Trade show Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific will be held for another five years in Singapore, with German event organiser Deutsche Messe also setting up its regional headquarters here.
Yesterday, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Deutsche Messe, and local partner SingEx to hold the trade show here from next year to 2025.
This renews the commitment under an initial MOU signed in 2017, to hold it from 2018 to this year.
Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific is the Asian edition of the world's largest manufacturing trade show - Hannover Messe.
As the trade show grows in prominence as Asia-Pacific's flagship manufacturing fair, "we are confident it will become a powerful platform in accelerating the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies across the region", said Economic Development Board assistant managing director Lim Kok Kiang.
In a separate MOU signed with the STB, Deutsche Messe will open its South-east Asian headquarters, Hannover Fairs Asia-Pacific, in Singapore. The headquarters will provide greater support and expand its trade fairs in the region.
Under the partnership, the STB and Deutsche Messe will work together to develop and anchor new events in Singapore.
"We aim to have a solid long-term foothold in the booming South-east Asia region and market our existing portfolio here directly.
"Singapore's geographical location and strong Mice (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) ecosystem make it an ideal destination from which to expand our presence in the region," said the director of the new regional office, Ms Katariina Rohrbach.
STB chief executive Keith Tan said: "Our partnerships with Deutsche Messe and SingEx reflect confidence in Singapore's economy and the prospects of our Mice industry. "
STB director of exhibitions and conferences Andrew Phua said: "With advanced manufacturing being a potential driver for Singapore's future growth, it is imperative that we continue to anchor an event to catalyse the adoption of advanced manufacturing in Singapore and the region by bringing in leading industry players as well as regional buyers and sellers."
He added: "Business events like Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific also remain an important part of our tourism growth strategy."
The show's first two editions saw exhibitor numbers rise 32 per cent to 350 and attendee numbers were up 53 per cent to 23,000 last year.
This year's edition of the show, from Oct 20 to Oct 22, will focus on workers and small and medium-sized enterprises, said SingEx Exhibitions executive director for events James Boey.
The event's Learning Labs will focus on the use of drones in logistics, and 3D printing demonstrations.
There will be a new precision machining zone featuring smart machining, and an investment zone featuring industrial parks.
THE BUSINESS TIMES
