K 2022 scientific council established

Düsseldorf, Germany – Renewable energies, resource-saving processes, climate neutrality – major challenges need to be overcome.  These global tasks require creative minds, innovative technologies and high-performance materials. From October 19 – 26, 2022 the international plastics and rubber industry will meet at K 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany to present their contributions for a solution. As the world’s most relevant trade fair for the sector and industrial applications, K will address the key trends and topics of the future, giving the industry new guidance especially in these challenging times. It will be the innovation and business platform for raw material producers, manufacturers of plastics and rubber machinery and processing companies as well as an indispensable information and networking platform for the most important user segments. 

K 2022 will also offer the plastics and rubber industries ideal conditions for discussing and actively tackling current challenges on a global level, with a focus on solutions. This is also evident by the three leading themes of K 2022: climate protection, circular economy and digitalization. These topics, which will have a lasting impact on the development of the plastics and rubber world in the coming years, will be addressed by the exhibitors’ displays as well as in the official special show “Plastics Shape the Future”, the Circular Economy Forum and the Science Campus at the trade show.

Highly qualified support for shaping the key themes will be provided by a high-ranking panel of experts – the K 2022 Scientific Council. This council already met in July and November 2021 in order to elicit the most important aspects of the individual key themes, formulate current and forward-looking issues, and set the course for implementation at the trade show.

Members of the K 2022 Scientific Council:

Prof. Dr. – Ing. Christian Bonten, University of Stuttgart, Head of the Institute for Plastics Technology (IKT)

Prof. Dr. – Ing. Hans-Josef Endres, Leibnitz University Hannover,Institute for Plastics and Circular Technology

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Giese, German Institute for Rubber Technology (DIK) Hannover, Executive Board

Univ. – Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Hopmann, RWTH Aachen, Head of the Institute for Plastics Processing

Univ. Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. mont. Reinhold W. Lang, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Institute for Polymer Materials and Testing

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Bernhard Rieger, TU München, WACKER-Chair for Macro-molecular Chemistry

Prof. Dr. – Ing. Alois K. Schlarb, Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Chair for Composites

Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Schmidt, University Bayreuth, Chair for Macro-molecular Chemistry I

   The scientists have already developed a comprehensive list of aspects to be considered. This includes recycling of composites, standardization of recyclates, microparticles in the environment, biodegradable plastics, CO2 as a polymer component, digital markers, digitalization as an enabler for circular economy, lightweight construction and e-mobility.    In addition to focusing on the key themes, the K 2022 Scientific Council also explicitly supports measures to promote young talent in the plastics and rubber industry.