While many people only think of retirement at the age of 60, electronica has set a new record 60 years after its premiere and can look to the future with optimism, as it has always remained young thanks to constant innovations and has thus become an indispensable platform. electronica celebrated its premiere in 1964 as the first pure trade fair for electronic components in Germany. It has now been accompanying the innovations of the international electronics industry for six decades and offers a complete market overview of the latest products, technologies and solutions every two years. In 2024, electronica will celebrate its 60th anniversary from November 12 to 15, occupying all 18 exhibition halls for the first time. The focus will be on the future vision of an All Electric Society.
The history
"electronica was better than its reputation" was the title of a Munich newspaper's review of electronica 1964, a "new phenomenon in the German trade fair industry". After the USA, the Federal Republic of Germany was the most important producer of electronic products in the western world at the time and therefore virtually predestined for such a trade fair. Launched at the instigation of international companies and initially viewed somewhat suspiciously, the first edition in Munich in October 1964 turned out to be a complete success. 407 companies from 16 countries exhibited, two thirds of which came from abroad - primarily exhibitors from the USA, followed by Great Britain and France. Around 14,000 trade visitors flocked to the old Munich exhibition grounds on Theresienhöhe over the eight days of the fair, where exhibitors presented innovations in the industry on an area of 4,100 m². One of the highlights was a model of the Syncom III communications satellite, which was lost for five days after being transported from the USA to Munich before being discovered in a corner of Munich Airport just in time for the start of the trade fair. After the second edition in 1966, which attracted almost 800 exhibitors and 22,000 trade visitors, a Munich newspaper spoke of a "spectacular success among experts": "With this year's event, electronica has established a reputation that will make it difficult even for the big names in the industry to continue to pass it by". Under these conditions, electronica experienced steady growth over the following decades and quickly developed into the most important meeting place for the international electronics industry. At the beginning of the 1970s, despite new exhibition buildings, space at the Theresienhöhe became too limited, so the trade fair had to be split: in 1975, productronica, the world's leading trade fair for electronics development and production, was held for the first time. Since then, electronica and productronica have been held alternately.
This is what the electronica stands looked like in 1974
Stage for technological milestones
Countless innovations such as the microchip were presented to the global public for the first time at electronica and technological milestones have shaped and continue to shape the trade fair, including, for example
- the introduction of microprocessors in the 1970s
- the transition to surface mount technology (SMT) in the 1980s
- the development of mobile communication in the 1980s and 1990s
- the rapid advances in digitization in the 2000s and the spread of wireless internet
- the ROHS-driven switch to lead-free technologies at the beginning of the 2000s
- the IoT with Industry 4.0 in recent years
- power electronics for renewable energies, e-mobility, etc.
- the general use of AI
Like no other trade fair, electronica has offered a complete market overview for six decades and shows the trends of tomorrow.
2024 will be the biggest electronica of all time
Katja Stolle"electronica has become an indispensable platform for all companies in the electronics industry, from key players to start-ups," emphasizes Exhibition Director Katja Stolle. "The current booking status proves this once again, because in 2024 we will fill all 18 exhibition halls for the first time, together with SEMICON Europa in two halls," adds Caroline Pannier, Deputy Exhibition Director. "This shows that electronica is more important than ever for tackling the challenges facing society at a time when electronics are shaping our everyday lives more than ever." This time, the focus will be on the future vision of an all-electric society and sustainability. The electronica forums will feature practical presentations on topics such as automotive, cyber security, printed electronics, embedded systems, IIoT, connectivity, printed circuit boards, power electronics, components, measurement technology and sensor technology. Start-ups and ethics-related topics in electronics will also find a stage at the forums.
Meeting place for knowledge transfer and networking in the EMS industry
With presentations and discussions by industry experts, the PCB, EMS & Components Marketplace at electronica 2024 offers a unique platform for exchanging information on current trends and solutions as well as the latest developments in the EMS industry. A special highlight of the forum will be the ZVEI panel discussion on November 13 at 10:30 a.m. in Hall A1. Industry experts and decision-makers will discuss how European competitiveness in the high-tech sector can be secured and what contribution the EMS industry can make to building a resilient microelectronics ecosystem. With the EMS Pavilion, electronica 2024 offers small and medium-sized companies the opportunity to present themselves at the trade fair for the first time as part of a joint stand. With 18 new exhibitors, the space was fully booked in a short space of time. In addition, visitors to Halls A1, B1 and C6 will have the opportunity to find out about the latest technologies and trends in the EMS industry from other renowned companies in the sector, such as BMK, Cicor, Deltec, Lacroix, Prettl, SERO, SVI Austria, TQ and Zollner, to network and exchange information on current developments and best practices.
The future of automation
Automation is at the heart of modern industries and is driving the digital transformation in almost all sectors. electronica 2024 presents the latest developments in the key areas of sensor technology and connectivity. Leading companies and experts will showcase the key trends and technologies that are paving the way to the All Electric Society and thus promoting energy efficiency and sustainability. Visitors can look forward to a wide range of innovations from renowned exhibitors that will shape the future of automation, including Delta, Murata, Toshiba and Vishay. Start-ups with agile mindsets and innovative ideas will also bring a breath of fresh air to the industry. In the accompanying program, the Embedded Platforms Forum on 12 and 13 November and the Industrial Control Forum on 14 November (Hall C5) will be an indispensable meeting point for all industry players.
Accompanying events
Organized by SEMI Europe, SEMICON Europa is the largest European electronics platform that brings together industry leaders from the entire design and manufacturing chain. It offers the opportunity to exchange ideas and promote technological advancement with the most advanced and innovative electronics manufacturing in Europe. Various programs will be offered to address the critical issues and challenges facing the microelectronics industry, such as the Executive Forum, the Advanced Packaging Conference, the Fab Management Forum and other formats. As part of electronica, international conferences are held at the ICM (International Congress Center of Messe München): The electronica Automotive Conference and the Wireless Congress provide in-depth insights into the latest innovation trends and exclusive access to the international community with first-class specialist presentations. Since 2023, electronica has been cooperating with the Industry Tech Days, a five-day virtual event aimed at electrical engineers and industry experts. With this program and the numerous exhibitors, it will once again be exciting to see what innovations will be presented at the trade fair.
