The heart of our industry beats at the pace of K!

Iranpolymer- According to Baspar, Erhard Wienkamp, Executive Director of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH in an exclusive interview with Baspar speaks about K Show and especially upcoming K 2016.

Baspar – Please introduce yourself and briefly describe your activities for Messe Düsseldorf and the K trade fair.

Wienkamp: In 1993 I started my career with Messe Düsseldorf as a Project Director for several capital goods trade fairs including K and interpack. In 2002 I was appointed to the board of management of our company and at present I am in charge of parts of our company’s international activities as well as our global plastics & rubber trade fair portfolio. This is why I am also responsible for the Düsseldorf engagement at Iran Plast.

Baspar –Please tell us something about the history of Messe Düsseldorf and let us know which tasks and/or aims Messe Düsseldorf is pursuing?

Wienkamp: Established in 1947, the Messe Düsseldorf Group has developed into what is now one of the world’s leading export platforms. At the Düsseldorf location it organises to the tune of 50 trade fairs – 24 of them are the N°1 events in their industry – especially in the areas of expertise machinery, plant and equipment, retail, skilled crafts and services, medicine and health. Add to this some 80 to 100 of its own events, participations and commissioned events abroad. Generating EUR 302 million sales in 2015, the Messe Düsseldorf Group is among the 10 best-selling trade fair organisers worldwide. Sales bases for 132 countries, such as  Fujan Rahbaran Aati Co. Ltd. in Teheran for example, and subsidiaries in 8 countries form the global network of the group. As a partner for industry we operate on all continents.

Baspar –When was K held for the first time?

Wienkamp: In 1952. The German plastics industry was still being reconstructed, the age of mass-producing plastics had just been rung in. The aim pursued by the young industry was to “build an image” in the positive sense of the word. Companies and associations therefore decided jointly with Messe Düsseldorf to launch K as an event to showcase the operational excellence and versatility of polymer materials. With the triumphant march of polymers the K fair developed from the “Miracle of Plastics” – this was the title of K52 – to the No. 1 in its industry and the world market for plastics and rubber.

Baspar –Which event year was the most memorable one for you?

Wienkamp: Each K year had its specific highlights and was all about some outstanding technological developments or influential economic conditions – both positive and negative. Now I am looking forward to K 2016. Already in the run-up to the event it is clear that exhibitors have a plethora of innovations in store that offer their customers real added value. The latest developments in Industry 4.0 should prove particularly exciting here. The possibility of supporting production with modern digitisation and the networking of machines in the process opens up new avenues for plastics and rubber processors for faster production ramp-up, for flexible manufacturing but also for quality assurance and maintenance.  

 

Baspar – How man exhibitors and visitors do you expect to attend the coming trade fair? What are the side events supporting K 2016 and what is K’s motto this year?

Wienkamp: More than 3,200 exhibitors from 60 nations will participate in K 2016. Again the vendors from Europe and North America, who are deemed technology leaders in many areas of the plastics and rubber industry, will be very strongly represented. At the same time, K is a mirror image of the changes affecting the global market: the number and presentation area of companies from Asia have risen clearly for several years now. Especially China, Taiwan, India, Japan and South Korea are making impressive entrances. The diversity and international origin of companies ensure that the big themes of the industry – especially energy, resource and material efficiency – are catered to as well as special segments.

The fact that K has always kept pace with technological developments is also reflected in the programme of expert side events. The Special Show “Plastics Shape the Future”, the Science Campus, the Bioplastics Business Breakfasts, the Design Chain Conference and an extensive range of information provided with reference to additive manufacturing themes entitled “3D fab+print” all place special aspects and themes of the industry in the limelight and allow visitors to obtain targeted information. Details on all events forming part of the programme of side events can be found online at www.k-online.com.

Baspar – Since when has there been an Iranian presence at K fair as either visitors or exhibitors? And since when (the precise year) as exhibitors?

Wienkamp: We have registered visitors from Iran for decades now. 1995 also saw the first Iranian exhibitor take part; since then companies from Iran have exhibited at every K.   

Baspar – How do you rate the participation of Iranian companies at this trade fair? What year did you post the largest participation of Iranian exhibitors? Did the sanctions against Iran impact the Iranian participations at this trade fair?

Wienkamp: The participation of Iranian exhibitors greatly enhances the event – without them the world-encompassing ranges would not be complete for trade visitors. This year we have registered the largest participation from your country so far: twelve Iranian companies will present their products and services on net exhibition space of around 750 square metres.  It is positive to note the sanctions against Iran have diminished neither the interest from your country nor the interest in products from your country. It is true though that the business relations between western companies and Iran were, of course, subject to heavy restrictions.  

 

Baspar –This year saw a cooperation between Messe Düsseldorf and Iran Plast. Will this cooperation be continued?

Wienkamp: Most definitely! I am firmly convinced that by making joint efforts we can substantially expand our cooperation and thereby produce positive effects for Iran Plast.

Baspar – How do you see the future of the K trade fair? Might the growth of the Chinaplas trade fair prove dangerous for K and in future see it eclipsed by Chinaplas?

Wienkamp: I am extremely optimistic about the future of K in Düsseldorf although some other industry events also post high exhibitor numbers. K has been the debut platform for the global plastics and rubber industry for more than six decades now, and no other trade fair generates such a host of impulses. The CEO of one of our major exhibitors once summed it up very aptly: “The heart of our industry beats at the pace of K!” For months now companies around the globe have already been working towards the beginning of the trade fair – 19 October – so as to present themselves with forward-looking new developments in Düsseldorf. These two factors – the enormous density of innovations across all sectors of the industry and the high percentage of international exhibitors and visitors – are K’s USPs. And this will not change in the foreseeable future.   

Baspar -Thank you.