Deutsche Messe Technology Academy Strengthens Global Smart Factory Network with Visit to Tennessee

Christoph departed Tennessee in true Southern style, sporting his new cowboy hat alongside the Dodge Ram he drove throughout his visit.

The Smart Factory Institute in Tennessee recently welcomed Christoph Neumann, Sales and Customer Relations representative from Deutsche Messe Technology Academy in Hannover, Germany. His visit marked another milestone in strengthening the global Smart Factory network that now connects Germany, the United States, Morocco, and South Africa.

Deutsche Messe, headquartered in Hannover, is widely recognized for organizing HANNOVER MESSE—the world’s leading industrial fair attended by more than 120,000 people each year. To extend the impact of this ecosystem year-round, Deutsche Messe established a global network of Smart Factory Institutes. These centers serve as hubs for innovation, bringing together manufacturers and technology partners to explore advancements in Industry 4.0, automation, and smart manufacturing.

During his two-week stay in Tennessee, Christoph worked closely with Madison Lundy, Business Development Representative for the Smart Factory Institute. The two collaborate virtually throughout the year to connect global technology providers with manufacturers in search of innovative solutions to modernize their operations.

Alongside their meetings with potential technology partners, Christoph and Madison toured manufacturing facilities, attended lectures from leading industry experts, and represented the Smart Factory Institute at the South Carolina Manufacturing Expo and at the Peak Performance Symposium. Throughout these events, Christoph worked closely with the Smart Factory and Peak Performance teams as well as existing and prospective technology partners.

“I believe having Christoph here from Germany provided tremendous value to the clients we met with,” said Madison. “His presence emphasized our global reach and the strength of our international partnerships. Christoph brought great insight to every meeting, and I will certainly miss having him here in person.”

After productive days of professional engagements, Christoph fully embraced Tennessee culture. As an avid car enthusiast, he kicked off his visit at a drag race in East Ridge before touring the Coker Museum—home to one of the largest antique car collections in the country—and later visiting Atlanta Motorsports Park to watch high-performance cars take to the track. Driving a Dodge Ram 2500 throughout his stay helped him settle into local life quickly, and he checked off several first-time experiences, including attending a Tennessee Titans football game and going to a rodeo in Tennessee.

No Southern visit would be complete without exploring local cuisine, and Christoph made the most of it. After sampling a range of Tennessee favorites, he jokingly asked Madison if Americans didn’t fry something—prompting an introduction to fried ice cream.

Reflecting on his visit, Christoph shared:“I am amazed by the warm welcome I received from everyone at the Smart Factory Institute, the events I attended, and especially during the Peak Performance Symposium. I had the chance to meet incredible partners and so many inspiring people from across this beautiful country. It was an absolute honor for me, and I will always look back on this trip with a big smile on my face. I hope to see everyone again soon.”

As he headed to the airport—wearing his newly gifted Stetson cowboy hat and stepping out of his Dodge Ram one last time—the Smart Factory Institute team expressed their deep appreciation for his visit.