Extrusion International USA 1-2019

PREVIEW 34 Extrusion International 1/2019 Converting Industry faces Diverse Challenges of Sustainability, Individual Customer Demands and New Technologies From12 – 14March 2019, the convert- ing industry will gather for the 11th edition of ICE Europe, the World’s Leading Exhibition for Paper, Film & Foil Converting, at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany. This year’s ICE Europe will be bigger than ever. With 11,500 m 2 net floor space, the booked stand space has grown by 4% compared to figures from 2017. In addition, the number of exhibitors increased by 6 %. More than 450 ex- hibitors will present their innovations and latest technologies at ICE Europe 2019. The most important trends at the show will be digitalisation, indi- vidualisation and sustainability, which will also be considered at this year’s ICE Awards. The focus of this year’s ICE Europe will be the digitalisation of manufactur- ing, the individualisation of products and the sustainability of materials and processes. Thus, the specialised trade show continues to cover the most important trends. “The convert- ing industry faces diverse challenges: On the one hand, a growing demand for sustainable products and tighter regulatory requirements, e. g. new legislative proposals. On the other hand, the consumers’ desire for indi- vidualised, high-quality products and packaging solutions as well as new developments and opportunities, that Industry 4.0 offers”, explains Lil- jana Goszdziewski, Exhibition Direc- tor of ICE Europe, on behalf of the organisers, Mack Brooks Exhibitions. Digitalisation and associated smart products and packaging remain an important trend in converting. There- fore, for the first time, ICE Europe 2019 will present a dedicated ‘Spe- cial Film & Extrusion Area’. This new area comprises the category special films (battery films, biopolymeric films, high barrier films, optical films, weatherable films and other special films) as well as the area of extrusion (extrusion lines for blown films, ex- trusion lines for flat films and sheets, welding machines and calendars). ICE Awards 2019: For the second time, best practice, excellence, innovation and extraordinary achievements will be honoured with the ICE Awards at ICE Europe 2019. Exhibitors have the chance to win an award in one of four categories, that are currently most relevant in the industry: ‘Digital Con- verting Solutions’, ‘Sustainable Prod- ucts and Manufacturing Processes’, ‘Efficient Production Solutions’ and ‘Special Film Innovations’. Numer- ous exhibitors from various countries have submitted their entries for the online voting. Mack Brooks Exhibitions www.ice-x.com/europe ICE Europe 2017