Fakuma 2020: Implementation of the Digital Transformation

Expert visitors will gain an overview of all modern plastics technologies from 13 to 17 October 2020 when roughly 2000 exhibitors present their companies in Friedrichshafen at the 27th Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing. From injection moulding – a field in which Fakuma occupies a leading position worldwide – right on up to extrusion technology, thermoforming and 3D printing, expert visitors will be provided with current information on processes, technologies and tooling covering all aspects of plastics processing.

As an industry and technology barometer for injection moulding, Fakuma is the first port of call where innovations involving materials, machines, peripherals, processes and simulation are concerned. Visitors are provided with a comprehensive overview of all plastics technologies: injection moulding, extrusion technology, thermoforming and 3D printing. As a working event for established practitioners, Fakuma is consistently aligned to the process sequence in the field of plastics processing. Exhibitors and expert visitors are able to discuss concrete projects directly with each other on an equal footing.

International and Networked

Fakuma will occupy all available hall space in the modern exhibition centre on Lake Constance. 1933 exhibitors from 40 countries and nearly 48,000 expert visitors from 126 nations came to Lake Constance in 2018. Trade fair promoters P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG have announced that the world’s leading technical event for injection moulding will be even more international in 2020. All leading companies in the field of industrial plastics processing will meet here for an exchange of technical ideas and experience.

Digitalisation, connectivity, extended process integration and system solutions for equipment and peripherals have arrived at the plastics processing machines as well: to an ever greater extent, numerous options which up until recently were still in the planning stages, or only existed as visions or in theory with regard to the digital transformation, will be implemented and rendered tangible as factual reality at Fakuma 2020.

Continuous Improvement of Trade Fair Waste Disposal Concept

Fakuma’s waste disposal concept is relentlessly evolving into the future as well. “We’re constantly developing our waste disposal concept in order to achieve the highest possible recycling rate,” says Gebhard Witt, head of Logistics & Service at Messe Friedrichshafen. At Fakuma, attention is focused above all on recycling the granulates and moulded parts produced at the event. “We were able to achieve a recycling quota of over 90% at the last Fakuma,” according to Witt. Due to the fact that best possible pre-fractionation takes place on site when trade fair waste is collected, the requirements specified by the Recycling Management Act can be easily met. Messe Friedrichshafen examines sustainability potential on an ongoing basis too, for example by monitoring and controlling water and energy consumption.

Efficient Use of Resources, Sustainability, Environmental Protection

Of course Fakuma also deals with the issues of environmental protection, sustainability, efficient use of resources and circular economy. Climate concerns, difficult plastic waste situations and the negative image of plastics are promoting the need to implement economical and gentle production processes and to implement effective, broad-ranging recycling management. It will only be possible to master the plastic waste problem at the global level by means of higher recycling rates and improved efficiency in waste management. Factual clarification and a differentiated discussion with all parties involved in the value chain is necessary in this regard. Fakuma 2020 will be a highly interesting and indispensable platform which provides information concerning technology trends for environmentally compatible production, the use of recyclates and more efficient injection moulding processes.