Grinding technology manufacturers showing strong commitment to Stuttgart as new hub for sector – UGOs causing a stir among visitors

GrindingHub, the new trade show for grinding technology, is set to premiere from 17 to 22 May in Stuttgart.

About 340 well-known exhibitors from more than 20 countries have already signed up for the first event. This will underpin GrindingHub’s declared intention to become a major international hub for the sector. “There is a great sense of anticipation,” says Dr. Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director of the GrindingHub organizer VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), Frankfurt am Main. “Most trade shows have been forced to take a break over the last two years, and all participants cannot wait now to meet everyone again in person,” Schäfer continues. “Digital events simply don’t have the same quality and reach as their face-to-face counterparts.”

Exhibitors showcasing world premieres at the GrindingHub

For their part, exhibitors are strongly committed to the GrindingHub. “It feels like the GrindingHub has already started: our team, our customers and partners sense that this new leading tradeshow will be a driver for our entire industry. Consequently, we are preparing the most comprehensive, innovative, and exciting display in the history of ANCA, including world premieres, six machines and automation highlights. Get a glimpse at the web sessions and press preview,” says Edmund Boland, General Manager of Anca Europe GmbH, Weinheim.

Oskar Olai, CEO of 3nine, Hochheim, is full of anticipation: “We’re very much looking forward to meeting with our partners, distributors, customers and potential customers again after the long and isolated time during the pandemic. GrindingHub is our first trade show in Germany since 2019 and I know that all my colleagues at 3nine are super excited.”

Jürgen Hauger, Managing Director of the Biberach-based Vollmer Group, also believes the new trade show for grinding technology has a bright future. “The organizers have succeeded in putting together an attractive trade show in an ideal location that is geared to the needs of our global customers. We are convinced that GrindingHub will become the new leading trade show for grinding technology. Vollmer will be unveiling no less than five world firsts at the first GrindingHub in May 2022.”

UGO* – a visitor promotion campaign designed to cause a stir

This week also sees the launch of the visitor promotion campaign for GrindingHub. “UGOs – Unknown Grinding Objects – are unidentified flying objects that will be landing in Stuttgart in the future,” says VDW Executive Director Schäfer. They are designed to arouse curiosity, just as UFOs did in the past. Headlines such as “UGO* bringing expertise to Stuttgart.” or “UGO* making digital impact” are being used as teasers. “Anyone wishing to find out more must come along to Stuttgart in May,” says Schäfer, addressing the international grinding community.

Exhibitors and visitors can take part in the #ShowYourUGO challenge and showcase their UGOs. “The best UGOs can then be viewed at first hand in Stuttgart in May,” Schäfer concludes.

Author: Tobias Beckmann, VDW Press and Public Relations

Background GrindingHub 2022 in Stuttgart

The first ever GrindingHub will be held in Stuttgart from 17 to 20 May 2022. It is the new trade fair and the new center for grinding technology. It is scheduled to be run every two years by the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), Frankfurt am Main, in cooperation with Messe Stuttgart and the “Machine Tools” industry sector of Swissmem (Association of the Swiss Mechanical, Electrical and Metal Industries) as institutional patron. Grinding is one of the top 4 manufacturing processes within the machine tool industry in Germany. In 2021, the sector produced machines to the value of 805 million euros, according to VDW estimates. Just over 80 per cent were exported, with about half going to Europe. The largest sales markets are China, the USA and Italy. The VDW has world market data up to and including 2020. China, Germany and Switzerland head the list of top global producers. The grinding technology sector produced 4.3 billion euros worth of machines in 2020.