The international Mindtech trade fair, ‘Where Industry Meets Technology’, held a networking event at the Casa de Galicia in Madrid on Friday 5 June.
Mindtech is the leading industrial trade fair in the Iberian region, and will hold its 5th edition in the city of Vigo from 27 to 29 April 2027. Ahead of this major industrial event, Mindtech is organising a series of business networking events, both nationally and internationally, to boost business in the metal industry and its associated technologies, while highlighting the fair’s key activities and main new features.
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Mindtech is the leading industrial trade fair in the Iberian region and will hold its 5th edition in the city of Vigo from 27 to 29 April 2027. Ahead of this major industrial event, Mindtech is organising a series of business networking events, both nationally and internationally, to boost business in the metal industry and its associated technologies, whilst highlighting the fair’s key activities and main new features.
Mindtech is the leading industrial trade fair in the Iberian region and will hold its 5th edition in the city of Vigo from 27 to 29 April 2027. Ahead of this major industrial event, Mindtech is organising a series of business networking events, both nationally and internationally, to boost business in the metal industry and its associated technologies, whilst highlighting the fair’s key activities and main new features.
The fair’s organisers emphasise that they are “working hard to ensure this 5th edition marks a turning point, with expectations of exceeding 200 exhibitors and attracting 10,000 visitors”. They also stress that this is an event “born of the industry and for the industry”. They also highlight the reception given to Mindtech 2027, both in Galicia and, in particular, abroad, as more than half of the exhibitors come from other autonomous communities and even from other countries – a figure that highlights the growing influence of the Iberian Hub as an industrial benchmark with a global reach. In this regard, they point out that it is at events such as Mindtech where “major contracts are signed and new high-value-added business relationships are forged”, reinforcing its role as a strategic platform for business and corporate collaboration.
Against this backdrop, and as part of the event held in Madrid, the official launch of the Mindtech 2027 promotional video took place, offering a glimpse of the event’s vision, international reach and key strategic priorities. The screening served as a prelude to building anticipation among attendees and reinforcing Mindtech’s position as one of the leading events in the industrial and technological sectors.
The event was followed by a panel discussion featuring representatives from leading companies in the sector, which fostered a fruitful exchange of knowledge, experiences and visions for the future, whilst also helping to identify opportunities for collaboration and the creation of synergies among the various stakeholders present.
Round table discussion with industrial companies
During the panel discussion, which featured representatives from leading companies such as Grupo Oesía, Yaskawa and Semantic Systems, the speakers addressed the growing interconnection between industry and technology. Throughout the session, they discussed industrial digitalisation, automation and the link between the two fields, highlighting their impact on improving efficiency and competitiveness and creating new opportunities for growth.
The strategic role of technology partners in industrial digitalisation
In this context, José Ramón Valle, Marketing Manager at Semantic Systems, emphasised the importance of having strong technology partners in digitalisation processes, stating that “A technology partner is key to the success of any digitalisation process, providing knowledge, experience, talent and an external perspective that helps industrial companies move forward with greater confidence and efficiency”. He also insisted that digital transformation must be approached strategically, as “Industrial digitalisation is not about incorporating technology simply because it is fashionable or a trend, but about transforming those processes that truly add value and involving everyone within the organisation in the process”.
Robotics and automation: new opportunities in industrial employment
For his part, José Luis Sardinero, System Business Sales Manager at Yaskawa, focused his presentation on the impact of automation and robotics on industrial employment, debunking some of the main myths associated with them, and emphasised that “we often hear that robotics destroys jobs, but the reality in the industrial sector is very different”. In this regard, he emphasised that automation helps to fill hard-to-fill vacancies and eliminate dangerous or physically demanding tasks, such as welding. “Robotics does not replace people, but rather complements them and enhances the value of their work,” he stated. He also highlighted the growing accessibility of these technologies, stating that “robotic welding is no longer the exclusive preserve of large-scale mass production. Today, thanks to more flexible solutions, small and medium-sized workshops can also access this technology, significantly improving their productivity and quality”.
Dual-use technology for a more connected and sustainable industry
Finally, Álvaro Irisarri, Head of Avionic Projects at Grupo Oesía, highlighted the strategic role of industrial and digital engineering as a driving force for transformation within the manufacturing sector, describing the company as “a 100% Spanish multinational specialising in industrial and digital engineering” that is committed to “a more efficient, safe and sustainable industry, through five highly specialised brands”, emphasising the importance of specialisation in addressing current challenges. He also highlighted the role played by dual-use technologies, as they enable an effective transfer of knowledge and capabilities. As he pointed out, “the dual use of technologies allows for the transfer of knowledge between different sectors, pooling the development and implementation of solutions applicable in both industrial environments and strategic fields”. In this vein, he highlighted the need to integrate capabilities and foster collaboration across disciplines to maximise the impact of digital transformation, adding that, drawing on their experience in industrial and digital engineering, they work “to build bridges between the industrial and technological worlds, facilitating synergies between sectors and business areas”, championing a model that drives the connection between technical knowledge and technological development as the basis for sustainable growth.
Overall, the debate established itself as a forum of great strategic value, where experiences, perspectives and best practices were shared, reinforcing the importance of collaboration and innovation as key drivers of industrial development.
