SPS 2025 Significantly More Visitors: Will Investment Resume?

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The Nuremberg Exhibition Center had once again transformed into the international meeting point for automation: At SPS – Smart Production Solutions 2025, 1,175 exhibitors presented their solutions for smart and digital automation. With around 56,000 trade visitors, the fair recorded a significant increase compared to the previous year.

The SPS is far more than just a presentation platform for products related to industrial automation. This was evident again this year. For three days, it provided a space for the exchange of ideas, practical insights, and the presentation of innovations. Visitors experienced firsthand how theory and practice come together – through illustrative live demonstrations, well-founded expert lectures, and personal conversations.

"The SPS provides the automation industry not only with a platform for innovations but above all for direct dialogue. This year, once again, experts came together to work on solutions, discuss trends, and strengthen networks. The trade fair once again created a framework in which the community can continue to evolve," summarized Sylke Schulz-Metzner, Vice President SPS, after three days of the event.

Artificial Intelligence as a Driving Force

One of the central themes of SPS 2025, alongside energy efficiency, the new machinery regulation, and the Cyber Resilience Act, was the increasing integration of artificial intelligence into industrial processes. Numerous exhibitors showcased concrete applications – from AI-supported quality inspection to adaptive control systems and intelligent maintenance solutions based on real-time data. Visitors were able to witness how AI not only optimizes individual processes but also reimagines entire production systems.

"AI is already an integral part of many applications and at the same time opens up countless possibilities for the future. Today, we see artificial intelligence in numerous applications that have long become everyday use. At the same time, AI offers enormous potential for new concepts that are currently still in the proof-of-concept phase – an exciting outlook on what lies ahead," emphasizes Marcus Bliesze, Vice President Marketing for Automation at Siemens AG. Gerd Hoppe, Corporate Management at Beckhoff Automation, sees the SPS as a key platform to showcase AI's use in the industry: "This is where experts and customers come together to develop ideas and discuss new approaches for the application of AI and digital tools. We want to actively shape these technologies – not wait for others to do it for us. This exchange is what makes the trade show so valuable."

At the joint booth "Automation meets IT" in Hall 6, traditional automation and modern IT solutions came together in an inspiring environment for interdisciplinary exchange. The Start-up Area and the "Young Innovators" booth with young companies also showcased the immense creative energy and innovative power in the industry. The Guided Tours by Smart Factory KL, which took place on all three days of the trade fair, received particularly high interest, leading visitors directly to innovative technologies and applications. The offering was complemented by a theme-specific Guided Tour on control cabinet construction on the trade fair Thursday, which also attracted strong interest and provided insights into current developments and best practices.

Optimistic Mood Among Automation Experts

Despite the ongoing uncertainties, the VDMA sees the low point as having been reached. According to the latest figures, the last quarter performed well, and a slight increase is expected for 2026. Dr. Reinhard Heister, Managing Director of Electrical Automation at VDMA, sees this confirmed by the packed exhibition halls: "The trade fair is sending a message right now: good discussions and many visitors show that companies are ready to invest again."

For Steffen Winkler, CSO of the Business Unit Automation at Bosch Rexroth, the SPS provides positive impulses for the industry: "Automation is the technology that keeps our world running – from chip factories to charging stations. Anyone who wants to experience the future live will find a real-life lab for AI, robotics, and software in a concentrated form at the SPS."

Promoting Young Talent: Makeathon & Young Talents Day

At the second SPS Makeathon, young talents had the opportunity to work on real industrial tasks in interdisciplinary teams. The Young Talents Day on the final day of the trade fair additionally offered guided tours, career counseling, and a rally with attractive prizes—a hands-on experience for pupils, students, and career starters.

Outlook

Felix Kranert, Vice President Marketing DACH at Schneider Electric, summarizes: "The SPS is the must-attend event for the automation industry—if you're not exhibiting here, you don't exist. It not only offers maximum visibility but also the crucial exchange that is indispensable in challenging times."