So far, MCE 2018 has registered an attendance of over 1,600 exhibitors from 52 countries, with a rise in the number of exhibiting companies from Turkey, Egypt and India, Country Guest for this year’s edition.
MCE 2018 will be running for the first time simultaneously alongside BIE – Biomass Innovation Expo - dedicated to wood-fuelled biomass heating systems.
A wide range of products and new features that span all industry sectors will be on offer, including heating, hardware, tools, air-conditioning, refrigeration, ventilation, water treatment, renewable energies, home and building automation, and electric mobility.
MCE 2018 represents a unique opportunity for more than 150,000 professional operators from all over the world to discover the top technology trends in this continuously evolving industry.
The concept behind this edition is technological innovation, with a particular focus on the digitalisation of products and processes; the integration of the electric and thermal energy systems; and conventional and renewable energy sources.
Energy efficiency in the industry will be one of the key driving forces behind MCE 2018. Over the past few years, the attention paid by industrial operators to the control of energy consumption has dramatically increased in energy-intensive sectors, and now, a more structural and organic approach is required.
A focus on improving energy efficiency has led to increased investment levels in renewables, as shown by a research paper commissioned by MCE and undertaken by Energy & Strategy Group of the Polytechnic University of Milan, entitled Energy efficiency in primary and tertiary industries and the use of woody biomass in the residential sector.
Two scenarios for investment in energy efficiency measures in primary and tertiary industries were modelled. The first scenario considered an economic situation similar to the present one, and predicted an increase in new investments by € 7.20 billion in 2017, expected to rise to € 9 billion by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of 8 percent reaching nearly € 32 billion.
The second and more optimistic scenario assumed a rise to € 10.60 billion by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate of 14 percent to a value of nearly €35 billion.
Technology is changing the industry faster than ever before. The national plan 4.0 is one of the measures that the Government has set up to promote the digitalisation of manufacturing and industrial processes and make them more energy efficient, involving not only large companies but also small to medium-sized companies that are at the heart of the economy.
Technology integration for thermal comfort in the built environment is the common thread running through the initiatives taking place at MCE 2018. These will include Factory4.now, a 'live' event that will show each stage of next-generation manufacturing processes, and a special focus on MEP BIM, an integrated tool to help users design, fabricate and install mechanical, electrical and plumbing building systems, representing a breakthrough in the construction sector.