Well, we planned to make the review of Euroblech 2018 in Hannover but unfortunately we are now preparing it with the long delay. The main entry - today Euroblech is the most important and great exhibition dedicated to the production and processing of the sheet metal with the machine tools, technologies, suppliers and fabricators. Germany is one of the countries who can provide the separate exhibitions between main machine tools (cutting, milling, turning) and specialized sheet metal processing (there is the same in Italy but not at the same great level). The exhibition is performed one time for two years but last time Germany started the new great show between - Blechexpo in Stuttgart which was made in 2017 and will be next time in 2019, when the new Euroblech will be in 2020.
Euroblech in the official website is advertised as the world number one for sheet metal technologies so even if it is not true it is very near to the real. Some figures from the official statistic: total 56301 visitors, 1507 companies as exhibitors from 40 countries, net exhibition spaces 89975 square meters with grow of 2000 meters compared to 2016. Meanwhile according to the visitors (the counter of 2016 is 60636 visitors) there is near 8 percent of reduction.
But what is Euroblech in general? This is really the greatest exhibition about equipment and machine tools to fabricate sheet metal - from uncoiling if necessary to cutting, punching, bending, welding and assembling. The exhibition was 4 days and we can tell that three were not enough to pass it completely so practically we ignored the assembling section. For specialists it is a chance to see the newest technologies and equipment - a lot of companies on the market trying to make the first introduction of new products specially for Euroblech to get more interest and the population. For newcomer of sheet metal world or the owner of business who is planning to buy the new machine - Euroblech is the biggest chance to see all main players and manufacturers in one place so the visit is the very useful action to stop any questions after who is in the top of manufacturers. Moreover if you want new press brake or laser - take a look, everybody here so you can check all data, all prices and possibilities for most confirm decision. But there is the doubt that it is more comfortable to choose between 50 companies that 2 or 3. Anyway all main producers of the equipment are here, at Euroblech. And there is the main competition to show to the world who is the greatest between premium heavy players like Bystronic, Trumpf, Amada, Prima Power, Salvagnini and others. For sure German industry and German manufacturers are in top - this is their local exhibition, the big percentage of visitors are German and Germany is one of heaviest countries for sheet metal proceeding.
What is the main impressions from the people like us who visited these exhibitions more than 10 years? To tell the main truth there is no nothing really shocking or new. The big pushing today in robotization so every third machine is demonstrated with the robot, all advertisements about Industry 4.0 preparation, everything shining but in general probably there are only speed increasing of the machines but no any really new concept or technology.
We can tell also that the world positions were also not changed and this means that top players are at the same places and big booths, there are a lot of Turkish manufacturers presented but without the any big change of main picture and Asian machines at the end. Probably there is the change also with the topic of exhibitors - according to our feeling the processing of tubes as one of topics of Euroblech is more disappeared which means that main companies for tube bending, forming and assembling we're not presented at all.
The positive feeling that there is no any crisis or reduction of market of sheet metal industry - all booths are very busy, there are a lot of visitors and potential customers. Sometimes the selling guys are not very professional and all their promises are nothing but it is subject for other story.
What about our main market - press brake and press brake tools? Well, as we told we suppose that Euroblech is not the place to look for new press brake if you do not know exactly what should it be - you will be crushed because there are hundreds of machines and there is no chance to anybody to compare them all! The same with the press brake tools - if you need any specialized solution it will be in possible to get price at the show and for other things you can use Internet. There are a lot of press brake tools producers but for them Euroblech is the question of prestige and status first, moreover exhibition is strange place when you can get the competitor's customers to talk but should be prepared also that your companies after you will talk with your competitors.
More one notification - a lot of Wila-style tools on press brakes. In main market the percentage between Promecam and Trumpf-Wila press brake tools is around 80-85/15-20 but for demonstration machines there were much more for Wila. We suppose that the main reason could be simple practical - for operator much more easy to insert and to extract small pieces with buttons to show something for bending.
Also there were a lot of machines with big daylight to have possibility to install long tools. Under our experience to know about daylight you need is extremely important otherwise the customer can receive the situation that he can't make his part.
Finally, Euroblech is great and we one more time liked to be there and to visit Hannover city.