Show preview: electronica returns to showcase the future of electronics – sustainably
Author : Claudia TGrzelke | PR Manager for electronica
01 October 2022
After a tough period for industry trade shows & live events – with most having to cancel or postpone events during the COVID-19 pandemic & global lockdowns, and many offering digital alternatives – electronica (forced to cancel its usual biennial in-person event & move to a virtual event in 2020), the world’s leading trade fair & conference for electronics, finally returns from November 15-18 2022 at Messe München, the renowned exhibition halls in Munich, Germany.
This show preview was originally featured in the October 2022 issue of EPDT magazine [read the digital issue]. And sign up to receive your own copy each month.
Under the theme “Driving sustainable progress”, this year’s event will showcase the role electronics plays in paving the way for sustainable technologies. Claudia TGrzelke, PR Manager for electronica tells us more about what to expect at the show…
The scale, scope and popularity of electronica make it arguably the most important electronics industry global meet-up and networking event. The industry’s leading trade fair covers the entire electronics spectrum from components to systems, applications and services. Its extensive conference and supporting programme highlights automotive, embedded, semiconductors and wireless – and networks start-ups with industry.
Electronics already plays a central role in most of our lives – and its influence on everyday life will likely continue to increase in the future. Only at electronica can you experience how applications from the fields of industrial electronics, telecommunications, energy and electromobility are preparing the way for the “All Electric Society”. electronica 2022 will highlight topics such as e-mobility, smart energy, power electronics, IIoT (industrial internet of things) and AI (artificial intelligence) – and will showcase solutions and products for the sustainable and responsible use of resources, demonstrating how electronics helps enable sustainability.
Scale & scope
2018 proved to be the biggest electronica ever – with 182,000 square metres of exhibition space and 80,000 visitors from over 80 countries (up 10% over 2016), as well as 3,100 exhibitors from over 50 countries (up 8% over 2016). A global show, over half of all visitors were from outside Germany (with Italy, Austria, the UK, France, Switzerland, the US, Russia, China and Poland completing the top 10 of visitor nations, after Germany), with two thirds of exhibitors from overseas (with the top nations being China, Taiwan, the US and the UK). Media interest was also strong, with over 500 journalists from over 25 countries attending.
In the wake of electronica 2020 taking place as a purely virtual event, electronica 2022 has once again registered high demand from exhibitors – and will fill 13 halls on the Munich exhibition showground. As a co-located event, SEMICON Europa will take up an additional hall, creating the strongest single event for electronics manufacturing in Europe, and broadening the range of attendees across the electronics chain.

“Exhibitors, decision makers and thought leaders want to discuss innovations and trends in person again at last – and they’re already looking ahead to the show with confidence,” says Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy CEO of Messe München. “For them, electronica is the world’s most important industry get-together – and the only one this year that seamlessly covers the complete spectrum of electronics.” To ensure a secure visit to the trade fair, show organisers are relying on a detailed safety and hygiene strategy and operational plan, which has already been proven at the likes of productronica (electronica’s sister show for electronics development & production, which it alternates with every other year) in November 2021.
After a drop in revenue during the pandemic in 2020, the electronics and digital industry has made a strong economic recovery and is optimistic about the future. “The electronics and digital industry is steadily becoming more and more relevant, as the two megatrends of electrification and digitalization are directly connected to our industry,” said Michael Dehnert, Managing Director of ZVEI (the German Electrical & Electronic Manufacturers’ and Digital Industry Association).
electronica’s supporting programme: Insight—Overview—Outlook
The usual first-class supporting programme at electronica 2022 will showcase the issues and megatrends that are driving the industry, with a focus on knowledge transfer and professional exchange. During electronica conference sessions, industry experts will discuss current trends and developments in the areas of automotive, embedded platforms, wireless systems and applications.
This year, things will kick off with the electronica Automotive Conference on November 14, which will deal with the transition of cars toward becoming intelligent IoT (internet of things) devices with electronic drives ‘on wheels’ over the course of around 18 presentations. Among others, key issues will include new EE (electrical & electronic) architectures, intelligent interiors, challenges for supply chains, CO2 neutrality and efficient drivetrains.
Taking place on November 16, the electronica Embedded Platforms Conference will discuss the challenges and solutions for the embedded systems of the future. In around 35 presentations across three parallel tracks, subject matter experts will report on key topics such as power electronics and supply, AI and sensors, and communication and software.
Finally, Wireless Congress 2022: Systems & Applications, organised by industrial technology publisher, WEKA, will be the meeting point for the international wireless community from November 16 to 17. The event will concentrate on the latest developments and the practical application of wireless technologies.
Open discussions on sustainable electronics
The CEO Roundtable will shed light on influential and topical developments in the industry. How can the electronics industry contribute to protecting the climate and creating an all-electric society? Four CEOs from notable companies in the industry will discuss this at the CEO Roundtable on November 14, namely Jean-Marc Chery (STMicroelectronics), Jochen Hanebeck (Infineon Technologies), Kurt Sievers (NXP Semiconductors) and Gregg Lowe (Wolfspeed).
New to the programme is the World Ethical Electronics Forum, during which thought leaders from the electronics sector will discuss socially impactful issues in the industry. On November 15, in cooperation with electronics magazine, Elektor and trade journal, Elektronikpraxis, the Forum will address ethical questions in our industry, in connection with social responsibility, sustainability, ecology and fair trade. There, independent ethics experts will have their say, as will others from research, NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and associations, as well as from industry and business.
A source of inspiration: the electronica forums
Particular focus will be given to the user perspective at the electronica forums, which will shed light on many relevant market and technology topics in the industry. Via practical presentations, the latest technologies, products and solutions will be showcased by experts from the industries that utilise them in the context of the following key topics: automotive, connectivity, electrical connectors, measurement technology, IIoT, cybersecurity, PCBs, components, power electronics, embedded systems, flexible/printed electronics and sensors. The forum programme will be rounded out by panel discussions, top-class roundtables and plenty of space for specialist exchange.
Young talents for the industry
Start-ups are changing the face of the electronics industry and electronica provides the most innovative among them a stage, with the electronica Fast Forward platform. In collaboration with Elektor, selected early stage companies will get the opportunity to present themselves at a joint stand, and to win the coveted Fast Forward Award.
In order to make it easier for up-and-coming talents to get started in the industry and counteract the shortage of specialist workers, the “Talent meets Industry” initiative and electronica Careers platform are bringing exhibitors and young professional talent together. This will include both digital and on-site recruiting, career advice and jobs markets, helping to counteract the ongoing shortage of skilled STEM (science, technology, engineering & mathematics) workers in the industry. The electronica Student Day will also take place on the last day of the trade fair, November 18, where exhibitors can network with the specialist workers of tomorrow.
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