K 2019 in Düsseldorf: Special Show “Plastics shape the future”

K 2019, The World’s No. 1 Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber, held in Düsseldorf from 16 to 23 October 2019, will again be the performance barometer and global innovations marketplace for the entire industry presenting over 3,300 exhibitors from more than 60 countries on approximately 178,000 m² of net exhibition space. To the tune of 200,000 trade visitors from throughout the world are expected at the metropolis on the River Rhine. 

As part of its programme of side events K in Düsseldorf also extends an invitation to debates on current and explosive topics of relevance to plastics, in particular at the Special Show organised by Plastics Europe in Hall 6/C40. This show already complements the extensive ranges on display for the tenth time now and will come under the heading of “Plastics shape the future” just like in 2016. The programme of this forum arranged by the German plastics industry brings together high-level representatives from political, science, business circles and society.

“Plastics shape the future” sees itself as a central forum for exchange of information, ideas and opinions for both trade visitors and interested laypersons alike. Centrestage this year will be the innovative power of materials and the industry in terms of resource-saving processes, digitalisation, functionality, renewable energies, circular economy and sustainability. Also featuring on the agenda will be such critical issues as marine plastic waste, the throw-away mentality associated with plastic packaging and the use of finite resources for their production. 

The backbone of the Special Show will be themed days with lectures, keynotes and panel discussions, partly in German, partly in English. Experts from science, industry, politics, local authorities and from non-governmental organisations will provide information and discuss economic, social and ecological challenges and approaches to solutions from the Wednesday to the Tuesday of the trade fair.

The line-up of participants will be as international as the trade fair audience itself. With a focus on marine litter this ranges from a CEO fighting for a global initiative to avoid plastic waste in the environment (Alliance to end Plastic Waste) to a national NGO shedding light on awareness-raising measures by means of CleanUp-Events and other local initiatives. This way the Special Show delivers global, European, regional and local answers to those mega trends in society currently moving people.

A preview of the future of robotics and Artificial Intelligence will come care of young researchers at the FabLab Lübeck e.V.: at their own stand here at the trade fair they will demonstrate daily where we are headed when additive manufacturing and robotics are connected with modern materials such as plastics by showcasing their work with a human robot.

The organisers will also bring back the chemist and entertainer Dr. Gerhard Heywang: with his exciting plastics experiments that he presents in German or English – as requested – he will definitely leave trade visitors thrilled and in amazement once more. The “Golden Sunday” will see the Special Show sparkle with “sporty glamour”: several Olympic-medal winners, World Champions and European Champions in canoeing representing “Team Kunststoff”, the sponsoring initiative launched by plastics producers in Germany, will be in attendance at K, on hand to answer questions and pose for photos.

Selected Content Highlights at the K 2019 Special Shows:

Wednesday, 16 October
Opening of the Special Show with Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, President and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, Ulrich Reifenhäuser, Chairman of the Exhibitor Advisory Board at K 2019 and Dr. Michael Zobel, Chairman of PlasticsEurope Deutschland
Keynote by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste delivered by Dr. Markus Steilemann, CEO Covestro AG

Thursday, 17 October
Roundtable Discussion – Plastics for Sustainable Development, featuring representatives from the Austrian Federal Agency for Environment and the European Environmental Agency (EEA)

Friday, 18 October
Series of Lectures on the Voluntary Commitment by PlasticsEurope presented by the sustainability initiatives of the European plastics value chain (Ceflex, Polyolefin Circular Economy Platform (PCEP) / petcore Europe / PlastiCircle Europe/ Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS) / VinylPlus)

Saturday, 19 October
Keynote by the World Plastics Council on global marine litter delivered by Mark Nikolich, CEO Braskem America

For the detailed programme of the Special Show “Plastics shape the future” go to www.plasticsshapethefuture.de