K turns 70: how the plastics fair became the world’s No. 1 trade fair with environmental responsibility

This year sees us celebrate not one but two anniversaries at Messe Düsseldorf. While Messe Düsseldorf already turns 75, the world’s leading trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry – K, can look back on 70 successful trade fair years. For K – just like for the entire plastics industry – this period was marked by change: while in 1952 it was still a general-interest fair presenting rain capes and plastic tiles, the exhibiting companies quickly specialised in the development of high-tech plastics for medicine or aerospace. In 1963 this development led to its transformation into a special-interest trade fair with international appeal, where the first plastic body for passenger cars mass-produced in Germany could be admired, to name but one exhibit. Today, the most important topic of the century is in focus, sustainability – put into practice by amongst others the K topics Circular Economy and Climate Protection.

Numerous fairs experienced this trend – moving away from general-interest exhibitions towards special-interest trade fairs. In Düsseldorf this development started shortly after Messe Düsseldorf was founded – back then still called ‘Nordwestdeutsche Ausstellungsgesellschaft mbH’ (NOWEA – North-West German Exhibitions Ltd) – on 7 January 1947!

Today, the around 40 trade fairs as well as partner and guest events in Messe Düsseldorf’s national portfolio – including the leading global trade fairs drupa, interpack, MEDICA, COMPAMED, REHACARE, CARAVAN SALON, tube and wire – bring between 1 and 1.5 million guests to the Rhine. And this is not only a huge success for us as organisers but it also benefits local business; after all, trade fairs and congresses in Düsseldorf generate turnover of Euro 1.66 billion.

“Messe Düsseldorf has provided presentation and networking platforms for 75 years enabling successful business. We get the feedback time and again: the relevance of trade fairs continues unabated. This benefits not only the exhibiting companies of the individual sectors but also the economy at the location,” adds Wolfram N. Diener, President & CEO of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH.

The most recent example is K 2022, which attracted 3,037 exhibitors from 157 countries and celebrated its first edition from 11 to 19 October 1952. The timing of its inception could not have been better – as this was the time the economic miracle was gathering momentum and people were looking to the future with confidence. In the beginning, people still enjoyed modest comfort, but living standards and demands then rose.

And which material qualified as an allrounder for all of these areas of life at that time? Plastics. Polymer materials and products not only offer versatility – above all they come at comparatively favourable prices. At the first K in 1952 the versatility of plastic products was put in the spotlight for the first time. The 270 exhibiting companies from Germany welcomed a total of 165,000 visitors and showcased plastic products of use everywhere – and so both outdoor enthusiasts and lovers of interior design got their money’s worth.

Over the following years the industry as a whole grew more specialized and K became established as the world’s No. 1 trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry. While initially focusing on ongoing improvements to machinery performance and ever increasing output for more and more applications, in 2019 the industry unanimously took on new topics of the greatest relevance: solutions revolving around environmental compatibility, resource conservation and waste avoidance have been centre stage ever since.

Remembering K 2019, Thomas Franken, Director K, Plastics & Rubber at Messe Düsseldorf, says: “The sector underlined the need for a functioning circular economy along the complete resource chain and already presented concrete solutions.”