Electronica Final Report: International trade fair leaves industry feeling confident

The 25th electronica, the International Trade Fair for Electronic Components, Systems, and Applications, came to a close having hosted more than 72,000 visitors. A total of 2,669 exhibitors from 49 countries presented the future of electronics and showcased application-oriented components and systems during the four-day fair, which revolved around intelligent and energy-efficient products in the sectors for energy storage, LEDs and smart grids. Smart grids were also the focus of this year's CEO Round Table, one of the highlights in the related-events program. Norbert Bargmann, Deputy CEO of Messe München, was more than satisfied with the fair's results: "The results of this year's fair confirm the electronics industry's significance as the most important branch of industry in the world. Everyone was here." This year's hot topics included energy-efficient technologies and the latest developments in medical electronics. Automotive electronics, which account for an ever-increasing share of modern motor vehicles, was central theme in all exhibition categories: from control elements for energy harvesting and battery management to new charging techniques for electric automobiles. The industry is looking forward to the year 2013 with cautious optimism. That was also confirmed by Christoph Stoppok, Managing Director of the Electronic Components and Systems Association and the PCB and Electronic Systems Association in the ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association). "After a minor slump, we expect the world market for electronic components to grow by some four percent to 480 billion US dollars. Forecasts also call for an increase in sales in the global semiconductor industry." Solidified position More than 72,000 trade visitors from 78 countries came to Munich. According to a survey by marketing-research institute TNS Infratest, visitors were extremely satisfied with the outcome of the fair: 95 percent gave the fair a rating of good to excellent. Besides Germany, the countries with the largest contingents of visitors were Italy, Austria, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Switzerland, France, the Russian Federation, and the USA, in that order. The number of visitors from Canada, the Russian Federation, Turkey, the USA, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Asia saw a significance increase. 2,669 exhibitors from 49 countries presented their products and technologies. Besides Germany, the countries with the largest numbers of exhibitors were China, Taiwan, the USA, Great Britain, Italy, Hong Kong, France, Switzerland, and Japan, in that order. CEO Round Table The speakers at this year's CEO Round Table all agree on one thing: Smart grid will be one of the electronics industry's key topics in the future. The four CEOs from STMicroelectronics, NXP Semiconductors, Freescale Semiconductor, and Infineon Technologies saw that as a great opportunity for the semiconductor industry. The industry still faces a few challenges. Electricity must be fed, transported, and controlled, and several components are needed to do so. The interaction and reliability of these components are essential to avoid ultimately ending up in the dark. electronica