Fakuma 2020 Preparing for Take-Off

The 27th Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing is gearing up for its next edition from the 13th through the 17th of October, 2020. An implementation concept is currently being worked out in close cooperation amongst the responsible authorities, venue operator Messe Friedrichshafen and trade fair promoters P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG, in order to comply with all of the requirements resulting from the corona pandemic.

Expert visitors are anticipating Fakuma 2020 as an industry and technology barometer for modern plastics technologies. The trade fair is deemed the first port of call for injection moulding, extrusion technology, thermoforming and 3D printing. It presents innovations covering all aspects of materials, machines, peripherals, processes, simulation, procedures, technologies and tools for plastics processing. Nothing is as usual this year due to the corona pandemic – numerous trade fairs have been cancelled. But Fakuma is on the starting line! With the declaration of intent issued by the state government of Baden-Württemberg on 23 June 2020, which states that trade fairs with more than 1000 participating persons will once again be permitted as of the 1st of September, trade fair promoters P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG and their project team for organising Fakuma 2020 will switch from the compulsory waiting mode to the aggressive implementation mode. Closely coordinated amongst the responsible authorities, venue operator Messe Friedrichshafen and trade fair promoters P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG, an implementation concept is currently being developed which should be submitted for approval in just a few days. Schall’s stated goal is to be able to give exhibitors and cooperation partners the go-ahead for Fakuma 2020 no later than the end of July 2020.

Final Go-Ahead Expected for End of July

The exhibitors, the event’s cooperation partners and the expert visitors have all been waiting a long time for concrete information and assurances, but official regulations have necessitated a great deal of patience. Baden-Württemberg’s Ministry of Economics and Ministry of Social Affairs have prepared hygiene rules for trade fairs which serve as a benchmark for further planning on the part of trade fair facility operators and trade fair promoters. “Our trade fair venues already provide high levels of controllability. They’re already well prepared. For example by means of access control with registration by name, limitation of the number of participants, visitor flow control relative to the size of the room or hall and ventilation concepts for indoor areas,” explained Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Baden-Württemberg’s Minister of Economic Affairs. The number of visitors who attend big trade fairs should be viewed in a differentiated manner because not all visitors attend the event at the same time. On the contrary, visitor flow is distributed over any given trade fair day, as well as over the entire duration of the event, thus making controlled management readily possible.

Fakuma 2020: Current and Future Issues

Digitalisation, connectivity, extended process integration and system solutions for equipment and peripherals have now arrived at the plastics processing machines as well. Of course Fakuma also deals with the issues of environmental protection, sustainability, efficient use of resources and circular economy. 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. Fakuma 2020 will also be an indispensable platform for the issue of bioplastics.