Tire Technology Expo beats all expectations!
Tire Technology Expo and Conference continues to set records with each passing year, with the 2019 event welcoming more exhibitors, delegates, speakers and attendees than ever before. Leading experts in tire design, development and manufacturing headed to the Hannover Messe in Germany to discuss the topics and themes dominating the industry. With 319 exhibitors spread across three halls, and some 550 conference and workshop delegates enjoying presentations from 180 speakers across 12 separate streams, the 2019 Expo and Conference welcomed more than 5,600 visitors through the doors during the three days, cementing the expo’s place as the must-attend event for those working in the tire industry.
“This event is one of the most important in the world to meet with all our favorite suppliers, and to discover new ones,” said Laurent Simonet, a buyer at Michelin. “It’s a very rich event and we are very glad to be here.”
The world’s largest gathering of tire design, development and manufacturing experts was officially opened by Expo founder Tony Robinson, the chairman and CEO of UKi Media & Events, which organizes the event. A packed conference schedule welcomed speakers from across the tire industry, and covered an expansive range of topics pertinent to those working in the business. Across the three days, leading experts discussed everything from the role of the tire in future transport solutions, tire testing, material advances and improving manufacturing, to rubber compounding, modeling techniques, sustainability developments, tire recycling, polymer science, business models and advances in pneumatic tire performance.
On the exhibition floor, product announcements included Cassioli’s new automated handling systems, Albeniz’s AST 4.0 labeling technology, and Zeppelin’s cloud-based mixing platform. For these companies, Tire Expo’s expert visitor base made the event the perfect place to introduce new technologies and innovations to an audience able to see the full potential of the latest advances. Tire Technology Expo also showcased its ability to connect leading players across the industry, with Uzer Makina revealing details of collaborative projects with partners such as FineLine and Romill – more on these advances in the March 2019 issue of Tire Technology International magazine.
Emerson was among the exhibitors making their debuts at Tire Technology Expo in 2019. A focused company push into the tire and rubber industry made the event an obvious fit, according to Pascal Lamonerie, EMEA business development director for automotive and tire, fluid and motion control. “We are now very focused on this [industry], and we decided to push further into the tire segment. This expo is a good place to come to meet people in the industry, and for us to demonstrate the extensive experience that we have developed with our partners.”
At the end of Day 2, attendees enjoyed the presentation of the 2019 Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence at a spectacular gala dinner. Winners included Michelin (Tire Manufacturer of the Year) and Bridgestone, which took home the Environmental Achievement award for its development of High-Strength Rubber. SRI claimed the Tire Technology of the Year trophy for Sensing Core, HF Group picked up the Tire Manufacturing Innovation of the Year for One TBM, and Test World was awarded Supplier of the Year. Furthermore, the gala dinner saw Chidambaram Subramanian presented with the Young Scientist Award, and Rudi Hein honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“We had high hopes that this would be a really excellent show and I think my team can be proud that they delivered a really strong and successful exhibition at every level,” concluded Tony Robinson. “The number of attendees actually nudged into 5,600, just beating last year’s record and feedback from exhibitors was universally enthusiastic. With more than 90% of the space for next year already taken, we look forward to delivering a really special 20th Anniversary Show in 2020.”
