Innovation Compass shows route to the highlights of K 2010

To make it even easier to find all of these many new developments, a tool is currently being developed that will show the direct route to all the highlights – the Innovation Compass. Under www.k-online.de, it will enable users to tailor their own visit to K 2010, making sure that they can make the most of their time at the trade fair.

The Innovation Compass will go live some six weeks before the trade fair opens its doors. It offers a search matrix for innovations that can bring major improvements or even fundamental changes, thus making it possible to generate real competitive advantages.

In developing and implementing the Innovation Compass, Messe Düsseldorf and the Exhibitors Council of K2010 will be supported by the newly set up Scientific Council for the event. Prof. Dr. Volker Altstädt of Bayreuth University, Prof. Dr. Hartwig Höcker, professor emeritus of RWTH Aachen University, Prof. Dr. Matthias Rehahn of TU Darmstadt and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Wortberg of Duisburg-Essen University have defined the main themes for the search matrix and the acceptance criteria for the Innovation Compass. In doing so they were actively assisted by the representatives of the organisations supporting K Düsseldorf – PlasticsEurope Deutschlande.V., the Plastics and Rubber Machinery Association within VDMAe.V., Gesamtverband Kunststoffverarbeitende Industriee.V. (GKV) (the Central Federation of the Plastics Processing Industries – GKV), and Wirtschaftsverband der deutschen Kautschukindustriee.V. (WdK) (Association of the German Rubber Industry – WdK).

The main themes of the Innovation Compass cover products and processes which will have a decisive impact on market trends in the plastics and rubber industry over the coming years. For Raw materials/auxiliaries, these are:

• Optimisation of standard plastics and rubber
• Plastics made from renewable resources
• Modification of plastics and rubbers with nanoscale particles
• Functionalised plastics, components and surfaces
• Plastics and rubber for lightweight structures, incl. foams
• Fibre composites and their processing
• Materials/hybrids

The Machinery/Equipment segment covers the following topics:

• Faster manufacturing processes
• Increased throughput
• Faster production changeover times
• Integrated manufacturing processes
• Optimisation of subprocesses
• Energy efficiency
• Materials efficiency

Exhibitors at K2010 who have innovative contributions to make to the above main themes with their products, processes or applications can be included in the Innovation Compass. This gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their performance capability by posting selected exhibits and to measure their innovative power against that of the sector leaders. Interested companies describe their products and explain why they constitute innovations in relation to the associated theme. Trade visitors, on the other hand, can gain insights into new developments in the areas of importance to them even before K2010 opens its doors, contact the suppliers in advance, and learn more about these exhibits at the trade fair itself.

Exhibiting companies can submit their contributions starting in June 2010, with the assurance that no contribution will be published before September 2010.

For more information on the Innovation Compass contact. Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, Ludwig König, tel. +492114560655 , e-mail koenigl@messe-duesseldorf.de.