K 2022 to focus on climate protection, circular economy and digitalization

Chicago, IL – From October 19 – 26, 2022, K will present new products and innovations from all sectors of the industry – from production and  processing to mechanical engineering. A central meeting point for the critical exchange of information, ideas and opinions will again be the official special show “Plastics shape the future“ in hall 6. The focus of this special show under the auspices of the plastics producers’ association Plastics Europe Deutschland (PED) and Messe Düsseldorf will be on the three key topics of K 2022: climate protection, circular economy and digitalization.

   In entertaining formats, high-profile guests from politics, science and the industry as well as NGOs will inform and discuss economic, social, and environmental challenges and solutions around the leading themes of K 2022 – thus connecting the trade fair presentations of the exhibitors with the social agenda of K. Ingemar Bühler, Managing Director of PED, commented: “These are really exciting times: at this year’s K special show, we make it clear where our industry shifts into the turbo mode in terms of greenhouse gas neutrality and circularity. But we also listen carefully to what critical experts tell us and which solutions are being proposed to us. It is undisputed that our industry still has some catching up to do on the path to decarbonization, for example in terms of raw material supply or recycling. Here, we want to improve – and the K 2022 trade fair is the right place to come up with fresh ideas which help is to drive many innovative solutions of tomorrow that are allegedly still unthinkable today.”

   At the center of “Plastics shape the future” are seven theme days with speeches, keynotes, and panel discussions on the three K hot topics climate protection, circular economy and digitalization. At the start of the trade fair on October 19, key topics and challenges of the industry will be directly addressed at the K-Forum. For example, it will focus on the implementation of the results of the “Reshaping Plastics” report presented by the European think-tank SystemIQ in April 2022. The report outlines several scenarios for increasing the circularity of plastics and reducing the greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. The following theme days will also focus on the plastics industry’s concrete paths towards greenhouse gas neutrality and on plastics as enablers of the clean energy transition. This will ensure that the special show will enrich the extensive and socially highly relevant range of exhibits at K 2022.