In his role as patron, minister of economic affairs Ernst Pfister visited the Motek international trade fair for handling and assembly technology, as well as the concurrently held BONDexpo trade fair for industrial bonding technology, at the Stuttgart Exhibition Centre on Wednesday the 23rd of September. During the course of a mutual tour of the event with Paul Eberhard Schall, promoter of the highly successful trade fair duo, the minister conversed with numerous companies from Baden-Württemberg and gained a personal impression of the exhibitors’ positive feedback regarding this year’s event despite the tense economic situation. Current challenges faced by the industry such as loans and financing were the subject of discussion. But the important role played by MOTEK in Baden-Württemberg as an industrials region – at the heart of the machinery manufacturing sector – was also stressed.