SPS 2012: The Show

This year I am thankful that I got to spend Thanksgiving in the States and have turkey instead of turkey schnitzel.   Usually for Thanksgiving I’m in Nuremberg, but this year the SPS/IPC/Drives Show was the week after Turkey Day.

This is the first in a series of posts on the show.  There is lots of news about PROFINET and PROFIBUS coming, but let’s start with the show itself.  There were more American journalists in attendance than in past years and when they publish their reports I’ll post links to them.  In the meantime…

The SPS/IPC/Drives Show is huge!  The show filled multiple buildings covering 1,142,000 square feet!  Almost 1,500 booths hosted 56,874 visitors.  [A bit of a glossary in case I slip into German trade show lingo: Show is Messe; booths are stands.  Oh, and refreshments are available on most of the stands… yes, including beer in the afternoon.]

This is a huge automation show and you should really plan to attend next year, even though it’s in Thanksgiving week next year: November26 – 28, 2013.  I can recommend a restaurant that serves a mean turkey schnitzel.  Or you could attend two days and fly home Thursday morning and be home for turkey dinner.

–Carl Henning