The shortage of skilled workers poses significant challenges for grinding technology and the entire machining industry. With the Nachwuchswettbewerb GRINDER OF THE YEAR (GOTY) 2026, the industry focuses on targeted talent promotion. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the challenge live at the GrindingHub in Stuttgart on May 6 and 7: Hall 9, Stand D45.
The GRINDER OF THE YEAR is specifically aimed at young professionals from the grinding technology sector and provides them with a platform to demonstrate their skills. Its goal is to bring young grinding talents together with the who's who of the grinding industry, to raise awareness of the multifaceted profession of grinding in metalworking, and thus to counteract the shortage of young talent and skilled workers. Attractive prizes in the form of educational vouchers await participants, for example.
After a preliminary round with a theoretical examination, the best participants qualify for the final. The five finalists will then showcase their practical skills live at the GrindingHub in Stuttgart in the design, programming, and grinding of a tool. The competition will take place on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, and Thursday, May 7, 2026, starting around 9 a.m. at the GRINDING HUB in Hall 9 at Stand D45. The award ceremony with a champagne reception will take place on Thursday, May 7, 2026, around 4:00 p.m., also at Stand D45.
GOTY 2026 is supported by leading companies along the entire process chain of tool grinding: UNITED MACHINING SOLUTIONS with WALTER (tool grinding machines), GDS (clamping devices), Ihle (hard metal), oelheld (coolant lubricants), Saint-Gobain Abrasives (grinding wheels), and Vomat (KSS fine filtration). The close collaboration of these partners enables practical competition conditions at a high technical level.
Everyone is warmly invited to experience the competition live on-site and engage in conversations with participants and industry experts.
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