Press Release

Press Release
Contact
Düsseldorf / Frankfurt am Main, 26/10/2016
PlasticsEurope Deutschland e. V.
Michael Herrmann
Telefon: +49 (0) 69 2556-1306
[email protected]
Successful K trade fair with many visitors and good conversations
Plastics Manufacturers' Positive Verdict
Plastics manufacturers are very content with the results of K 2016. The trade fair took off to a
strong start with the producers’ stands very well attended even on the first day of the trade fair
and on Thursday. Friday also saw pleasantly high attendance and after the traditionally
somewhat quieter weekend the second week of K continued with many high-quality
conversations on Monday. Nearly all exhibitors agreed they saw throngs of visitors at their
stands already briefly after the trade fair had opened and that most of them came very well
prepared. They also agreed on the high level of expertise and decision-making powers while
English was the dominating language spoken at many stands. “A successful K with many
interesting conversations with national and international customers and business associates
lies behind us,” explained Dr. Josef Ertl, Chairman of PlasticsEurope Deutschland and went on
to say: “We have seen a very innovative and forward-looking K, which continues to be the ideal
platform for presenting new technologies, workflows and materials from our industry – and is
therefore a must-go event for plastics manufacturers.” The topics producing the most intense
discussion at producers’ stands were lightweight construction, innovation, competitiveness and
Industry 4.0, Smart Factory as well as additive manufacturing. Resource efficiency with plastics
and environmental friendliness were also among the issues frequently addressed.
Also very well attended was the Special Show, a project initiated by the German plastics
industry under the auspices of PlasticsEurope Deutschland e.V. and Messe Düsseldorf. This
presentation already accompanied the ranges exhibited at K for the 9th time now. Under the
heading “Plastics shape the future” functionality, aesthetics and the sustainability of plastics
were centre stage here; the innovative stand design reflected the theme and aroused visitors’
curiosity. Experts from science, industry and political spheres provided information on these
themes, and discussed economic, social and ecological challenges and approaches over seven
theme days – thereby addressing the sector’s core issues and tomorrow’s themes. Films and
slide shows pictured the challenges as well as the responses the plastics industry has already
developed for them or is currently working on.
Another highlight of the Special Show were the robotics teams of the CJD college in
Königswinter, that gave proof of their skills and that of their robots in the disciplines “Rescue”
and “Soccer”. The youngest “exhibitors” at the K trade fair carried visitors away with their
enthusiasm, all the more as the issue of young talents and education is also gaining more and
more ground among plastics manufacturers. Accordingly, a Youth Day was again organised
that attracted plenty of attention and gave young multipliers the unique opportunity to meet
decision-makers from the industry. The venture of offering specifically theme days for the first
time paid off for the Special Show: And valuable aspects such as marine litter were not spared
either. At the same time, the Special Show organisers set accents with such topics as resource
efficiency - in particular, with a lecture by Prof. Dr. Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker - and other
exciting plastics subjects such as lightweight construction, new materials, Plastics Industry 4.0
and designing with plastics.
For further information on the Special Show go to www.plasticsshapethefuture.com
PlasticsEurope Deutschland e. V. ist der Verband der Kunststofferzeuger in Deutschland und Teil der paneuropäischen Organisation PlasticsEurope mit Zentren
in Brüssel, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Mailand und Paris. Die über 100 Mitgliedsunternehmen produzieren mehr als 90 Prozent der Kunststoffe in den 28 EUMitgliedsstaaten, Norwegen, der Schweiz und der Türkei. Die europäische Kunststoff-Industrie leistet einen wesentlichen Beitrag zum Wohlstand in Europa,
indem sie Innovationen Realität werden lässt, die Lebensqualität verbessert und Ressourceneffizienz und Klimaschutz ermöglicht. Die Kunststoff-Industrie, das
sind die Kunststofferzeuger (europäisch vertreten von PlasticsEurope), -verarbeiter (europäisch vertreten von der EuPC) und -maschinenbauer (europäisch
vertreten von EUROMAP). Mehr als 1,45 Millionen Menschen arbeiten in etwa 62.000 Unternehmen und erwirtschaften einen Umsatz von über 350 Milliarden
Euro im Jahr.

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