We spoke with Philippe Rossier, Head of Research and Innovation at Acome Group, to reflect on the key takeaways from this global event and its impact on the company’s strategy.

Enhancing Competitiveness Through Automation and AI

For Acome Group, the objective of attending Hannover Messe was clear : strengthen industrial competitiveness, particularly in France. « What interests us today is how to improve our industrial competitiveness, particularly on the site in France. »

Despite its strong international footprint, with operations across Europe, Asia, Morocco and Brazil, the company remains deeply committed to its French industrial base. « We are a cooperative, and in our statutes, it is to maintain jobs and activity in France. »

To achieve this, Acome Group is actively exploring automation, robotics and artificial intelligence as levers to increase productivity without increasing costs : « It is about doing more with the same resources that is to say producing more and generating more revenue while controlling our costs. »

Strategic transformation needs to be data-driven

According to Philippe Rossier, one of the most striking insights from Hannover Messe was the central role of data in modern industrial performance. Indeed, the three biggest stands at the event were Microsoft, SAP and Amazon. This reflects a fundamental transformation: « The performance of industry goes through data, through the mastery of data and its exploitation. »

While not entirely new, this reality is now impossible to ignore. AI is becoming a key driver for unlocking value from industrial data: “AI solutions that we can connect to data will give us the performance levers we are looking for. »

Beyond specific technologies, Hannover Messe offered a broader realization : the pace of change is accelerating rapidly.  « What stands out first is a real awareness of the speed at which things are moving, the dynamic and the number of players. » This creates a clear sense of urgency for industrial companies: « We inevitably come back thinking that in five years, our way of doing things must have evolved. »

Between Innovation and Reality: The Integration Challenge

While innovation is abundant, the real challenge lies in integrating these solutions into existing systems. Philippe Rossier highlights a crucial distinction : »There is a segmentation between very pragmatic solutions and much more complex tools that require a lot more effort in terms of integration.” Some solutions are easy to deploy : turnkey solutions such as AI programs which you buy licenses and it works. Others require deep IT transformation: « Solutions that need to be connected to SAP or ERP systems require a real architectural effort. »

Several practical applications stood out during the event, offering immediate or mid-term opportunities for Acome. One example is AI-driven process documentation: « It facilitates the transcription of an explanation and transforms it into a very clear instruction that can be used directly on workstations. »

Another promising area is internal logistics automation: « Autonomous guided vehicles that move pallets and fill stocks, these are solutions we are already experimenting with. »

Automation as a Driver of Value Creation

For Acome Group, automation is not about replacing workers but enhancing their contribution. « We need to focus our workforce on higher value-added tasks and automate the rest. » This approach is consistent across all geographies: « It is not only a question of labor cost in France, it is also true on our sites in China. »

Hannover Messe also showcased impressive humanoid robots—but their practical relevance remains limited : « For dancing it works very well but in an industrial environment, it works less well. »

Instead, Acome Group sees greater potential in more pragmatic solutions: « What is interesting is hybrid robots on wheels with platforms. » These systems are better suited to real industrial constraints and workflows.

The Value of the Bpifrance’s Parcours Business International

Participating in Hannover Messe as part of the Bpifrance delegation significantly enhanced the experience :  « The structured journey made it much more efficient, because you can get lost very quickly. » Beyond logistics, the program also facilitated meaningful exchanges between peers: « There is a real ability to bring together entrepreneurs and that is extremely valuable. »

For Philippe Rossier, events like Hannover Messe are essential for any industrial decision-maker because they provide not only technological insights but also a broader strategic perspective: « You absolutely have to attend this kind of event in order to feel this energy and this drive to transform. »

Looking Ahead: A Strategic Transformation Imperative

The key takeaway is clear: industrial transformation is no longer optional. Companies must evolve quickly to stay competitive in a world increasingly driven by data, automation and AI.

With the support of collective initiatives and ecosystems like the French Fab community at Bpifrance, industrial players could navigate this transformation and turn technological disruption into a powerful driver of growth.