Widenhorn is a veteran exhibitor at TechniShow. It is the only company that has attended all editions in the 75-year history of the show. Director Anco Euser continues to consider the biennial event the most important meeting place for the manufacturing industry in the Netherlands. This year, he presents new automation solutions. And he shows the history of TechniShow at his booth.
This week he received a signal from Marketplace. Anco Euser had set an alert for TechniShow paraphanalia. A poster had become available, from the first TechniShow in 1951. Cost? Only 15 euros. A bargain, according to the director/owner of Widenhorn. So when three days later a poster of the 1955 TechniShow also came on the market, he wanted to haggle over the asking price of 30 euros.
"The haggling unfortunately did not work out," he says. Nevertheless, he is overjoyed with his two new purchases. Euser is a "fan" of TechniShow. His company is the only company that has attended all editions as an exhibitor. "We have always included TechniShow in our plans, ever since 1951. From very large booths, until in the 1980s - when things slowed down - we only had a small area. I think it's important to have such a big event in the Netherlands, where everyone is and everyone can meet."
Insight
The two up-close classic posters Widenhorn will certainly present at its booth this year. Part of that booth is set up to showcase the history of TechniShow, which also fits with Widenhorn's history. For example, there is his grandfather's pass, from that first edition. But you can't live in nostalgia, he too knows. "At a trade show like TechniShow, you meet people you don't know yet. Especially at TechniShow, which was always a company outing for everyone. Also from the shop floor. But it's not just nostalgia. It remains the greatest platform to achieve something."
But it is also a platform to showcase innovations. For example, he sees the manufacturing industry moving more and more towards integration of all systems. There used to be a simple link between A and B, but today you have real-time insight into your planning, and thus into where your products are. Widenhorn provides a complete program for sheet metal working, from Cadcam, estimation and machine communication to planning and logistics around cutting machines. At TechniShow 2026, Widenhorn will present further automation solutions. "We are looking at the question of incorporating laser cutting into the process, for example. What does that mean for the ERP system or Cadcam software? How do you nest best? That software is only getting better."
Accessible
What distinguishes Widenhorn from others? "It sounds crazy, but it's very simple: we work the old-fashioned way. We don't write hourly invoices. We go to a company and help with a challenge. We put a price on that. Does it take more time? Then that's our risk. Another thing we often hear is that we are always available. That is crucial in subcontracting. If you have an immediate problem as a manufacturing company, you can't just wait three days for things to arrive. After all, you have to weld a machine and it has to go out the door."
Photographer: MichielTon.com
In addition, Widenhorn further developed its solutions for the digital factory. In 2022, the company received another TechniShow Award for this. According to Euser, you see more and more the linking and integration of different systems, making the cooperation between the various departments - from sales and work preparation to production and the warehouse - increasingly fluid. Important aspects of this are also the peace of mind and overview this creates in the factories. Information must be available at all times. "People no longer work with papers, but through the shopfloor. There everything has to be graphic, because with employees from different countries, language can sometimes be a barrier. A good user interface is crucial."
