CeBIT launches Green IT

Top of the agenda for CeBIT when the world’s largest trade fair for the digital industry opened its doors to the public yesterday in Hannover was the keynote theme, Green IT.

Top of the agenda for CeBIT when the world’s most important trade fair for the digital industry opened its doors to the public on 4 March in Hannover was the keynote theme ‘Green IT’.

A long list of exhibitors are presenting solutions, products and innovations addressing the issues of energy efficiency in the ICT industry and ICT user industries. Famous-name companies are presenting displays in Hall 9 in the ‘Green IT Village’.

Hi-tech goes green: a demonsration by Tyco

‚This year CeBIT has decided to focus on Green IT, with a broad international line-up of contributors bringing together all the key activities of the ICT industry here in Hannover,‚ said Ernst Raue, a board member of CeBIT hosts Deutsche Messe AG, on Tuesday.

CeBIT has also, for the first time, adopted a new display concept based on four major categories, namely ‘Business Solutions’, ‘Public Sector Solutions’, ‘Home & Mobile Solutions’ and ‘Technology & Infrastructure’. Another key component of the new-look show is the reorganized supporting program, now known as CeBIT Global Conferences.

According to figures quoted by Raue, 5 845 exhibitors from 77 countries are presenting their products, solutions, and innovations for the ICT industry at this year’s show. The individual exhibitor stands and special displays at CeBIT 2008 cover an area of 241 000 square metres.

He went on to point out that CeBIT remains as internationally representative as ever in 2008: ‚3005 exhibitors are coming to Hannover from outside Germany. This figure underlines the global reach of CeBIT and its function as the flagship international trade show for the digital industry.‚

He also said that the overall decline in exhibitor numbers (down from 6 153 in 2007) was due to three principal factors: ‚The weak dollar has dramatically pushed up costs for exhibitors from important ICT countries. On top of that, in 2008 exhibitors from a number of countries become liable for the first time to pay German VAT at the full new rate. And despite the increased appeal of CeBIT, we have not been able to absorb these price increases. At the same time there is strong predatory competition in the world’s key ICT markets, coupled with a pattern of amalgamations and take-overs.‚

This is reflected in the numbers, said Raue. ‚China has now overtaken Taiwan for the first time in the history of CeBIT as the largest foreign exhibitor region, with 500 exhibiting companies. Many hardware manufacturers are shifting their production from Taiwan to China.‚

Last year China’s presence at CeBIT amounted to 469 exhibitors. In 2008 Taiwan drops down to second place with 490 exhibitors (2007: 599).

Raue was pleased to note the record participation by France, this year’s official Partner Country. ‚150 companies from the French ICT industry are coming to CeBIT 2008. The audience response to CeBIT in France has been fantastic.‚

One of the high points of this year’s partnership with France was the German-French IT Summit on 4 March, which was opened by Federal Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Glos.

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