Fakuma 2014 is entirely booked out with 1,288 exhibitors

According to the organiser, the numerous participants come from 32 industrial nations and will occupy more floor space than ever, which in turn will result in fully booked out exhibition halls at the Friedrichshafen Exhibition Centre on Lake Constance. Relative to the global market and based on the technological and commercial market leadership of German companies, Germany will be represented at the event with 675 exhibitors, followed by Italy with 72 manufacturers and distributors, and Switzerland with 66 companies. Austria, China and the Netherlands place fourth, fifth and sixth with 27, 24 and 22 companies respectively.

As has also been the case in the past, there is no lack of technological innovations in the field of plastics in 2014, says P. E. Schall. This is made plainly apparent by trends such as energy and material-saving production and processing of plastics, expanding use of composite materials, improved precision injection moulding of components used in micro-technology and medical engineering, advancing functions integration despite miniaturisation and components/modules with ever thinner walls, new applications for rotation moulding technology like the thermoforming process, and last but not least 3D printing.

Beyond this, Fakuma is also benefiting from a sizable influx of suppliers who cover the entire process sequence, “from product development through rapid prototyping and tool making, right on up to series production”, says the organiser.