Launched initially as a pure plug-and-cable show, Electronica 2024 in Munich surpassed all expectations with record-breaking exhibitor and visitor numbers, paving the way for a CO2-neutral, innovative electronics industry.

During the heyday of SYSTEMS, which filled all the halls on the new Riem exhibition grounds, Electronica in Munich always seemed to take a backseat. However, it has endured as a trade fair first held in 1964, while SYSTEMS became history at the end of 2008, just like the large CeBIT in Hanover a decade later. Although Electronica was already the world’s leading trade fair in the 1990s, it was predominantly suppliers of plugs, cables, relays, and switches that exhibited back then.

Innovations recognizable to outsiders were limited to photovoltaics and early precursors of smart home technology, even if they weren’t called that at the time. Building control systems required KNX or LCN bus systems routed via parallel cables, with no sign of wireless solutions. This was correspondingly expensive, and the number of buyers was small.

Top Topics: Sustainability, AI, and Mobility

Things have changed dramatically. Smart Home and IoT solutions, which are increasingly prevalent in industry, are now affordable and ubiquitous. This benefits the Electronica trade fair, which attracts both exhibitors and visitors.

In 18 exhibition halls, the electronics industry showcased in Munich-Riem, among other things, “that digital technologies can be the key to a CO₂-neutral future,” as reported by IT-Production. According to this source, the Electronica 2024 event, held from November 12 to 15, featured 3,480 exhibitors presenting their product innovations to approximately 80,000 visitors.

Despite these figures, the slightly over 5.3 percent decrease in orders compared to the previous year, as recently reported by the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (ZVEI), failed to dampen the positive mood. ZVEI’s chief economist, Dr. Andreas Gontermann, expressed hope that “the recent decline in orders was only about half as high as the average of the previous eight months,” as quoted by Springer Professional. A strong indicator of the upward trend is the fact that the fair managed to fill all 18 halls.

“For 60 years, the Electronica has been the central meeting point for the international electronics industry. This year, too, the fair in Munich, a hub of technology, impressively demonstrated the innovative power of the sector. In the exhibition halls, one could experience how future technologies are already taking shape today,” noted fair director Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, mentioning intelligent energy solutions and smart mobility, among other things.

AI Makes Inroads in Industry

Other key topics at Electronica 2024 included artificial intelligence, novel sensors and architectures, as well as IT and OT security, which are becoming increasingly important for industry. The electronics sector is also grappling with concerns over the shortage of skilled workers and difficulties in attracting young talent. For ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association) President Dr. Gunther Kegel, AI was a focal point of the trade fair and will remain so in the future. “We are on the brink of a point where every microcontroller will contain AI, thus enabling a new level of functionality,” Kegel stated. He predicts that AI will become the norm not only in industry but also in everyday devices. For the coming year, he expects some growth in the sector, although not at the levels seen in the peak years of 2021 and 2022. “But the groundwork has been laid.” The electronics industry has the potential to serve as an innovation driver, delivering crucial solutions to the challenges of the present and future.

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