BPF reports on Fakuma 2009

The British Plastics Federation for the first time exhibited at Fakuma, a trade fair for plastics processing, held annually in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Neighboring with Austria and Switzerland, set in a beautiful location by the Lake Constance, the five day event took place on the 13th October and celebrated its 20th edition. The fair spread over 910,00 square feet of the modern Friedrichshafen Exhibition Centre.

The show has grown from a relatively small regional one, focused on Injection Moulding to an event which plays truly important role in the plastics calendar. With over 1500 exhibitors from 30 countries, the show justifies claims
of being the ‘ International trade fair for plastics processing’.

Out of the fifteen UK companies listed in the show catalogue, some exhibited independently whilst others participated alongside their German agent or distributor. The BPF as an Accredited Trade Organisation has successfully applied for the UK T&I grants, which means that five of the British firms, which were eligible for the support, will receive £1000 towards the stand cost.

Tim Marsden, the BPF’s Project Executive, presented at two Seminars run alongside the Trade Fair. One of these entitled ‘Innovations in Moulding: a UK Perspective’ was organised by the Materials KTN on the 16th of October and featured a presentation on the current European Polymer Projects( presentations available to view on HERE )



Images from Fakuma 2009

With over 37,000 visitors reported by the show organiser in the official post show report, the exhibition halls were certainly busy. Neverteless, the personal feeling of some of the previous year participants was that the number of enquiries and potential leads was down from last year. What probably didn’t help was that the show catalogue listed exhibitors in alphabetical order and not by their category.

The next Fakuma will not take place in 2010 as it would coincide with the K show, the world largest plastics trade fair, held in Dusseldorf from 27th October. Therefore, the date of following Fakuma show has been announced as 18th to 22nd October 2011.