electronica to ‘stimulate’ electronics industry
1 min read
This year's electronica exhibition – which opens on 9 November in Munich – is set to be a stimulus for the international electronics industry, according to exhibition director Nicole Schmitt
While conditions are improving in the electronics component market, there is still a degree of uncertainty amongst potential exhibitors at electronica. "A few companies are still showing caution when it comes to spending," she claimed, "although distributors are a lot more interested. We can certainly feel companies adjusting their marketing budgets and appreciate they need to earn money before they spend it."
Nevertheless, while admitting this will affect quantity – there are likely to be 10% fewer exhibitors – she is emphatic that it won't affect quality. And there is belief that the number of visitors may be up on 2008's level of some 72,000.
NXP will be making its debut at electronica, but a notable absentee will be National Semiconductor.
This year's event will feature the dedicated areas introduced in the 2008 event. "E-mobility and power will be a major focus," Schmitt said, "as will be embedded systems and software."
Microsoft Embedded may be making its debut at this year's electronica, according to Schmitt. Some 16% of visitors to the 2008 were software developers and she is keen to provide them with information that meets their needs. "So we have extended the Embedded Forum to two days and given it a software focus." Schmitt is hoping that Microsoft will have made the decision by the end of August.
Other market focuses within electronica will be automotive, displays and signage, medical electronics and MEMS, and photovoltaics and renewable energy.
The event will also feature the regular CEO round table. Executives from NXP, ST, Freescale and Infineon will discuss what the semiconductor industry has learned from the crisis.
