ITPLAST Ottobre 2022 | Page 13

Eeditorial
| by Paolo Spinelli

Eeditorial

EDITORIAL

| by Paolo Spinelli

K is back , the most important fair in the global plastics industry . Amidst the various crises and difficulties , there is still room for optimism . If there ’ s one thing for certain in our industry , it is that life ( professionally speaking ) is measured in K ’ s . And this not just a way of defining the length of one ’ s career in the sector , given that this event , about to be held in Düsseldorf once again , continues to be the most important in the world for the plastics industry . The data confirm this : K is the number one in terms of exhibitors , visitors and display area . But , above all , it leads the field for the quality of what it offers : all the top international names attend , bringing along the best technology in the field of equipment and materials . Italian companies feature prominently here , being second in number only to those from the host country . That said , some still complain that the fair is too costly , too extensive , and that there ’ s just too much of everything : “ How on earth will they find us in the middle of all those stands ?” These are the criticisms most often levelled at this German exhibition . And yet , there is no other event that even comes close to its renown and prestige . In fact , while other fairs have gradually undergone a significant downsizing , K has grown stronger . This is thanks to

AND SO , WHAT K WILL IT BE FOR YOU ? organisers that , as they show year after year , clearly know what they are doing . But it is also thanks to German industry , which , displaying a spirit of collaboration that could teach us a great deal , never fails to support events and initiatives staged on home territory , in this as in other sectors . This is part of how leaderships are built . This year , of course , there are more question marks than usual , due to the war in Ukraine , the persistence of the pandemic , the difficulties in procuring materials and components , and the skyrocketing energy costs . All are factors that would significantly affect the performance of any sector , and can influence the outcome of a fair . Nevertheless , there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic . The circular economy has entered and become a dominant topic at the fair , which likely explains the presence of many of the exhibitors . The new developments unveiled by the exhibitors will inevitably highlight the issues of sustainability and recycling too . So , enjoy the fair everyone ! Have a good K !

P . S . For the record , this year will be my eighth K .
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Italian technology plast / October 2022
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