No sooner has one fair come to a close than the next one is around the corner – this is perhaps how Sepp Herberger would have put it had he been in the exhibition business and not a football coach. After the “K” year of 2019, “Fakuma” (www.fakuma-messe.de) is scheduled again for October 2020 in Friedrichshafen / Germany.

The 27th edition of this trade fair being staged on Lake Constance from 13 to 17 October 2020 will focus on the topics of resource efficiency, sustainability, digitisation and networking. Organiser P. E. Schall (Frickenhausen / Germany; www.schall-messen.de) announced that circular economy will be one of the most important topics to be covered by the fair, which has traditionally been geared to processing technologies.

Trade fair director Bettina Schall reports that the networking of different systems as well as forms of production that are sparing on resources and the environment were already issues of concern for machine builders at the last fair in 2018. “And these are now topics that have become central points of focus for the entire industry,” she said.

Since the sector is currently being driven by a problem of a completely different nature, however, the production and processing of recyclates is also set to be a key focus of interest. To solve the “problem concerning the industry’s reputation, which must be taken seriously,” Schall says it will be necessary to set up closed loops. This is all the more important, since, from the viewpoint of this hands-on working event, an increasing amount of plastics need to be used and doubtless will be used too.

As was the case for “K”, Schall is expecting more international visitors and exhibitors in the 2020 edition. The organiser reports that the available hall space of 85,000 m² has been fully booked. In 2018, exhibitor numbers totalled 1,933 – see Plasteurope.com of 25.10.2018. The next Fakuma aims to reach 2,000 companies exhibiting their products and services. Visitor numbers are also expected to remain stable at 48,000. This would already be a considerable success in light of other events taking place.

Whatever the lineup in Friedrichshafen in October, Plasteurope.com’s editorial teams will be keeping you fully up to speed with a practical focus in the “K-PROFI” daily updated visitor information.