The latest W3+ Fair, a networking trade fair and interdisciplinary platform for optics, photonics, electronics and mechanics in the MedTech, life science, automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics and defense user industries, took place in Wetzlar at the end of March 2023.
More than 150 exhibitors and speakers and over 1900 visitors used the platform in the Buderus Arena to discuss innovations and solutions and forge cross-industry alliances. 27% of the exhibiting companies from the fields of optics, photonics, electronics and mechanics came from the high-tech region of Wetzlar/Mittelhessen, 48% from other German states and 25% from abroad. At the accompanying conference 'en-tech.talks', around 30 speakers gave talks on topics such as optics production, photonics and microtechnology, innovative solutions from Hessen, trends in optics and much more. A new feature was the associated 'High Level Expert Meeting (HLEM)' of the Competenz Zentrum Ultrapräzise Oberflächenbearbeitung UPOB e.V., which took place for the first time.
The special areas of 'IHK Hessen innovativ' and those of the VDI with AI, 3D printing, cobots and automation, the joint stand of the high-tech region of Thuringia as well as the special area 'Microtechnologies for optical devices' of the IVAM were well attended. The trade association for microtechnology used the trade fair to hold the first meeting of the photonics specialist group.
Jörg Brück, Project Director of the W3+ Fair, draws a positive balance: "The W3+ Fair is the central industry trade fair for enabling technologies in Germany. For the tenth anniversary next year, we want to focus even more on innovation, inspiration and networking."
