TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99: Germany's best on offer

Mon, 01 Mar 1999

German technology will be on show in Indonesia during TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 from March 1 to March 7 at the Jakarta Convention Center.

TECHNOGERMA is an exhibition by German high-tech companies. Some 200 German companies will be exhibiting a wide-range of technologies and goods, including mechanical engineering and plant construction; electrical engineering and electronics; chemicals; precision engineering and optics; automotive construction; environmental technology; service providers; and institutional information.

The sheer number and diversity of exhibits ensures that there will be something of interest or use for everyone, whether you are just a curious person or a potential partner for a German high-tech company.

TECHNOGERMA's history

Germany's participation in foreign trade fairs dates back to 1949. It did not take long for German companies to realize that taking part in these fairs was an effective way to reintroduce the world market to their products and goods.

The Federal Government of Germany also saw trade fairs as an opportunity for Germany to reenter foreign markets. From the beginning, the government has provided the financial support for German companies to participate in foreign trade fairs.

From its modest beginning of gingerly bringing German companies back into the world market, the foreign trade fair program today covers more than 150 events a year.

Of these events, none is larger than the TECHNOGERMA exhibition, a once every four years sensation of the best of German high-tech.

TECHNOGERMA began in the 1950s as the German Industry Exhibition. The idea behind these exhibitions was for German industries, in cooperation with the Federal Government, to present German technology in specific markets.

Its goal was to present the efficiency of German industries in countries still in the initial stages of economic development and which did not possess a trade fair industry.

The first of 14 such exhibitions took place in Mexico City in 1954. Since then, the exhibition has traveled the globe. From Europe, Asia and Africa to South America, German industry has presented itself around the world.

The exhibition came to Jakarta in 1979, under the name INDOGERMA. This first German exhibition in Indonesia encouraged a growing cooperation and collaboration between German and Indonesian companies, demonstrating the kind of positive results such an exhibition can achieve.

Twenty years later, German technology decided to return here with TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99.

The decision to hold TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 was made in May 1996. The Federal Ministry of Economics gave TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 top priority among its foreign trade fair promotions by allocating 10 percent of its trade fairs budget in 1999. And Federal Minister of Economics Dr. Werner Mller has pledged his personal support and will be in Jakarta for the opening of the exhibition.

Organized by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, in cooperation with the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) and the support of the German-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jakarta (EKONID), the event is implemented by Internationaler Messe-und Ausstellungsdienst GmbH (IMAG).

TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 is not only supplemented by specialist symposia, but also by a cultural program.

TECHNOGERMA Jakarta's Goals

Despite the fact that TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 is sold out, a clear sign of the support which the event has generated, there has been some question about whether the exhibition would be held in light of the economic crisis in Indonesia.

In June 1998, organizers discussed the situation with the Indonesian government, and the decision was reached to continue with the exhibition.

Potential is a popular word among exhibition organizers and participants to describe the business climate in Indonesia. German companies realize that while the present conditions are bleak, the future is bright for the prospects of German businesses in Indonesia.

Erich T. Geis, chief economist at Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW), a state-owned bank which is active in making loans to Indonesian and its private sector, said that KfW would not close down projects financed by the bank despite the unrest in the country.

"We are a long-term investor and our commitment to the country is always on a long-term basis."

KfW will take part in the exhibition in the services sector. Thomas Brandt from the German-Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, "They (German companies) have had 20 to 30 good years here, so they realize they may have to deal with one or two bad ones. And finally, the market will not disappear in the medium and long term."

He added that the current economic crisis here provided the opportunity for German companies to focus on the business relationships which they had already formed and to develop new ones.

The consensus among all participants of TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 is that now is the time to think about the potential which Indonesia holds for German companies and businesses.

TECHNOGERMA Jakarta programs

The main attraction at TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 is, of course, the exhibitions themselves. Offering something for everyone, no matter what their business or interest, the exhibition is a veritable feast of German industries.

If you want to check out the latest developments in electrical engineering and electronics, there are a number of companies showing their goods at the exhibition. You can see, for example, the latest developments at L.J. Elektronik GmbH or RILE Roboter und Anlagen-technik GmbH.

Maybe you are interested in constructing a new power plant or improving the performance of your old plant. ABB Kraftwerke AG will offer you some of the newest technologies and solutions for any power plant project.

Sure to be a big draw at the exhibition are the companies showing the latest technology in automotive construction. Daimler-Benz AG, GKN Automotive AG and ZF Friedrichshafen AG, among others, are sure to be popular among both those in the industry and the public.

Another sector which should have a lot to offer is environmental technology. Such companies as KKI Schmitt KG, Taprogge GmbH, Loeffler Filter-Technik GmbH and Feuer Eastwerke Wetro GmbH will show the latest technology in the industry. Such information could prove very useful to Indonesian companies and anyone interested in environmental issues.

With the services sector providing information and technology in the banking, insurance and investment industries, among others, and institutional information, TECHNOGERMA truly is a feast which will whet the appetites of all gourmands.

Another aspect of TECHNOGERMA is its symposium schedule. These specialist lectures will present expert speakers plumbing the depths of a variety of topics and issues.

Topics as diverse as The Response of Rice to the Fertilization of NPK, presented by BASF Aktiengesellschaft, Brand Naming in Asia, a lecture given by BeWeTe Consulting, and Modern Aspects in Cardiac Surgery, a lecture from Herz-und Diabeteszentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen, will be covered.

If you are a technophobe, you may assume that TECHNOGERMA Jakarta has nothing to offer you. However, this assumption is entirely wrong because this exhibition is about more than just technology, business and lectures, it is also about presenting a complete picture of Germany. And an important part of this picture is the German culture.

So, in order to provide a balanced view of all Germany has to offer, both in technology and in the arts, TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 offers a complete cultural program.

For all those lovers of the arts, or for those who are merely interested in all aspects of Germany, the cultural program will offer concerts, movies and photo exhibitions. You can hear German musicians perform some of the works of Chopin, Bach and Beethoven, see a screening of the classic German film Metropolis or wander among a photo exhibition chronicling Germany since 1945. All of these events should provide insight and appreciation into the rich cultural life of Germany.

TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 truly caters to all tastes and desires. With the latest in German technology on display in a dazzling number of industries and specialties, the exhibition offers Indonesian industries the opportunity to explore new technologies and methods which could eventually prove beneficial to their businesses.

The event provides German and Indonesian business executives the chance to form new ties or renew old acquaintances, a process which is sure to benefit both sides in the long term. The exhibition also gives ordinary Indonesians who may not care much for technology the occasion to learn more about Germany. TECHNOGERMA Jakarta '99 is, indeed, a grand event not to be missed.

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