Technological watch

This year’s Fakuma will be postponed until next year. From the point of view of the trade fair organisers, the 27th Fakuma could have been held in Friedrichshafen from the 13th through the 17th of October, 2020. “Together with all involved parties, we struggled for a long time to amend the general conditions demanded by the corona pandemic in such a way that Fakuma 2020 could have been promoted successfully,” says Bettina Schall, managing director of P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG.

A hygiene and security concept was developed for safe trade fair promotion to this end. “We fulfilled all of the prerequisites. However, in cooperation with the exhibitor advisory board we’ve now decided to postpone Fakuma 2020 to 12 - 16 October, 2021.”

Rational Thinking, Care and a Sense of ResponsibilityBettina Schall emphasises that this decision is based on rational thinking and a sense of responsibility: “As trade fair promoters, we see ourselves as service providers for our exhibitors and expert visitors. Current uncertainties amongst exhibitors and visitors, for example with regard to travel and sending employees to events, are making it necessary to look to the year 2021 with pragmatism and confidence.” The fact that time is now running short also speaks in favour of postponement. Cooperation partners and expert visitors waited for a long time for concrete information, but official regulations and decision-making delays forced them to be patient. The time has now come to focus on the future: “Exhibitors and expert visitors alike should look ahead to building on the success of previous Fakuma trade fairs. This is why we’re now all working together on thorough, detailed planning for the upcoming year,” says Bettina Schall. The mutual decision taken by the exhibitor advisory board and the trade fair promoters to postpone Fakuma 2020 underscores their care and foresight, as well as their consideration for the interests of the exhibitors and expert visitors.

Fakuma – Approaching the Future with Important IssuesFakuma is deemed the first port of call for injection moulding, plastics extrusion technology, thermoforming and 3D printing. It presents innovations covering all aspects of materials, machines, peripherals, processes, simulation, procedures, technologies and tools, as well as plastics processing. The trade fair functions as an industry and technology barometer and is internationally networked. More and more attention is being focused in particular on the issues of environmental protection, sustainability, efficient use of resources, circular economy and bioplastics.