tools, production systems, additive processes, precision tools and automation through to measuring technology, quality assurance, software, and accessories. Our target groups are the global industrial trendsetters: mechanical engineering, automotive industry, aerospace engineering, metalworking and metal processing, medical technology, energy suppliers, but also the electronics industry and many other branches of industry.
“As the platform for business and discussions between all the international players in the industry – manufacturers and users, EMO is unique in the world,” emphasised Dr. Markus Heering, Executive Director of the German Machine Tools Builders’ Association (VDW), the organiser of EMO, on the occasion of the EMO presentation in London on May 13, 2025.
In 2023 more than 1,800 exhibitors from 45 countries attracted around 92,000 trade visitors from almost 140 countries to EMO. 1,030 visitors came from the United Kingdom. UK widely represented at EMO In 2024, the UK produced machine tools worth over EUR 660 million. At EUR 603 million, the majority of production was exported. Products worth EUR 926 million were imported, with Germany being the third largest market and most important supplier In addition to the automotive and mechanical engineering industries, the most important customer groups for British manufacturers include the aerospace and medical technology sectors.
As the largest customers in the metalworking sector, they are also particularly well represented as visitor groups at EMO. With 13 companies registered, the United Kingdom will once again be prominently represented at EMO 2025. Companies such as Renishaw, Matrix, Castrol and Vision Engineering as well as Filtermist and CloudNC announced their participation at an early stage. In addition to offering contacts with the customary markets, EMO will offer a large number of starting points for establishing new business relationships.
“Trade visitors at EMO come from all over the world. Every one of them is a potential customer”, highlighted Markus Heering. “However, they come to EMO to obtain information on the latest range of machine tools, solutions and services worldwide, become acquainted with new suppliers and prospects, and initiate potentially new supplier relationships,” said Heering.
EMO focusing on global megatrends
Similar challenges can be seen everywhere: Competition is intensifying. Investors are taking a wait-and-see approach. Costs are rising. The demand for sustainable products is increasing. The shortage of skilled workers is also making advances more difficult in many places while the integration of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing necessitates continuous advanced training. During EMO 2025 almost 1,400 exhibitors from 35 countries will present solutions to these challenges. Experts will discuss the megatrends of automation, digitalisation, including artificial intelligence,and sustainability, and examine their progress in metalworking.
Automation for greater efficiency in the British metalworking industry
Automation solutions increase efficiency and quality in the production process.
They are one of the main investment drivers and are offered in many different forms by numerous EMO exhibitors, also from the UK. Automation extends from simple solutions such as pallet changers and handling systems through to the use of robots and autonomous factories with self-driving systems.
Visitors to EMO 2025 can look forward to a wide range of automation solutions since many exhibitors are continuing to upgrade their machines with these solutions. The joint stand Cobot Area will focus even more closely on automation. Collaborative robots, their potential uses, and applications will be presented there. They include grippers, machine vision, measuring systems, software, industrial electronics, feed systems, and much more besides.
Sustainability for greater climate protection
A large number of countries are focusing on measures for greater climate protection and investments in the green transformation of their industry. In the United Kingdom, billions are being spent on support measures to decarbonise the country. These include hydrogen projects, CO2 capture and green steel. The focal points of sustainability in production are lower energy and material consumption, and the introduction of a recycling economy. “Numerous individual measures are achieving the desired objective in this respect. Investments in new machines lead, for example, to energy savings of around 25 percent,” said Markus Heering in describing the experiences. The CO2 footprint is thereby reduced. Modern electric motors and innovative drive technology save a considerable amount of electricity compared with the predecessor generation. Other determining factors include improved control technology, optimised design of compressed air and hydraulic applications, or friction-minimised warehousing and management systems.
The Sustainability Area at EMO 2025 will be the ideal meeting point to experience state-of-the-art solutions for sustainable production in future. Exhibitors will provide information there on trends in energy efficiency, the integration of regenerative energies, recycling, and lifecycle concepts. They not only promote climate protection but also reduce production costs in times when energy and raw materials are scarce.
Digitalisation coupled with artificial intelligence for higher productivity
Digitalisation and networking have long been topics in production. Artificial intelligence has now been added in order to speed up data analysis, achieve higher productivity, and develop new business models. The semiconductor industry is playing a key role in the development and use of digital technologies. Semiconductors make it possible for users to design their production processes more intelligently by harnessing technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI). They create transparency through the efficiency of production processes, facilitate real-time monitoring and control of machines and processes, and also enable predictive maintenance. The AI + Digitalisation Area during EMO 2025 will show investors from industry and administration the latest networking methods coupled with artificial intelligence. This is also an opportunity for manufacturers from the UK to highlight their expertise in this field.
The future of British metalworking
Advances in all three areas are stimulating investments and boosting demand for production technology. As the organiser of EMO, the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW) will also cover important topics relating to metalworking. These topics will be reflected, for example, at the Additive Manufacturing joint stand where the latest applications in the area of additive manufacturing will be presented. With an eye on the future and young talents, the Mechanical Engineering Youth Foundation is strengthening young specialists for future challenges.
Qualified training is the basis for the success of the industry. Thanks to targeted support measures, the Mechanical Engineering Youth Foundation is helping to ensure that the industry will also remain innovative and competitive in the long term. At the Special Youth Stand the Mechanical Engineering Youth Foundation will also show how training can best be oriented towards the current demands in technology and digitalisation in companies. Young innovative companies will also present fresh and forward-looking technologies in the Startup Area.
50 years of innovation for metalworking
In 2025 EMO will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Established in 1975, the trade fair has brought the know-how in the industry together for half a century and is playing a leading role in shaping the future of metalworking. EMO has become a global institution and a fixed date in the trade fair calendar. “In 2025 EMO in Hanover will again be the festival for the entire international metalworking industry. The trade fair will clearly show how far we have already come and how much future potential we still have,” concluded Heering. “The current EMO motto Innovate Manufacturing is therefore more than just a slogan. It is an appeal to British suppliers and users to bravely exploit the possibilities of new technologies. The products and services on offer during EMO will provide lots of inspiration and new ideas in this respect.”
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