Tuesday, April 17. I’m finishing my second day at the Hannover Fair in Hannover, Germany. In its 60^th year, it is a collection of 13 industrial trade fairs at one site. The scale and scope of this global event is amazing, humbling and exhausting. That’s from someone who sometimes feels like half of life is spent at trade shows and conferences. Manufacturers, distributors and customers may in fact be consolidating, but this week is proof that the world of industrial products remains extremely fragmented. First impressions: I did not know there were so many manufacturers of electric motors, bearings, seals, and a long list of other products. The robotics and factory automation systems on display are simply incredible in terms of the combination of software with a range of …