Fakuma 2011 closer and closer
Global offerings for plastics technology in top form - more than 1500 exhibitors from 34 countries (over 1000 from Germany) have already registered to participate at the 21st Fakuma.
Weight reduction, lightweight engineering, reduced materials consumption, efficient use of resources, production, material and energy efficiency, alternative materials – plastics and the associated processing methods provide conclusive answers again and again to currently significant issues such as these, which will become even more important in the future.
This became especially apparent in the wake of the crisis during 2009 and the beginning of 2010, as a new awareness evolved regarding the use of natural resources and, at the same time, rekindled competitive pressure necessitated new options for value creation. The plastics industry did its homework during and immediately following the crisis, and has thus been able to profit from the rapid upswing which had already begun in the middle of 2010, and continues even today. In order to assure sustainable success in all sectors, manufacturers of plastic processing machines and equipment, as well as raw materials producers, are keeping their noses to the grindstone.
This is made impressively apparent by the exhibitor list for the Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing, which will take place at its time-tested venue in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance from the 18th through the 22nd of October, 2011. 1564 exhibitors, of whom precisely 1056 come from Germany, have already made firm bookings for the 21st Fakuma.
According to Fakuma project manager Annemarie Lipp, further bookings are yet to be expected, because there’s strong demand above all from overseas (Asia and America) and from Turkey. Although all of the exhibition halls at the ultramodern exhibition centre in Friedrichshafen are fully occupied, a small amount of floor space has been set aside in the east and west entrance foyers to provide innovative new exhibitors with the opportunity of presenting their companies to the international expert visitors at Fakuma.
The theme park for “Plastics in Medical Engineering”, promoted for the first time in 2011, can be assigned to this category. On more than 5300 square feet in the west entrance foyer, specialists will exhibit their technologies, processes and solutions for the efficient production of medical products which, as everyone knows, have to be manufactured under special conditions.
Beyond this, an entirely different issue is making its way to the forefront to an ever greater extent, namely efficient recycling of plastics and plastic products, especially in light of the fact that plastics recyclers are expanding their capacity because in the end ever scarcer resources lead to a higher recycling quota and to more reprocessing of used materials, waste and residual materials from production.
Ultimately, more than just additional or new approaches to increasing efficiency in all areas of plastics processing result in combination with Fakuma’s broad-based, but nevertheless well focused, product and service offerings. Fakuma focuses its attention deliberately, and with lasting success, on plastics processing, and in doing so it represents worldwide hardware, software and service offerings for the field of plastics processing.
Last edition of Fakuma which held in October 2009 was characterised by stability and confidence despite tough times. More than 1500 exhibitors from over 30 countries occupied more than 910,000 square feet of overall exhibition floor space at the Friedrichshafen Exhibition Centre. 37,281 expert visitors from more than 90 countries gathered information on-site. Numerous exhibitors who came to Friedrichshafen with relatively low expectations reported well filled order books at the end of the event. In the opinion of all involved parties, Fakuma 2009 took place at precisely the right time and provided the market with powerful impetus for lasting business.
Fakuma 2009 has made it plainly apparent: The industry is not fixated solely on better times after the crisis, and is consistentl y paving the way for more productivity and efficiency now. And the next Fakuma from 18th through 22nd October 2011 will once again substantiate its qualities as a “plastics ambassador” and a “trailblazer for solutions with plastics”, which opens up tremendous future opportunities for the entire industry with regard to efficient use of resources, lightweight construction and energy efficiency. Innovative companies can shape their own economic situations as a result.
The 21st Fakuma will support all market players in their effort to emerge from the current economic low point stronger than ever. For this reason, interesting forums. workshops and special shows will round out the spectrum of offerings presented at Fakuma 2011.
Trade fair promoter P.E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG organises six different public exhibitions in Germany and 20 technical trade fairs at the international level. Motek (handling technology), Control (quality assurance) and Optatec (optical technologies) are the world’s leading events in their respective industries. Fakuma (plastics processing) and Blechexpo (sheet metal processing) are each considered number two throughout the world. Trade fairs held at the new Stuttgart Exhibition Centre including Motek, Control and Blechexpo, occupied roughly 1,990,000 square feet of floor space in a total of 15 halls in 2009. Approximately 3000 companies exhibited their products and services on 12 trade fair days. 75,000 international guests visited the trade fair halls in Stuttgart during this time. Depending upon which events take place in each respective year, the Schall group generates an annual turnover of about €28 million with roughly 40 employees.
