Fakuma 2026: a Multifaceted Programme for the Anniversary Event

The 30^th Fakuma will once again be a celebration for the plastics industry from Monday the 12^th through Friday the 16^th of October, 2026. Exhibitors and expert visitors will celebrate the extraordinary success story of the international trade fair for plastics processing with a colourful array of world-class programme highlights that will serve as a backdrop for the event, i.e. presentations at the forum featuring the latest expert know-how, the first edition of the Fakuma Innovation Award ceremony, the next instalment of the round-table discussion, the return of the “Mould Your Dreams, Mould Your Future” careers campaign and, last but not least, the inaugural presentation of the Paul Eberhard Schall Medal.

The entire world of plastics – plus much more – is on the agenda for the 30^th Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing which will take place daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday the 12^th through Friday the 16^th of October, 2026. The Friedrichshafen Exhibition Centre will host an enormous family celebration for five days to mark its anniversary. On the one hand, it will serve as a showcase for 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 tooling, process technology and recycling. On the other hand, it will provide a unique platform for communication, discussion, knowledge-sharing, awards and career planning.

Above all, Fakuma focuses attention on the future, and on solutions that will enable the industry to meet today’s and tomorrow’s challenges. And this is why trade fair promoters P. E. Schall, together with trade publication K ZEITUNG, are presenting the Fakuma Innovation Award. It’s intended to furnish ground-breaking impetus for the plastics processing industry in technological, environmental as well as economic terms. Companies are offered an international platform on which to present their latest innovations to an interested specialist audience, and to showcase their innovative strength. Entrants can submit their projects in one of the six categories including injection moulding, extrusion, recycling, tool and die making / thermoforming, compounding and materials, as well as plastic technology enablers (peripheral equipment). In this way, the competition reflects the entire value chain for plastics technology – from materials and processing methods, right on up to ancillary technologies. As an important condition of entry, it must be possible to showcase the submitted project live at Fakuma 2026 – as a production-ready product, as a working prototype or as a live demonstration of a technology. Participation is free of charge. Entries can be submitted online up through the 6th of September, 2026. All entries will be reviewed and assessed by an independent expert jury. The winners will be honoured at an award ceremony on the first day of the trade fair.

What began in 1981 with 76 initial exhibitors has evolved into a major European platform for the plastics processing industry. That’s why Fakuma is one of the industry’s must-attend events in the trade fair calendar. “For years now, Fakuma has been one of the key technology platforms for the plastics industry,” emphasises Dr. Magnus Orth, head of materials development and the Technology Centre at Igus. “It unites practical relevance with technological depth. In particular I value the informal atmosphere and the opportunity to discuss and explore concrete solutions across the entire value chain – from materials and tooling, right on up to processes and applications. Fakuma is thus more than just a trade fair – it’s a catalyst for future developments and strategic alignments within the industry,” says Magnus Orth. For Prof. Dr.-Ing. Christian Bonten of the Institute of Plastics Technology (IKT), Fakuma is also “an integral part of my trade fair calendar and, particularly for us at the institute here in Stuttgart, the definitive industry hot-spot”, he emphasises. Fakuma is firmly established in the trade fair calendars of many industry players because it reliably delivers what they need: a down-to-earth overview of the current state of the art in plastics processing. At the same time, the trade fair thrives on personal interaction – on catching up with long-standing colleagues as well as making new contacts.

Fakuma 2026 is also sending a strong signal regarding the recruitment of young talent. Trade fair promoters P. E. Schall, together with the trade fair advisory board and Plastics Europe Germany, will once again be hosting Career Friday on 16 October 2026 in keeping with the maxim “Mould Your Dreams, Mould Your Future”. Pupils, students young professionals are invited to experience the broad range of opportunities offered by the plastics industry first-hand – on site in Friedrichshafen. With its careers campaign, Fakuma has created a platform that specifically targets young people and provides them with practical insights into one of Europe’s most innovative industries. International exhibitors will hold exclusive events at their trade fair booths, offering insights into modern manufacturing technologies and outlining effective strategies for entering the industry. “We don’t just want to acquaint young people with various job profiles – we want to open up real career horizons,” explains Bettina Schall, managing director of trade fair promoters P. E. Schall. “Career Friday brings talented individuals and companies together face-to-face in an authentic, pragmatic manner, on an equal footing. This allows visitors to discover just how exciting and progressive the plastics industry really is.” Dr, Christine Bunte, managing director of Plastics Europe Germany, is also impressed by this career initiative: “Seeing how closely the trade fair, the exhibitors and the associations are working together to get even more young people excited about plastics is encouraging, and inspires optimism for the future.”

“We’re looking forward to a very special Fakuma anniversary event where professional networking, discussion and knowledge-sharing join forces with the exhibition to create a valuable all-round package,” says Bettina Schall. “Of course we’ll also look back at how it all began 45 years ago. But above all we’re looking to the future and focusing on solutions that will help us tackle the challenges currently faced by the industry.” For example, the third edition of the “Fakuma Round Table” discussion series will focus on the topic of “Building on Our Strengths – How is the European Plastics Industry Enhancing its Resilience?”. The presentation forum will provide suppliers as well as users with inspiring, forward-looking ideas. All in all, the trade fair’s extensive range of topics provides the plastics processing industry with vital support in remaining successful on the market. Last but not least, Fakuma 2026 has yet another surprise in store: “To mark this year’s anniversary edition of Fakuma, we, as the trade fair promoters, will present the Paul Eberhard Schall Medal for the first time to a company that has played a pioneering and influential role in the industry,” says Bettina Schall. “We want to acknowledge the company’s exceptional technological standing in the further development of plastics processing, as well as its close ties to our trade fair organisation.”

Exhibitors, expert visitors and interested guests are cordially invited to the 30^th Fakuma in Friedrichshafen, taking place daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday the 12^th through Friday the 16^th of October, 2026. Access to the exhibition venue is facilitated by AIR UNIQON (airuniqon.com), which now offers flights to and from the compact Friedrichshafen Airport (FDH).

Fakuma is one of the world’s leading trade fairs for plastics processing. On the occasion of its 30^th edition, the trade fair will celebrate a significant anniversary and impressively underscore its key role as the industry’s leading European platform from Monday the 12^th through Friday the 16^th of October, 2026. With its mission of representing the entire plastics industry, Fakuma brings together innovation leaders, technology providers and users from all sectors of industrial plastics processing. At its venue in Friedrichshafen, it offers a unique hub for showcasing innovations, sharing know-how and networking with industry experts.

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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 completely new markets in various sectors, whose protagonists are characterised by a high level of innovative strength, comprehensive system competence and practical application solutions.