COMPRESSED AIR NEWS COMVAC ASIA ComVac ASIA 2015: Saving energy, maximizing productivity Wolfgang Pech, Senior Vice President, Deutsche Messe AG China is on the way to becoming a high-tech nation. As its manufacturing base continues to grow, so too does its need to outfit factories and plants with modern equipment. ComVac ASIA, a leading platform for the compressed air and vacuum technology sector, runs October 27–30, 2015, in Shanghai. Wolfgang Pech, senior vice president at Deutsche Messe AG, told us what visitors can expect. In 2013 you established ComVac ASIA as a stand-alone fair running parallel to PTC ASIA. What has changed since then? Strong market growth in China led us to launch ComVac ASIA as a dedicated platform for the compressed air and vacuum technology sector. This enables us to more effectively promote the event, especially when it comes to targeting specific visitor groups. ComVac ASIA is located between PTC ASIA’s new smart manufacturing hall and CeMAT ASIA, which is Asia’s leading intralogistics trade fair, so there is a good tie-in regarding energy efficiency. Since 2013 we have seen display area at ComVac ASIA grow roughly 45 percent. So far 149 companies have signed up to exhibit in 2015, including Bauer Compressors, Fusheng, Ingersoll Rand, Klüber Lubrication, Kobelco, and Mann + Hummel. Why should international companies participate in ComVac ASIA? After years of growth based on selling large quantities at low prices, China is now shifting to competing based on quality, which means Chinese manufactures have to upgrade their plants and equipment. Since compressed air and vacuum technology are used in practically all production and processing facilities, we can expect big demand in China for these products and services. Furthermore, customers are more and more looking for turnkey solutions that include maintenance and financing options, so ComVac ASIA is the perfect platform for international providers to present the breadth of their product and service offerings. What can visitors expect at ComVac ASIA? Visitors will find a full range of products and services for saving energy in their plants – everything from generation, treatment and distribution of compressed and vacuum air to its use in machines and systems to contracting and service agreements. As I previously indicated, many customers want turnkey solutions, so ComVac ASIA is a great place for visitors to compare the product and service portfolios of many different companies and then negotiate the deal that best serves their specific needs. What are currently the main topics of the Chinese industry? I think innovation, quality and modernization, because these three topics form the foundation of the Chinese government’s “Made in China 2025” initiative. China is no longer the world’s go-to workbench: its manufacturers are under tremendous pressure from other low-cost producers in Asia and world leaders such as Germany and the U.S. Add to this increasing labor costs and a growing Chinese middle class that demands better products and service and it is clear that Chinese companies have to completely overhaul their production and logistic systems, otherwise they will not be able to compete in the global marketplace. Which role does the compressed air sector play in “Industrie 4.0”? Compressed air is important to Industrie 4.0 because it delivers significant energy savings. This goes hand-in-hand with the Industrie 4.0 goal of maximizing overall efficiency and productivity. Plus, Industrie 4.0 tools such as automation technology, IT and Big Data now enable companies to seamlessly integrate compressed-air systems into complex industrial infrastructures. And compressed-air systems themselves are becoming more intelligent so that they can communicate with other systems within the factory. www.comvac-asia.com 60 MDATechnologies 4/2015
INAUGURAL ComVac North America at IMTS Trade Fair For Compressed Air and Vacuum Technology Your Gateway to the Thriving U.S. Manufacturing Sector September 12 - 17, 2016 | McCormick Place | Chicago, IL comvacna.com
