If not now, then when? The major themes of Hannover Messe 2022 - climate protection, energy efficiency, digitalization - have long been known even to the German Chancellor. However, even the organizers could not have imagined a few months ago that several current crises, including a war in Europe, would have to be dealt with at the most important industrial meeting this year. Olaf Scholz emphasized that change must come quickly. "The pandemic and the war are taking nothing away from the urgency of the industrial transformation," he said at the opening.

The SPD politician outlined the vision as follows: industry should consume fewer resources, produce less carbon dioxide, become more digital and use artificial intelligence and hydrogen. And it is good to see "that with this great speed, we will also manage to become CO2-neutral in a very short time," said Scholz. Germany's economy on the way to climate neutrality - beyond that, the Chancellor was noticeably reserved in his economic assessments during his tour of the trade fair.

Confidence or utilitarian optimism?

A certain unease can be felt at a number of stands, and the mood seems almost schizophrenic in places. On the one hand, the global economic consequences of the war in Ukraine - including, above all, drastically increased energy prices - are likely to accelerate the switch from gas and oil to renewable sources and thus benefit the business of numerous suppliers. On the other hand, however, there are fears that, at least in the medium term, we will continue to be dependent on Russia as a major fossil fuel supplier for some time to come.

So is it genuine confidence or rather optimism for a purpose that can be heard here? Many exhibitors are in a relatively good mood. At Festo, for example, a manufacturer of automation technology, they are confident that they will be able to work CO2-neutrally at all 250 locations worldwide as early as next year. At the company's stand, Scholz tested the mobility of a robot with a pneumatic drive and gently steered the robot arm in various directions.

The reuse of materials is also becoming more important in many areas. During the joint tour with António Costa, the Prime Minister of this year's trade fair partner country Portugal, Scholz posed briefly in front of a bicycle made entirely of recycled plastic.

However, dependence on gas in particular cannot be reduced to zero overnight. In chemistry and also in mechanical engineering, various materials are not possible without methane, ethane and other natural gas components - even if alternative methods are gradually gaining ground. And the vast majority of gas still comes from Russia, albeit less than a few months ago. Terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) will not be ready until the end of the year at the earliest.

Despite the current challenges, the industry bosses themselves did not want to appear too downbeat. However, in Hanover they pointed out the increased risks for the global economy. Rapid inflation - partly caused by the start of the war - has already caused producer prices to rise to mid double-digit rates in some places. Consumers of end products also have to see how they can cope with the very high inflation by European standards. According to the Federal Statistical Office, inflation was already at 7.9% in May.

Russia: BDI also sees companies as responsible

The President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI), Siegfried Russwurm, did not mince his words. "We find ourselves in a difficult, depressing, uncertain environment," he said. Nevertheless, the member companies "have a responsibility to isolate the aggressor Russia and overcome our dependence on Russian energy supplies".

The tightrope walk consists of not encouraging renationalization and damaging the free trade system as a whole while insisting on independence. This insight was already evident during the industry's second major crisis: the global shortage of microchips. More in-house production in Europe, but without stifling international trade, is the motto. "Without raw materials, there can be no Industry 4.0 and no e-mobility," emphasized Russwurm. "But greater differentiation is needed here."

In contrast to oil and gas, critical resources also come from China for many electronic components, and Asian trade has stalled considerably since the new coronavirus lockdowns. The sources of supply must become more diverse, warned Russwurm: "It is simply more sensible not to put all your eggs in one basket." Gunther Kegel, President of the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (ZVEI), appealed for global trade to remain open: "We have no other option."

Skills shortage is becoming an increasing problem

There is also another, particularly problematic shortage: that of skilled personnel in technical professions. According to the Association of German Engineers (VDI), around 151,300 positions could not be filled in the first quarter. According to an analysis by the consulting firm Capgemini, Germany has plenty of potential for even more engineers and computer scientists. The modeling and simulation of processes with the help of digital images, so-called digital twins, is considered a strategically important task by 45% of the companies surveyed in Germany - globally, the figure is higher at 55%.

For one of the hosts, Lower Saxony's Minister President Stephan Weil (SPD), the much-cited Industry 4.0 is now a global hallmark for products from Germany: "Many companies are really adapting to what is expected of them." In view of the difficult framework conditions, such as disrupted supply chains and the wave of inflation, this is to their great credit.