Entire World of Plastics to Meet at the 30th Fakuma in Fall 2026

Preparations for the 30th Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing have been launched: together with event promoters P. E. Schall, the trade fair advisory board is gearing up exhibitors and expert visitors for the industry highlight. The anniversary trade fair promises a five-day celebration of the plastics industry in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance from Monday the 12th through Friday the 16th of October, 2026. Roughly eleven months before the trade fair opens, Schall is already reporting impressive floor space occupancy and the usual high levels of international participation.

The 30th Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing will take place in Friedrichshafen from Monday the 12th through Friday the 16th of October, 2026. The trade fair is regarded around the world as an exceptional meeting place for the plastics processing industry. It’s a trailblazing event in the fields of injection moulding technology, extrusion and thermoforming. Its leading position in the European market makes it the industry event for all plastics processing and distribution companies. “The anniversary edition of Fakuma is currently the number one topic within the industry, about eleven months before the trade fair opens,” says Annemarie Schur, Fakuma project manager at trade fair promoters P. E. Schall. “We’re delighted with the strong interest and the impressive levels of floor space occupancy we’re currently enjoying. Current registration figures provide an excellent basis for everyone involved to once again stage a world-class, vibrant trade fair with an outstanding supplementary programme.” New exhibitors are coming on board all the time, says the project manager, and thus Fakuma 2026 will build on the successes achieved in 2023 and 2024, with nearly 1700 exhibitors on hand in Friedrichshafen in each of those years.

“We want to celebrate the 30th Fakuma,” assures Bettina Schall, managing director of trade fair promoters P. E. Schall. “Fakuma can look back with pride and look forward to the future with confidence, because it demonstrates practical relevance and innovative strength like no other event.” With comprehensive solutions, complete systems and integrated technologies, Fakuma offers major benefits to anyone looking for answers to their everyday operating challenges in plastics processing. “Fakuma started out very small,” remembers Professor Werner Koch, managing shareholder of Werner Koch Maschinentechnik GmbH and member of the trade fair advisory board. “I got started at the very first Fakuma in 1981. 39 exhibitors gathered in a single room back then, all of them pioneers. Our company really took off from then on. I received advantageous orders which resulted in long-term business relationships.”

“The international trade fair for plastics processing can look back on 30 outstanding industry events with the top players from the plastics industry,” says Bettina Schall, summarising the success story. “Our maxim as trade fair promoters, namely ‘Trade Fairs Make Markets’, applies in particular to Fakuma,” emphasises the event organiser. “As a communications and technology platform, it’s highly significant for the industry because suppliers and users can talk about specific projects and discuss solutions. Its high levels of practicality and operational relevance are a clear advantage and a distinctive hallmark of Fakuma.”

Together with the promoters, the trade fair advisory board kicked off preparations for an exciting, thematically diverse and technically advanced Fakuma 2026 at a work meeting in mid-November. Attending Fakuma is a must for anyone in Europe who sells plastics, because it’s the definitive trade fair in Europe for everyone involved in the plastics industry, according to the unanimous recommendation of the trade fair advisory board. “Fakuma brings the world of plastics to life,” notes Dr. Friedrich Kastner, owner of Dr. Kastner GmbH and CEO and managing partner of NGA, COLLIN and BritAS. “Fakuma is a hands-on trade fair in the truest sense of the word. Its holistic approach and integrative solutions for complete systems inspire expert visitors, who receive the special attention they need from the exhibitors. Direct contact with customers and face-to-face problem-solving discussions lead to constructive and lasting business relationships.” Furthermore, Fakuma is an event with strong experiential and emotional factors, emphasises Dr. Christoph Schumacher, director of global marketing at Arburg: “Key players in the plastics industry gather at Lake Constance to celebrate their industry festival as a family.”

A working trade fair and a hands-on exhibition where practical expertise is transferred from suppliers to users and solutions are discovered, answers are provided and projects are implemented through a mutual exchange of expertise – this is how the anniversary edition of Fakuma will showcase its unique advantages. “Things get done here,” sums up Rüdiger Dzuban, head of communications and marketing at ONI-Wärmetrafo GmbH. “A trade fair is really the only way to show what a company can do. This is where expertise is presented. Companies can take the lead here and provide new impetus.”

Fakuma showcases the entire world of plastics – from injection moulding, forming and extrusion technology, as well as 3D printing, masterbatches and raw materials, right on up to tools, process technology and recycling. Whether raw materials, processing machines, peripherals or automation solutions are involved, the portfolio of topics supports the plastic processing industry in mastering today’s and tomorrow’s challenges and remaining economically successful on the market. The 30th Fakuma will take place from Monday the 12th through Friday the 16th of October, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Each day, once again transforming the Friedrichshafen Exhibition Centre into the home of a major family celebration. Press conference to mark the opening of the trade fair, presentation forum with world-class speakers, round-table discussion and Career Friday – Fakuma 2026 will be accompanied by an attractive and exciting supplementary programme on all five event days.

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Schall has developed successful business platforms with internationally recognised trade fairs for quality assurance (Control), optical technologies, components and systems (Optatec), stamping technology (Stanztec), automation in production and assembly (Motek), bonding technology (Bondexpo), plastics processing (Fakuma), sheet metal working (Blechexpo) and joining technology (Schweisstec). This has given rise to entirely new markets in various sectors, whose protagonists are distinguished by tremendous innovative strength, comprehensive systems competence and practical application solutions.