The Umweltwirtschaftspreis.NRW 2026 honors companies from North Rhine-Westphalia that combine environmental responsibility and economic success. Prizes are awarded for innovative solutions for climate, environmental and resource protection.
How competitive is Germany as an industrial location—and what concrete steps can state governments take? In the latest episode of the VDMA Industry Podcast, business realities meet political responsibility.
The event focused on the topic of research funding. The focus was on the funding landscape at federal level.
In January 2026, incoming orders in the mechanical and plant engineering sector in North Rhine-Westphalia were 5% below the previous year, characterized by significant declines in Germany and the eurozone as well as a slight increase from the non-eurozone.
Around 21 exhibitors will be showcasing their innovations, application examples and technologies for shaping the future at the NRW joint stand at the Hannover Messe in Hall 13, Stand C14, from April 20 to 24, 2026.
Defence.Tech.NRW opens up new opportunities: apply now for funding for high-tech and dual-use innovations and benefit from the strong research environment in NRW.
On 5 February 2026, a web-ERFA on the Pay Transparency Directive took place, organized by ProduktionNRW and VDMA Nord. The high level of participation showed the extent to which transparency and equal treatment in remuneration are currently occupying companies.
How AI is advancing mechanical engineering: Specific examples show how intelligent data analysis increases quality, speeds up processes and opens up new efficiency potential.
The QM Corner impressively demonstrated how process mining makes real process data visible – enabling companies to optimize faster and make smarter decisions.
The future now: How AI, climate protection and new work are changing mechanical engineering in NRW – and strengthening competitiveness.