Under the motto Portugal Makes Sense, Portugal Partner Country will be at HANNOVER MESSE 2022 with 109 companies of the clusters of Engineered Parts & Solutions, Energy Solutions, Digital Ecosystems and Automation, Motion & Drives (13 companies). Portugal will attend the MESSE with a strong exhibition presence, reflected in four pavilions: a Central Pavilion in Hall 2, and three Satellite Pavilions in Halls 3, 5 and 13.
The Portuguese participation will highlight three areas of focus: Engineered Parts & Solutions with 69 companies at Hall 3, Energy Solutions with 13 companies at Hall 13, and Digital Ecosystems with 15 companies at Hall 5, presenting clusters of technological excellence in the fields of equipment and metalworking, mobility, automotive, aeronautics, textile, technical plastics, moulding, production technologies and renewable energy. Portugal will also be present with 13 companies at Hall 9 for Automation, Motion & Drives.
The country will showcase its competitive advantages to attract scientific, technological, and productive investment, showing that Portugal Makes Sense to invest, develop industrial partnerships, source, expand, triumph, and innovate. Visitors will find multiple opportunities to meet innovative Portuguese companies and invest in the Portuguese industry.
Portugal will present products and solutions highlighting the technologies used particularly in the areas of green Hydrogen, Smart Cities, Smart Materials, Smart Manufacturing, industrial IoT, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality, among others.
At Portugal Pavilion (Hall 2, stand A02) visitors will also find out why Portugal Makes Sense for German companies to invest. Bosch, Continental, Grohe, Leica, Schmitt, and Siemens will display products and solutions developed and made in Portugal with Portuguese talent.
Conferences Portugal Makes Sense will also take place at this Pavilion during the four days of the fair, as well as the Partner Country Night, a networking event on the 1st of June (18:30-21:00).
“Portugal is an important partner of German industry and a country where German companies find talent, innovation, reliability, and commitment with success. The more than 550 German companies already operating successfully in Portugal know this. We want now to deliver this message to a broader audience, specially to the German Mittelstand”, says Luís Castro Henriques, Chairman & CEO of AICEP – Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency,
The Portuguese participation in the world’s largest industry fair is organised by AICEP – Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency, in partnership with AIMMAP – Association of the Portuguese Metalworking Industries and AHK – Portuguese-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Talented people, creative Solutions
The competitiveness of Portuguese industrial companies is based on engineering skills, incorporation of modern technologies, design production and control, handled by highly qualified human resources who can fulfil the needs of demanding markets, with high-quality standards and service excellence.
Portugal is a global player in the Engineered Parts & Solutions area, encompassing mechanical engineering, metalworking, mobility and automotive, aeronautics, and space, among other sectors.
The Portuguese industrial offer has demonstrated enormous international competitiveness in this business area. In recent years, Portugal has strengthened its position as a global player based on its ability to produce small series with high added value, providing flexibility and competitiveness. Its main client industries are in relevant, sophisticated, and demanding sectors, ranging from automotive, aeronautics, electrical and electronics, among others.
Big international companies find in Portugal a qualified and experienced workforce as well as very competitive technological and engineering expertise that enables them to manufacture and assemble metal, plastic, and rubber parts with high precision.
From small components to complete systems, Portuguese companies stand for quality. They are mainly SMEs that have acquired the necessary specialised know-how, have developed their flexibility and capacity to respond to customers’ demands, and employ innovation to better respond to the new challenges posed by the market.
In the Digital Ecosystems area, Portugal has one of the most vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystems in Europe and is one of the countries with the most open policies toward international investment. Portugal Makes Sense by showcasing a set of innovative, technologically sophisticated companies, specialized in developing high tech solutions for Smart Industries. Companies with a proven track record in CC (Cloud Computing), IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), CPS (Cyber-Physical Systems), Big Data and AI (Artificial Intelligence), and AR (Augmented Reality).
These Portuguese companies are well-versed in Industry 4.0 concepts and develop applications for a broad range of industries, such as transport and automotive, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, moulds and plastics, food, and packaging.
At HANNOVER MESSE 2022, Portugal will display Smart Manufacturing Execution solutions capable of monitoring manufacturing processes in real-time. These form part of next-generation software developed for the industry, helping managers make better decisions based on instant information gathered from the shop floor.
Portuguese ICT companies are asserting themselves, shaping the transformation of industry in all kinds of ways, be it in AI-powered software, virtual reality applications, sensor technologies, smart materials, or intelligent energy solutions. A successful combination from a few midsized AI companies and a lot of small or even micro-companies.
In the Energy Solutions area, Portugal is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and is a leading EU country in the energy transition. It is also the fourth country in Europe to eliminate coal in electricity production (from December 2021). The country ranks 9th in global contribution to Planet & Climate in the Good Country Index and is taking firm steps to reduce energy consumption, make more efficient use of its resources, achieve better sustainable mobility, reach higher security of supply, and diversify renewable energy resources.
The Portuguese companies have knowledge and experience in energy solutions, which has allowed the sector to increase its notoriety and international recognition. The country’s strategic geographic position benefits the growth of all Renewable Energies, creating opportunities and competitive advantages for exporting goods and services in this sector.
The Portuguese Government has assumed a strong commitment to the Renewable Energies sector, presenting as essential the National Strategy for Green Hydrogen, which promotes the progressive insertion of hydrogen in the various sectors of the economy, allowing the transition to a decarbonized economy. This strategy also aims to create a green hydrogen export hub for Europe, being an essential advance for the growth of the sector’s internationalization.
As an ambitious and forward-looking country, Portugal and Portuguese companies have developed innovative technologies in mobility based on clean energy, including hydrogen.
Within the scope of innovation and sustainability, several Portuguese companies have developed urban mobility solutions for Smart Cities, from the production of hydrogen to storage in chargers and circulation of hydrogen-powered buses. Also, Portugal was the first country in the world to deploy a fully interoperable and integrated nationwide network of EV charging stations.
Why Portugal
In recent years, Portugal has shown to the world its capabilities in the areas of Industry, Trade and Tourism, increasing exports in volume and value, and attracting more and better investment. Despite the obvious effects caused by the pandemic on the world economy and in Portugal, the industry has not stopped, and the country remained open for business. In 2021, the Portuguese economy grew 4.9% according to the Bank of Portugal data.
Today, Portugal is a competitive, innovative, and attractive country, with the 3rd highest rate of Engineers in the EU, a high English proficiency level (ranking 7th in the English Proficiency Index 2020), as well as one of the highest levels of peace and stability (ranking 4th in Global Peace Index 2021 and 10th in Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism 2020).
Portugal is an international technology centre that is open to foreign investment. Located at the southwestern tip of Europe, Portugal is a strategic crossroads to Africa and the Americas and features great quality of life, excellent infrastructure, and high levels of security, political stability, and sustainability. More than 550 German companies operate in Portugal, where they find a well-educated, multi-lingual workforce of problem solvers who have an appetite for innovation in engineering and research.
Portugal’s excellent infrastructures, telecommunications, and quality of life attract visitors and companies from all over the world. The production of Portuguese goods is characterised by their quality, authenticity, and exclusivity, which is why they are highly sought after by well-renowned international customers.
With almost nine centuries of history, Portugal is also a sophisticated and forward-looking country where sustainability is a priority and an industry concern.
Portugal – Germany economic relationship
Germany is an important economic partner for Portugal. It is the third-largest customer of Portuguese goods, and more than 550 German companies have chosen Portugal to settle and invest in.
According to data from the Portuguese Statistics Bureau (INE), in 2021, Portugal exported goods to Germany worth 6,998 million euros, up 9.7% from 2020. The Portuguese imports from Germany in 2021 totalled 10304 million euros, an increase of 13.4% compared to 2020. The trade balance of goods is profitable to Germany by 3,306 million euros.
By product groups, machinery and equipment are the most exported to Germany, with passenger cars and other transport vehicles also standing out. Portugal mainly buys machinery and equipment, chemical products, vehicles, and other transport equipment from Germany.
The trade balance of services is favourable for Portugal, with the exports reaching 2,826 million euros in 2021 and the imports from Germany amounting to 1,292 million euros (INE data).
Did you know?
- Portugal has the 3rd highest rate of engineering graduates in Europe.
- Portugal has become the largest software development hub for the German automotive industry outside Germany.
- In 2021, 59% of electricity consumption in Portugal was supplied by renewable energy.
- Metallurgical and mechanical products and automotive components represent more than 30% of Portuguese total exports.
- Portugal is the 3rd best country for expats.
