From 19 to 26 October, a Circular Economy Forum will be held at K in Düsseldorf, touted as the world’s number one trade fair for plastics and rubber. The VDMA (German Engineering Federation) and 13 of its member companies will illustrate the role of technology in the implementation of the circular economy in the plastics sector on the outdoor grounds between Halls 10 and 16.

In addition to their exhibition hall booths, all of the participating firms are represented at the Circular Economy Forum. Arburg, Coperion, Engel, Erema, Kurtz-Ersa, Lindner, R-Cycle, and Vecoplan will be present with its own pavilions, while Battenfeld Cincinnati, Leonhard Kurz, Plasmatreat, Sumitomo (SHI) Demag, and Wittmann Battenfeld will be present at the Forum's combined stand. Visitors may watch how plastic waste is transformed into high-quality regranulates or how recyclates are processed into functional, and recyclable items using various processing processes while machines are working.

The Circular Economy Forum addresses three of K 2022's key topics: circular economy, climate protection, and digitalisation. Because, in addition to recycling plastic items, advanced technology is necessary to optimise production operations and make them more efficient, without digitalisation, no method is feasible. It enables digital product passports and globally applicable traceability standards, for example.

The connecting of all components in the production line is seen as a necessity for process optimisation. Concerning data interchange between machines, the VDMA has launched a demonstration that makes live data from integrated machines available through OPC UA at the VDMA Dome and retrievable via smartphone.

The VDMA Dome which is located in the heart of the forum, will once again serve as an information and gathering centre. It will, however, give an overview of key technologically significant process steps in the plastic circular economy. Nearly 40 firms with over 50 submissions will exhibit their technological highlights for the Circular Economy via "The Machine" display.

Technologies range from sorting, shredding, washing, and regranulating to the most important converting processes (injection moulding, extrusion, blow moulding, foaming, and additive manufacturing), not to mention downstream process steps like ultrasonic welding, surface treatment, and thermoforming will also be demonstrated.

Messe Düsseldorf was first organised K in 1952, and after that it has been conducted every three years. The 2019 K included 3,330 exhibitors from 63 countries on 177,000 mt net exhibition space, as well as 224,116 trade visitors, 73% of whom were from outside Germany.