Guest blog by German Ambassador to the United States Peter Wittig

The arrival of high-ranking American visitors is not an everyday affair in Germany – even less so in the city of Hannover. Thus, we are all excited that President Obama will join Chancellor Merkel for the opening ceremony of the Hannover Messe, marking the first time a U.S. president will participate in the world’s largest trade show for industrial technology. And the President is not traveling alone: We are looking forward to hosting more than 400 American manufacturers and industrial technology innovators. It will offer a great opportunity to showcase the U.S. as a center of innovative manufacturing to a global audience!

So why is this such a great opportunity? How do U.S. businesses benefit? Traditionally, Germany’s strengths lie in the field of engineering and U.S. companies excel in producing cutting-edge software. Only together and in close cooperation can these two assets pave the way for Industry 4.0, a.k.a. the fourth industrial revolution. While industrial digitization is focused on the exchange of data and information, it must also find tangible application in products and processes. With this in mind, I think this year’s theme of Hannover Messe, “Integrated Industry – Discover Solutions”, is spot on and of interest to both sides of the Atlantic.

The Hannover Messe is also a unique opportunity in that it brings together very different stakeholders. If we want to turn Industry 4.0 into a success story, many people will have to share their views and ideas to help discover the fields that lend themselves to the integration of technology and machines. It isn’t just the technology itself that is growing vastly more sophisticated but rather the entire business model around it that is changing as well. Governments will need to share information about existing and proposed legislation to help provide the necessary legal framework for the fourth industrial revolution.

Along these lines, the Hannover Messe will offer the perfect place to further strengthen U.S.-German business relationships. I will myself travel to Hannover and look forward to visiting a wide range of US exhibitors and experiencing the showcase of the excellent US-German relations. In a bilateral meeting, President Obama and Chancellor Merkel will be discussing current topics of our very close transatlantic cooperation. To me a highlight will definitely be the High-level dinner with German and American CEOs in the beautiful Baroque Castle of Herrenhausen on Sunday evening.

I wish all the participants an inspiring and productive exchange. Enjoy your time in Germany! See you at Hannover Messe!