In an era of rapid globalization and technological advancement, German machine tools empower manufacturers to overcome present and future challenges, ensuring continuous technical progress.

What sets the German machine tool industry apart isn’t just the products themselves, but the comprehensive solutions and services offered alongside them. This holistic approach has earned German manufacturers a global reputation for quality and reliability. The legacy of Made in Germany is set to thrive and endure for generations to come.

Key to this ongoing success are several critical factors:

• A highly skilled workforce
• A robust national infrastructure
• A strong network of innovative suppliers
• Collaborative relationships with discerning customers, often leading to joint development and testing of new solutions
• Pioneering research teams that incorporate the latest scientific discoveries into machine tool production

These advantages position the German machine tool industry among the top global producers and exporters, supporting customers worldwide in achieving and maintaining operational success.

Thailand ranks among the leading producers in the global automotive industry, with both domestic vehicle and component manufacturers as well as foreign companies making significant investments.

To remain competitive in global markets, industrial enterprises rely heavily on modern and efficient machine tools. Among the Asean member states, Thailand is the most important export market for the German machine tool industry. In 2025, Germany supplied Thailand with machine tool technology, including parts and accessories, valued at 22 million euros. The primary machine categories shipped to Thailand in 2025 included machining centers, eroding machines, forging machines and hammers, presses as well as grinding, honing, and lapping machines.

With its extensive expertise in all areas of international metalworking, the German machine tool industry remains a valuable partner for Thailand’s industrial sector. Seven well-known machine tool manufacturers will demonstrate its capabilities to Thailand’s customers, at the VDW symposium.

VDW headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, represents the interests of Germany’s machine tool industry worldwide. In collaboration with the Machine Tools and Manufacturing Systems sector of VDMA, VDW supports around 290 primarily mid-sized companies, which collectively generate around 90 percent of the industry’s total revenue.

For more than 130 years, VDW has served as the industry’s voice to the public, political leaders, business partners, and the academic community. Leveraging its deep expertise, VDW provides its members with valuable insights, advice, and support on a wide range of industry-related issues.

Exhibitions and Trade Fairs

VDW is one of the few industry associations worldwide that organizes exhibitions for the international machine tool industry. With decades of experience, VDW delivers high-quality events under its A fair by VDW seal. Among the flagship events it organizes are:

GrindingHub: The international event for grinding technology, held in cooperation with Messe Stuttgart. The next edition is set for May 5 to 8, 2026.

www.grindinghub.de/en

GrindingHub Americas: The GrindingHub Americas will be the first and as yet only trade fair in America dedicated exclusively to grinding technology. As well as GrindingHub Stuttgart, Germany, it is organized by the VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association), Messe Stuttgart and Swissmem (Swiss Association of the Machinery, Electrical and Metal Industries). The three organizers will bring the successful concept from Germany into the American market. The premiere will take place from May 18 to 20, 2027.

www.messe-stuttgart.de/en/grindinghub-americas

NORTEC: VDW’s own international exhibition for production and manufacturing technologies in cooperation with Messe Stuttgart, taking place in Hamburg next time in 2028.

www.messe-stuttgart.de/nortec/en

EMO Hannover: The global trade fair for production technology, hosted on behalf of Cecimo (the European Association of Manufacturing Technologies). The next event is scheduled for 2029.

emo-hannover.com

In addition, VDW supports its members’ participation in key international trade fairs. It helps companies access official joint participation programs supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, providing vital assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to enter new markets.

Contact:
VDW
Phone +49 69 756081-0
vdw@vdw.de
https://vdw.de/en

umati (universal machine technology interface) is the global initiative for open communication interfaces for the machine building industries and their customers. Machine builders, software producers, component suppliers, and users unite in a strong community to promote the use of open, standardized interfaces based on OPC UA companion specifications. umati ensures uniform implementation, provides a platform for sharing experience, and creates visibility in the market.

umati facilitates the exchange of data between machines, components and installations and its integration into customer- and user-specific IT ecosystems – easily, seamlessly and securely.

OPC UA provides a communication framework between devices on the shop floor. Standardized data models, which are defined in OPC UA Companion Specifications, can be easily supplemented with customer- and manufacturer specific data. For machinery, the main companion specification is the OPC UA for Machinery, which contains basic modules for the machine interface. These modules are crucial for the entire machine and plant engineering sector. The OPC UA for Machine Tools represents a major milestone for the machine tool sector.

umati live demonstration

Contact:
Mr. Götz GÖRISCH
Phone +49 69 756081-64
info@umati.org
www.umati.org