Official special exhibition "Plastics shape the future" addresses the key themes of climate protection, circular economy, and digitalization

K2019 (Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann)

K2019 (Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann)

K2019 (Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann)

K2019 (Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann)

K2019 (Photo: Messe Düsseldorf / ctillmann)

Every three years, and so again this autumn, the global plastics industry gathers for its most important industry event: From October 19 to 26, 2022, the world's leading trade fair K in Düsseldorf presents innovations and breakthroughs from all industry sectors – from production, through processing, to machinery manufacturing. The central hub for critical information exchange, ideas, and opinions is once again the official special exhibition "Plastics shape the future" in Hall 6. The focus of this special exhibition, led by the Plastics Europe Germany (PED) Association of Plastic Manufacturers and Messe Düsseldorf, are the three groundbreaking themes of K 2022: Climate protection, circular economy, and digitalization.

Progress begins in Düsseldorf

In engaging formats, high-profile guests from politics, science, industry, and NGOs inform and discuss economic, social, and ecological challenges and solutions related to the three main themes of K – bridging the gap between corporate trade fair presentations and the societal agenda of K 2022. Ingemar Bühler, Managing Director of PED, sums it up: "These are truly exciting times: At the 'Plastics shape the future' special exhibition, we will clearly demonstrate this year where our industry is accelerating in terms of greenhouse gas neutrality and circularity. But we also listen carefully to what critical experts are telling us and what solutions are being proposed. "Bühler further states: "It is undisputed that there is still room for improvement on the path to defossilization within our industry, especially regarding raw material sources and recycling. We want to improve here – and K 2022 is the place to generate fresh ideas and, with them, many innovative solutions that today may still seem unthinkable for tomorrow."

No avoiding the issue, listen up!

The core of "Plastics shape the future" consists of seven theme days with lectures, keynote speeches, and panel discussions on the three main themes. Starting with the opening of the fair on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, the K-Forum will directly address key industry topics and challenges. For example, it will focus on implementing the results of the Reshaping Plastics report, presented in April 2022 by the European think tank SystemIQ. This report outlines several scenarios to increase the circularity of plastics and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. The subsequent theme days will cover, among other things, concrete pathways for the plastics industry toward greenhouse gas neutrality or plastics as enablers for the energy transition. In this way, the special exhibition enriches the extensive and societally highly relevant exhibition offerings of K 2022.