October 19, 2022
K – 2022 Show Germany!
The World’s Number One Trade Show for Plastics and Rubber Celebrates 70 Years
Unless you are totally new to the plastics industry, you are probably aware that every three years, the world of plastics meets in Düsseldorf. The world’s leading trade fair, referred to as the ‘K’ presents new products and the latest innovations from all industry sectors – from production to processing to mechanical engineering.
If you have not experienced the K show, it’s virtually impossible to comprehend the scale and enormity of the event. This year’s show will be my ninth event, and maybe I could be considered a veteran, but it still deserves and requires due respect and preparation. With over 17 massive halls, this is not an event for the unprepared novice. It is both a Disneyland and the Bermuda Triangle of plastic technologies.
We always recommend to K show newbies to plan, plan, plan and list their show objectives, map out the logistics of their route, and allow ample time for more than a passing glance at the exhibits. Otherwise, the show will simply consume all your time and energy. The show runs for eight days, but without a suitable plan, you could use another eight days and still not see it all. It may sound daunting, but it’s absolutely worth it, and anyone in the plastics industry will benefit from the experience.
The K in Düsseldorf
What began as a small consumer fair with many everyday products, such as nylon stockings, has developed into the world’s leading trade fair for the entire plastics and rubber industry. This year, K celebrates its 70th anniversary.
The K in Düsseldorf started small: the debut event “Wunder der Kunststoffe” (Miracles of Plastics) in 1952 registered 270 exhibiting companies – exclusively from Germany. They occupied approximately 150,000 ft² of net exhibition space.
At the premiere, 165,000 visitors marvelled, especially at the colourful consumer goods exhibited by plastics processors. From 1952 to 1959, K Düsseldorf was purely a showcase of the German industry.
The last K in 2019 recorded 3,330 exhibitors from 63 countries on 1.9 million ft² net exhibition space and 224,116 trade visitors, 73% of whom came from abroad.
The theme and central point for K-2022 are “Plastics shape the future,” focusing on three ground-breaking hot topics, climate protection, circular economy, and digitalization.
Circular Economy Forum
In recent years, no task has occupied the industry than the functioning circular economy for polymer materials. Consequently, the show will demonstrate how plastics can shape the future with plastics recycling, bioplastics, alternative raw materials and more.