Demographic growth, urbanisation, rising energy consumption, dwindling resources and climate change – there are a host of challenges to master. The global situation calls for creative minds, innovative technology and high-performance materials. From 19 to 26 October, the international plastics and rubber industry will be meeting at K2016 in Düsseldorf and presenting its solutions. Some 3,100 exhibitors from almost 60 nations will be taking part and showing their products and services on more than 170,000 square metres of net exhibition space.

As always, K 2016 will occupy all the exhibition space at Messe Düsseldorf, with products and services on show in all of the venue’s 19 halls. The industry’s core business areas - machines and equipment (halls 1 to 4 and halls 9 to 17), raw materials and auxiliaries, semi-finished products, technical parts and reinforced plastics (in halls 5 to 8b) and services have been neatly grouped in the various halls:

The ‘Rubber Road’ in hall 6 is a permanent fixture at K and 12 companies will be participating in this ‘shop window’ of the rubber sector.

The special show ‘Plastics shape the future’ will spotlight how polymer materials have shaped the appearance of our modern world – not just functionally but also in terms of aesthetics and sustainability. This event deals with economic and environmental performance as well as addressing problems such as marine litter.

At the heart of the upcoming Science Campus will be four central issues that are expected to dramatically affect the development of the industry’s markets for the next few years. These are resource efficiency, digitalisation of the value chain / Industry 4.0, new materials, and lightweight construction.

Launched at K2013, the Design Chain Conference met with very positive feedback. This time, the Design Chain@K conference will again provide insight into practical and technical aspects of innovations in the design chain. The event gives designers and materials producers a chance to show how polymers are used in different product applications. The programme includes examples from the automotive and medical industries, consumer electronics and packaging.