Industry-leading innovations from 3,200+ exhibitors at K 2019

The dynamic global plastics industry has geared up for K 2019, the World’s No. 1 Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber, in Düsseldorf, Germany from 16 to 23 October 2019. As has been the tradition, K will again be the performance barometer and global innovations marketplace for the entire industry with its more than 3,200 exhibitors from over 60 countries occupying approximately 178,000 m² of net exhibition space. An estimated 200,000 trade visitors from throughout the world are expected to witness this important event.   

 

Many highlights of this mega exposition are aimed at providing a glimpse of industry-changing technologies that will drive the move toward circular economy. As part of its programme of side events K 2019 focuses on current and explosive topics of relevance to plastics. Four hot topics have been chosen for K 2019 by the academics and experts from the K 2019 Innovation Group: Plastics for Sustainable Development & Circular Economy, Digitization and the Plastics Industry 4.0, System Integration: Functionality through Material, Process and Design, and Young Talents in the Industry. 

 

 

As in the 2016 edition, “Plastics shape the future” once again sees itself as a central forum for exchange of information, ideas and opinions for both trade visitors and interested laypersons alike. Center stage this year is the innovative power of materials and the industry in terms of resource-saving processes, digitalization, functionality, renewable energies, circular economy and sustainability. Also featuring on the agenda are 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 are the 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.

 

Another highlight is the preview of the future of robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) organized by young researchers at the FabLab Lübeck e.V.: at their own stand which demonstrates 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 organizers also brought 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.

 

K was held by Messe Düsseldorf for the first time in 1952. It takes place at three-year intervals. The last K in 2016 recorded 3,293 exhibitors from 61 countries, covered a net exhibition space of around 173,000 square metres and attracted 232,053 trade visitors, including 71 per cent from outside Germany.