Top marks for ITPS 2017 - Final Press Release

The two-day ITPS 2017 came to a successful end on 28. June. The high-quality lecture programme focussing on current issues in the thermoprocess industry and the sectors it supplies was right in line with the needs of the international congress participants. In addition to the coverage of general economic, industrial policy and environmental subjects – for example in the keynote address by Professor Dr Ulrich von Weizsäcker – it was primarily the presentations and panel discussions about “Industry 4.0” & “Internet of Things” that attracted particular interest and led to lively discussions.

The success of ITPS 2017 is attributable precisely to this blend of specialised topics, general aspects and practical examples from the wide range of different areas of application. “With its combination of specific and general content, the programme was very balanced, so that I found it convincing. Any fine-tuning that is necessary certainly relates mainly to an increase in the number of visitors from such application areas as the automotive and steel industries”, says Dr Peter Wendt, Vice President Sales at LOI Thermprocess GmbH.

The Düsseldorf thermoprocess summit meeting plays an important role in its function as a networking opportunity. About 120 executives from Europe and the USA took advantage of the two-day event at the InterContinental Hotel to exchange information and ideas with each other as well as to establish and intensify business contacts. This is confirmed by Dr Clemens Franz, Manager Process and Materials Technology Mercedes-Benz Cars, for example: “For me, ITPS 2017 was an excellent opportunity to make many interesting new business contacts. At this level, it was better than I expected.” The show organised as part of the event with international exhibitors was a definite help in this context.

The conclusion drawn by the organisers of ITPS 2017 – Messe Düsseldorf, the VDMA Metallurgy Trade Association, the European thermoprocess association CECOF and the Vulkan Verlag publishing company (“heat processing” magazine) – is also positive: on behalf of the ITPS organisers, Stephan Schalm from the executive board of Vulkan Verlag says: “The good feedback we have received here over the two days confirms the approach adopted at ITPS. We are now looking forward to the next industry summit at THERMPROCESS on the Düsseldorf exhibition site from 25. to 29. June 2019.” Before this, however, the thermoprocess industry will be meeting for ITPS Americas next year.

The four international technology trade fairs GIFA (International Foundry Trade Fair), METEC (International Metallurgical Trade Fair), THERMPROCESS (International Trade Fair for Thermo Process Technology) and NEWCAST (International Trade Fair for Castings) are being held in 14 halls from 25. to 29. June 2019.

More than 2,000 exhibitors and about 78,000 visitors are expected to attend. International stakeholders in the castings, foundry technology, metallurgy and thermo process technology fields will then be focussing their attention on the city on the Rhine for five days. There will be a high-quality programme alongside the trade fairs too, with seminars, international congresses and lecture series.