[CES 2020] Construction, shipping, travel and farming equipment companies are also tech companies

By Park Sae-jin Posted : January 6, 2020, 11:18 Updated : January 6, 2020, 11:18

[Courtesy of Brunswick]

LAS VEGAS -- "It seems that CES has now become the leader of all industrial conferences. That's because technology has become the center of all businesses and a year's outlook for all industries can be made based on CES."

At CES 2020, the world's largest trade fair, Joo Young-sup, a Korea University chair-professor who formerly headed the Small and Medium Business Administration, hopes to study changes in the industrial sector to draw the direction of corporate and government policies. He flew to Las Vegas as soon as the year 2020 began.

"I participate in CES every year, but this year has a special meaning as it is the beginning of the next decade. Especially, it is peculiar to actually check with my own eyes that many non-tech companies have now become tech companies," Joo said.

He said that this year would be the first for CES 2020 to remove boundaries between industries.

At previous CES events, carmakers such as Toyota, Ford, Daimler, BMW and Hyundai Motor received attention. However, at this year's CES, companies from aviation, food, household items, beauty, farming equipment, construction and shipbuilding will participate in the trade fair and make keynote speeches. American airline company Delta which would make a keynote speech receives the biggest attention. The top U.S. airline company will introduce a travel-tech that utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR).

Delta showcases a new innovative consumer experience that will change the future air travel trends. The company said it would show an example of how technology and innovation will change the future of travel.

Impossible Food, a Silicon Valley artificial meat maker, will host a news conference this year on the future of food. Impossible Foods manufactures an artificial "burger patty" but plans to expand its product lineup to artificial chicken meat and showcase innovative food tech products.

There will be an intelligent autonomous cooking system introduced by Tecpal, a food technology company which has more than 500 recipes and know-how on how to grow a variety of crops. It is expected to introduce innovative ready-to-eat products.

Farm equipment maker John Deere and shipbuilder Brunswick are drawing attention. They are best in the farming and small-sized shipbuilding industry but little is known about them outside their fields of expertise. They are seeking to broaden their presence in the market by transforming into a tech company. John Deere will showcase IoT-based tractors at CES and Brunswick said that it would show the future of the marine industry, including how small shipbuilders can use autonomous technology and improve connectivity between ships.

P&G, a household goods company which set up a large exhibition hall, will showcase IoT skincare products and innovation capabilities.

Traditional tech companies such as Intel and Qualcomm drastically reduced the size of exhibits and Nvidia chose not to participate. However, companies that are not tech companies have entered the technology industry and participated in CES.

"This year's CES is characterized by traditional companies transforming into technology companies. It would be a viewing point to see how traditional companies are making changes," Kookmin University professor Jung Koo-min said.

(This article was originally written by The Miilk reporter Sohn Jae-kwon)
 
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