Flying high and more: fascinating highlights at Fakuma 2024!

This year’s Fakuma, the international trade fair for plastics processing, will be reaching new heights in the literal sense of the word from 15 to 19 October 2024: For example, Career Friday participants can win one of two vouchers for a 60-minute zeppelin flight for two. The programme also includes other attractive highlights: the second edition of the ‘Round Table at Fakuma’ discussion format, this time on the topic of ‘Digitalisation – Top or Flop?’, a future-oriented start-up area, an exhibitor forum with top-class expert presentations and the presentation of the ‘cradle to cradle’ design concept at the opening press conference.

The plastics processing industry is looking forward to the highlight of the autumn – Fakuma 2024 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. It will be the 29th iteration of this international trade event, which is one of the most important trade fairs of the year for many companies. The industry highlight in the form of a hands-on trade fair maintains a familiar atmosphere with a high degree of internationality. ‘Last year, we welcomed 1,636 visitors from 40 countries in twelve halls, with foreign participants making up 38 per cent, and similar numbers are expected this year,’ says Annemarie Schur, Fakuma project manager for exhibition organiser P. E. Schall. ‘Twelve halls plus the two East and West foyers will be in use for the event. As always, Friedrichshafen will be packed and we’re looking forward to it!’

Career Friday: Discover plastics processing and win a zeppelin flight

For the first time this year, the exhibition organiser, the exhibitor advisory board and the exhibitors are organising a Career Friday for pupils, students and young professionals under the motto ‘Mould your dreams, mould your future’. The campaign aims to inform young people about career opportunities in the plastics industry and teach them about plastics at the same time. ‘Plastics are enormously important. They are indispensable and they also offer career opportunities – this is what we want to talk about on Career Friday,’ explains Bettina Schall, managing director for exhibition organiser P. E. Schall. ‘The exhibitors will provide young visitors to the trade fair with an insight into the world of plastics processing, product development, new technologies and work processes. This will spark a great deal of enthusiasm for plastics and people will want to get involved in this industry of the future,’ says the trade fair manager confidently. ‘All pupils, teachers, students, young professionals and young people are cordially invited to visit Fakuma on 18 October 2024!’ As many of the target audience as possible are encouraged to attend, as a spectacular flight awaits: participants of the career information day can win one of two vouchers for a 60-minute zeppelin flight for two. The winners will be drawn on 18 October at 4pm.

The campaign is already taking shape. Plastics Europe Germany is preparing a guided tour: the theme is ‘Circular Economy’, and takes participants on a tour of the trade fair along the entire value chain from granulate to product and back again. Participants can expect many exciting encounters on their journey.

‘Round Table at Fakuma 2024’: Experts discuss digitalisation

Another highlight of this year’s trade fair is the second edition of the ‘Round Table at Fakuma’ on Tuesday, 15 October 2024 at 4pm. This time, the panel will be discussing digitalisation in plastics processing. Under the heading ‘Digitalisation – Top or Flop?’, a select group of experts will discuss which digital tools can really help the plastics industry meet the challenges ahead.

The five panellists, Prof. Dr Michael Braungart, founder and scientific director of BRAUNGART EPEA, Philipp Lehner, CEO of the ALPLA Group, Guido Frohnhaus, Managing Director for Technology at Arburg, Prof. Dr-Ing. Hans-Josef Endres from the Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy at Leibniz University Hanover and Prof. Dr-Ing. Thomas Seul from the Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences, will assess the state of digitalisation in the industry. The panel will examine the extent to which digitalisation offers solutions in the areas of sustainability and the shortage of skilled workers. The Fakuma roundtable will be moderated by Dipl.-Ing. Markus Lüling, editor-in-chief of K-Profi. All interested parties are invited to attend the discussion; participation is free of charge.

Future-oriented topics – Start-ups with novel approaches

Fakuma will also give new impetus to the goal of sustainability. This means designing products holistically and promoting recycling and degradability. ‘Design for recycling’, for example, is becoming more tangible in the way products get made. The increasing use of circular rather than fossil raw materials is also a key aspect. Sustainable solutions for packaging, recycling compounds and metal substitutes will be on show, as will grinding and crushing machinery, cooling systems and energy-efficient tool temperature control technology, process monitoring and data acquisition systems, and innovations in industrial 3D printing. Trade visitors can expect to see ground-breaking ideas on how to tackle the specific challenges facing the industry in the start-up area and exhibitor forum. Fakuma has traditionally been a platform where processors can get answers to their questions and learn how to improve their operations and position themselves optimally for the future.

The big goals: greater efficiency and sustainability

Efficiency is clearly a key focus at Fakuma 2024 on several levels: even greater energy efficiency, absolute resource efficiency, consistent process efficiency, and even greater plant operating efficiency. The challenge is performing many tasks simultaneously. But at a time when there is a shortage of skilled labour and costs are rising, plastics processors need to pull out all the stops to realise their potential. This is the only way that they will be able to survive in a competitive environment. This is why we can also expect to see exciting innovations in injection moulding technology. In addition to increasing efficiency, the goals of process stability, reproducibility and minimising set-up times are also driving development. After all, the ultimate goal is to achieve the lowest possible unit cost. Plastics processors achieve this through technical and organisational measures, as well as investment. The exhibitors at Fakuma have the right solutions to address these needs.

Products in the material cycle: ‘From cradle to cradle’

Also eagerly anticipated is the presentation by Prof. Dr Michael Braungart at the opening press conference, which will focus on the ‘cradle to cradle’ design concept. Braungart’s aim is to develop products and production processes in such a way that waste is no longer a problem. Material consumption should not only be harmless to people and nature – more than that, it should also be useful for other material cycles. Products should function in such a way that there is no unnecessary waste, but only useful raw materials – with materials serving as ‘nutrients’ in closed cycles.

‘Together with all of our exhibitors and trade visitors, we are very much looking forward to Fakuma 2024,’ says Bettina Schall. ‘It promises many interesting approaches and new paths in the field of plastics which are important for both the industry and society. The trade fair will help bring the issues of production efficiency and sustainability to life and take them to a new level. Come join us – you are cordially invited!’