Indonesia is part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and is by far the largest economy in the region. The island nation aims to become one of the ten largest economies in the world by 2030. Indonesia wants to become the largest digital economy in Southeast Asia by 2020. The 'Making Indonesia 4.0' initiative was launched to revitalize production through the introduction of Industry 4.0 concepts. The initial focus is on the food and beverage, textiles, automotive, chemicals and electronics sectors. The Indonesian government is currently developing incentives for companies that introduce Industry 4.0 technologies. In addition to the rapid implementation of Industry 4.0, Indonesia is focusing on expanding the digital economy. A comprehensive education program is designed to help employees acquire the relevant skills.

"The inclusion of the 'Making Indonesia 4.0' initiative in the national agenda is of great importance for Indonesia, as manufacturing is the largest driver of the economy, accounting for 20%," said Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia, during the signing ceremony.

"Indonesia is an emerging economic power in this region with strengths in manufacturing and energy. We are confident that this diverse country will seize its opportunities as a partner country of Hannover Messe and present itself as a reliable and cooperation-oriented investment location," explains Köckler, CEO of trade fair organizer Deutsche Messe. "We are currently strengthening our commitment in Southeast Asia, for example with the new trade fairs 'Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific' in Singapore and 'Cebit Asean Thailand' in Bangkok. We have also been operating the Indonesia Convention Exhibition in Jakarta since 2015."

Germany and Indonesia

Germany and Indonesia have enjoyed economic cooperation for many years. The total trade volume between the two countries amounted to more than USD 6 million in 2017. In the same year, German direct investment amounted to 289 million US dollars. More than 250 German companies are currently doing business in Indonesia, including Festo, Robert Bosch, SAP, Tüv Nord, Siemens, MAN, ThyssenKrupp, BASF, Bayer, Daimler and BMW.

The partner country concept

Every year, one country takes center stage at the Hannover Messe. The partner country not only attracts the attention of trade visitors and the media, but also plays a role at the highest political level. The partner countries of the Hannover Messe in recent years have been Mexico, Poland, the USA, India and the Netherlands. Next year it will be Sweden' s turn.