Rising energy and material costs, volatile markets, geopolitical uncertainties, and a sustained high pressure for innovation and efficiency currently shape the conditions of grinding technology. All the more remarkable is the look towards Stuttgart: From May 5 to 8, around 460 exhibitors from 28 countries will present their highlights at the GrindingHub. The fair has established itself as a central platform for professional exchange and the presentation of practical solutions related to the grinding process. With three fully booked halls, it reaches a comparable level for exhibitors as in 2024 – thus making a clear statement in a challenging economic environment. 'The high participation of exhibitors is a strong signal for the GrindingHub. It shows that the industry is seeking exchange, driving solutions forward, and looking ahead. This should encourage the entire industry,' says Dr. Markus Heering, Managing Director of the organizer VDW.
Extensive supporting program with new forum
With the fundamentally redesigned Grinding Solution Forum, the GrindingHub 2026 complements its content program with a clear practical focus. The aim is to provide both visitors and exhibitors with greater added value: The focus is on real industrial challenges, concrete solution approaches, and practical takeaways based on the principle of challenge – solution – insight. The thematic spectrum ranges from process stability and quality to automation, data, digitalization, and AI, as well as the economic efficiency and future perspectives of grinding technology. In addition to compact practical sessions, the forum includes interactive co-creation workshops, where exhibitors work together with the audience to develop solution approaches and deepen direct exchange. Among the speakers are Anca, Cemecon, FDPW, GMN, Hirt-Line, Dr. Kaiser, Meister Abrasives, Neuron Soundware, NPiTec, Rimon Technologies, Quaker Houghton, Vibrocut, Wirth.
Dr. Markus Heering emphasizes: 'We want to create a forum that consciously works differently than traditional lecture programs – closer to the challenges of users and with real added value for all participants.' The current program and further information are available online at www.grindinghub.de/forum-besucher.
Joint stands build bridges between industry and science
A special added value at the GrindingHub 2026 is provided by the joint stands, which purposefully bring together different perspectives of grinding technology: The Startup Hub, the Grinding Solution Park Industry and Science, and the Grinding Pavilion Switzerland create compact platforms for exchange, orientation, and new impulses. All joint stands have been fully booked for weeks due to high demand.
While the Grinding Solution Park Industry focuses on practical industrial solutions, five research institutions in the Grinding Solution Park Science make current developments and transfer potentials from science visible. Concrete applications are showcased in the Grinding Solution Park Industry alongside seven other exhibitors by the connectivity initiative umati (universal machine technology interface), which demonstrates through live exhibits how manufacturer-independent machine and production data communication works based on OPC UA – for example, in standardized energy monitoring or the networking of machines and operating resources.
At the Startup Hub, trade fair visitors can get to know seven young companies from Germany, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland better. Under the motto 'Meet the Founders. Innovation starts with Conversation.' they learn more in dialogue about ideas, technologies, and new approaches for the grinding technology of tomorrow. 'We see an excellent opportunity here to present our technology to a highly specialized audience from the grinding technology sector and thus showcase concrete solutions for existing challenges,' describes Dr. Oliver Georgi, Managing Director of the startup Vibrocut, the goal of participating in the fair. German companies benefit not only from the comprehensive support provided by the fair organizer in planning and execution but also from financial BMWE funding from the 'Young Innovators' program.
The concept is complemented by the Grinding Pavilion Switzerland, where five companies from Switzerland appear together and underline the high innovative strength and international networking of machine tool construction.
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