Utrecht, 5 March 2026 - TechniShow will celebrate its 75th edition in Royal Jaarbeurs from 10 to 13 March with a programme that makes the current transition of the manufacturing industry tangible. Digitalisation, chain cooperation, talent and strategic resilience take centre stage. In this anniversary year, TechniShow will take place fully integrated with ESEF Maakindustrie, allowing visitors to experience the entire chain in one exhibition visit.
"This edition shows where the manufacturing industry is now," says Ricardo Vivas van Leeuwen, cluster manager Manufacturing & Logistics at Jaarbeurs. "Not in abstract images of the future, but in working solutions, strategic interpretation and concrete innovations that are directly applicable on the shop floor."
FPT Factory of the Future: predictable production in practice
A key content focal point is the FPT Factory of the Future. 22 technology companies together realise a fully integrated, working production environment. Visitors will see how connected machining, robotics, automation and AI come together in one ecosystem. Ires Veerman, Branch Manager FPT & NEVAT, underlines the importance for the sector: "The Factory of the Future is no longer a vision, but a reality. Everything needed to produce predictably already exists. The challenge is integration, and that is exactly what we are showing live here. Many companies still invest in technology piecemeal. The FPT Factory of the Future shows that the real productivity gains arise when systems, data and people work together as one."
Innovation Award: finalists known
The TechniShow Innovation Award 2026 will also feature prominently in the programme. The finalists have now been announced: Gühring, RoboJob and Voortman Steel Machinery. Selected from a broad entry list, they represent innovations that contribute to smarter, more efficient and sustainable manufacturing. According to Vivas van Leeuwen, the award is primarily a professional benchmark: "The Innovation Award is not about experiments, but about solutions that already add value today. The finalists show where the innovative power of the sector lands in concrete terms."
New: Women in the Making
New to the anniversary programme is Women in the Make: a substantive programme component with a keynote and panel discussion around leadership, visibility and connection in the manufacturing industry. "Innovation power is also about who sits at the table. With Women in the Making, we are giving diversity and leadership a structural place within TechniShow. That is essential for a future-proof sector," said Ricardo Vivas van Leeuwen.
Defence as strategic theme
On the last day of the fair, the focus is on Defence. A keynote by Mart de Kruif, lieutenant general b.d. and former Commander of the Royal Netherlands Army, will zoom in on geopolitics, leadership under pressure and strategic decision-making. This will be followed by a panel discussion on the defence chain and the role of Dutch manufacturing companies. Vivas van Leeuwen: "Security, technology and security of supply are becoming increasingly intertwined. For many manufacturing companies, this is a strategically relevant domain."
About TechniShow 2026
TechniShow 2026 takes place from 10 to 13 March in Royal Jaarbeurs and is organised in an integrated way with ESEF Maakindustrie. Together, they form the meeting point for professionals in the Dutch manufacturing industry. More information: www.event.technishow.nl
