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The numbers, features and highlights of K 2013
The numbers, features and highlights of K 2013
With more than 3000 exhibitors from all over the world, K confirms the most important trade show for plastic materials worldwide.
This fair showed the complete workflow of plastic materials: from raw materials to packaging. ML Engraving has took part to K for its first time and it is satisfied with the results. The fair gave the company the confirmation that many visitors already know the potential and the advantages of laser mold texturing. Many times ML Engraving was asked about quotation and timing and about technical problems.
The new booth of ML Engraving has drawn the attention of a large amount of visitors, that were attracted by the best of ML Engraving’s last products. The showpiece of the booth was Twizy, the electric vehicle symbol of the Zero Emission series by Renault. Twizy has attracted the visitor’s eyes for its unique design and its exclusive laser engraved surface textures.
The variety of products exhibited included different shapes and sizes, different surface textures and different materials such as ABS, PET, EVA, organic rubber, etc. The mold texturing techniques for thermoforming and blow moulding for packaging and bottles gained particular interest.
K in numbers
The number of visitors for 2013 reached 218.000 units, slightly decreasing compared with the 2010 edition. On the contrary, exhibitors are increasing with more than 3200 Companies, compared with the 3094 of 2010. The most represented category of the supply chain were the “machinery builders”: from extrusion to moulding. Amongst visitors from neighbouring European countries the Netherlands dominated with 9,600 visitors followed by France (some 8,700 experts), Belgium (about 7,200), Italy (about 6,100) and Great Britain(about 5,800). There was also a noticeable rise in interest from Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic.
Designchain @ K – Chris Lefteri
The 21st ans 22nd October took place an event in the event: the Design chain @ K. The focus of the 2-days conference was to make the diverse players of the plastic materials supply chain (product designers, raw materials manufacturers, mould shops, mold texturing suppliers, etc) come together to discuss among a broad range of contents.
Speakers were guided by Chris Lefteri, recognized throughout the world as a leading authority on materials and their application in product design. ML Engraving collaborated with Lefteri Design in order to study customized surface textures for top brands. Some of the most important themes of the relations were new materials, sustainability, brand identity, 3D printers for prototyping.
Science Campus and “Rubberstreet”
Promaplast organized a very interesting exposition dedicated to plastic. Many “historical” objects were showed to the public: the very famous LEGO (from the Danish “leg godt” – play well), that are produced since 1958 in plastic; “Grigio”, which is the first and more common telephone produced by Telecom Italia; the Sony walkman of 1972 and the first long play record, sold in USA in 1948.
One of the most awaited event was the Science Campus. For the first time, 16 universities, institutes and agencies came together in Hall 7.0 of the exhibition area in Düsseldorf to present pioneering technologies and solutions for central challenges faced by the plastics and rubber industry. At the communication and discussion forum the hosts discussed topical issues that concern the entire industry: surfaces, integration between materials and processes, light-weight engineering, renewable resources and scientific education.
Rubber too was a star during the fair, whit more than 400 dedicated exhibitors. In particular the “Rubberstreet“ , created in Pavilion 6 during every K trade show since 1983, attracted the interest of many visitors.
Next appointment will be K fair 2016, from the 19th till the 26th October. See you there!
03/12/2013