‘Incredible machine’ inspires German Chancellor

During a tour of the HANNOVER MESSE fair last week, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the Festo stand, and congratulated the company on its 100-year success story. Festo demonstrated to the Chancellor how it is making a strong start to its next century with a focus on innovation. He was introduced to Festo’s ‘Incredible Machine’ which shows the fascinating world of movement set in motion by an ‘eMotion Butterfly’.

Based on the principle of a Rube Goldberg machine (this is a complex, chain-reaction contraption designed to perform a simple task in an incredibly convoluted and indirect way, named after the American cartoonist Rube Goldberg), the ‘Incredible Machine’ does not produce a specific product, but tells the story of the movement in automation technology that has had a significant influence on the family-owned business. Festo’s CEO Thomas Böck explained: “The machine demonstrates Festo’s diverse competencies and comprehensive expertise in automation technology, because inventiveness has been part of the company's DNA from the very beginning.“

Mr Böck told the Chancellor and his delegation: “Festo is optimistic about the current financial year and the next 100 years. In doing so, we continue to focus on innovation and invest an above-average amount in research and development (R&D). This has always been the recipe for Festo’s success throughout its history.”