German Machine Tool Manufacturers Form the Largest Foreign Pavilion at CCMT 2024

German Machine Tool Manufacturers Form the Largest Foreign Pavilion at CCMT

Shanghai, April 8, 2024 – A total of 140 German companies will participate in the 2024 China CNC Machine Tool Fair (CCMT), held in Shanghai from April 8 to 12. German companies have secured 4,675 square meters of net exhibition space, making them the largest foreign exhibitor group. Dr. Markus Heering, Executive Director of VDW (German Machine Tool Builders' Association), stated: "After a long period of COVID-19 restrictions, our industry will showcase its innovations in Shanghai for the first time post-pandemic." The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, leading to the cancellation of the 2020 and 2022 exhibitions. This year, however, the number of CCMT exhibition halls has expanded from 10 to 17.

CCMT 2024 Attracts Around 140 Exhibitors from Germany

Once again, Germany has emerged as the largest foreign exhibitor group, occupying a total area of 4,675 square meters.

German Exhibitors Anticipate New Business Momentum

German manufacturers have invested significant efforts in strengthening their business ties with China. According to regular surveys by VDW, Germany had 13 machine tool production facilities in China in 2022. China was the only overseas market that did not suffer significant losses during the 2020 crisis year and continued to play a vital role in the following years, with production increasing by 14% in 2021. In 2022, production grew by 23%, reaching a value of €811 million. This accounted for nearly a quarter (24%) of the total overseas production of German machine tool manufacturers. Despite the economic slowdown in China in 2023, which led to a decline in orders, German manufacturers demonstrated remarkable resilience. Due to strong order backlogs, actual exports increased by 6% that year, reaching €1.65 billion (including parts and accessories). China remains the largest export market for the German machine tool industry, with a 17% share.

With extensive expertise across various sectors of international metal processing, the German machine tool industry remains a valuable partner for Chinese industrial users. For many years, China has been Germany’s most important export market.

In the medium to long term, the demand for manufacturing technology and high-tech solutions in China remains strong. Germany is renowned for its wide range of product offerings, providing numerous innovative solutions for diverse manufacturing needs. These products play a crucial role in supporting China's automotive, aerospace, mechanical engineering, power generation, medical engineering, and other industries that rely on various machine tools.

Therefore, the demand for "Made in Germany" high-tech manufacturing technology in China remains robust.

Shanghai: Experiencing the Future of Connectivity

Furthermore, initiatives such as umati (Universal Machine Technology Interface) will be a focal point for German exhibitors. Developed jointly by VDW (German Machine Tool Builders' Association) and VDMA (German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association), umati is a connectivity initiative aimed at revolutionizing machine communication and interaction within the manufacturing ecosystem. Machine manufacturers, software developers, component suppliers, and users form a strong community that promotes the adoption of open, standardized interfaces, ensuring simple, seamless, and secure connectivity. umati ensures consistent implementation of interfaces, provides a platform for experience exchange, enhances global market recognition, and offers practical demonstrations of added value. Currently, there are around 350 umati partners worldwide, including seven from mainland China. Additionally, many Chinese enterprises participate in connectivity through NC-link (Numerical Control Equipment Industrial Communication Protocol).

The NC-link Alliance is a Chinese initiative establishing a communication protocol standard for CNC machine tools, aiming to assist and support machine tool companies in adapting to the NC-link protocol.

By promoting open communication interfaces and standardized connectivity protocols, umati seeks to enhance operational efficiency, streamline production processes, and unlock new avenues for innovation. As a global initiative supported by industry stakeholders worldwide, umati embodies the spirit of collaboration and collective progress.

Dr. Alexander Broos, Director of Research and Technology at VDW and head of the umati project, expressed enthusiasm about the emerging opportunities: "The future of connectivity is digital, but sometimes a physical platform is needed where people can share ideas and showcase products." In November 2023, umati inaugurated the "Smart Manufacturing IoT" exhibition hall in Pudong, Shanghai. Located within the IMT (Waigaoqiao Intelligent Manufacturing Service Industrial Park) of the Free Trade Pilot Zone, the exhibition hall spans approximately 500 square meters. VDW had previously established a representative office in this industrial park. Here, umati has a permanent booth showcasing applications of open data networks based on OPC UA. This platform enables partners to present their smart manufacturing technologies to the public and connect with potential customers and collaborators.

During CCMT, umati will once again be accessible to visitors from around the world. At Booth A411 in Hall W4, attendees can explore the latest developments in standardized OPC UA-based interfaces across various machinery and technologies. With support from VDW’s Shanghai representative office, visitors can experience real-time connectivity through a laser marking system and view live data streams via the demonstration application umati.app.

On the morning of April 9 (Tuesday), VDW will host a special umati event at the Kerry Hotel in Pudong, where industry experts—primarily from the Chinese subsidiaries of umati partners—will share insights on how umati helps extract additional value from data and transform it into the foundation for new business models.

We invite all visitors to explore the German exhibits in Halls W4 and W5 and witness the performance of German exhibitors. Dr. Alexander Broos and Mr. Sun Aihong, Chief Representative of VDW's Shanghai office, will be available at Booth W4-A411 throughout the exhibition to answer questions about the German machine tool industry and umati. We look forward to welcoming many experts from the Chinese manufacturing sector.

As a global manufacturer of CNC machining centers, we are looking for agents worldwide. If you have the need to buy a machine or join us, you can contact us.