Plastics processing in digitization mode

In the border triangle at Lake Constance, everything that is important in the world of plastics gathered for the 26th time at Fakuma – the international trade fair for plastics processing – which was once again fully booked from October 16 to 20. Both the international exhibitors and the private trade fair promoter P. E. Schall GmbH & Co KG were once again able to enjoy a great response to this groundbreaking event for plastics technology: 1,933 market and technology leaders from 40 nations presented themselves to 47,650 expert visitors from all over the world!

The proactive technology turnaround in plastics processing seems to be succeeding: New materials, more efficient manufacturing processes, 3D and 4D printing alternatives, digitized and automated production solutions, less energy consumption of machines and systems – these are just some of the adjusting screws that plastics processors have to turn today. The topic of sustainability with the aspects of recycling plastics, saving materials and “bio-materials” also came up more than ever at Fakuma. This is because the requirements of plastics customers such as the automotive industry and consumer goods and packaging manufacturers are becoming increasingly complex. Fakuma 2018 provided impressive proof that the “plastics experts” are well able to meet the new challenges, and that the most modern tools are available in all facets to enable them to work economically and in a way that conserves materials and resources!

The production of affordable yet robust lightweight structures was presented here, as was a broad portfolio of new materials. New machines, adapted molds, integrated quality assurance, controllable hydraulic or increasingly electric drives, and not to forget networkable and thus communication-capable control systems including software – the plastics industry is becoming more and more digital, which was demonstrated not least by the great demand for Industry 4.0-capable plants and systems.

The compact exhibition center in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance was once again completely booked out. The share of foreign manufacturers and suppliers is now more than 42 percent. Internationality has been on the rise for years. Last but not least, the hype surrounding 3D / 4D printing technology or additive manufacturing is attracting more and more suppliers from all corners of the globe. These complement the portfolio of Fakuma as the world’s leading trade fair for plastics processing with highly interesting solutions.

With 47,650 trade visitors from 126 countries, Fakuma ranks high in the professional world. The exhibitors agreed that the expertise of the visitors was high and that the technical discussions were of “high quality”. According to this, the participating companies expressed themselves consistently positive and more than satisfied. A clear positioning as a trade fair for plastics processing, and not as a polytechnical event for plastics topics, contributes significantly to Fakuma’s very good reputation as a professional meeting place for the industry. Another important factor in the success of the industry event is its strictly practical focus on the plastics processing process chain.

The economic growth of the plastics processing industries is only slowed down by the acute shortage of skilled workers. Consequently, expert meetings such as Fakuma are also increasingly being used for recruiting qualified personnel. The fact-based supporting program is an ideal opportunity to further your professional education and at the same time to meet interesting people. This year’s series of events, with 69 specialist presentations, offered trade visitors and exhibiting experts the perfect setting in which to obtain comprehensive information on a wide range of topics.