Engel's Steger stresses the importance of ‘personal exchange'

The Fakuma trade show has always occupied a prominent place in the calendar of the plastics processing industry. This year, the fair in Friedrichshafen is spearheading the return of the plastics industry in Europe to large-scale, in-person events.

Last year's cancellation left exhibitors scrambling to find new ways to fill up the gap left by the absence of what is considered, after K, the most important technical event for industrial plastics processing. New, successful online initiatives mushroomed in the months that followed, many of which are here to stay. Here at Fakuma, however, the exhibitors are unanimous about one thing at least: It's good to be back.

We spoke with Christoph Steger, chief sales officer at plastics machinery manufacturer Engel Austria GmbH, about his expectations for this year's Fakuma show.

Q: This year's Fakuma is going ahead as an in-person event. How have your customers responded? Are you expecting a normal level of attendance or have you noticed any hesitation about attending?

Steger: We are very much looking forward to sharing ideas with our customers and partners in person after a prolonged interruption for trade shows. Our customers feel the same way. They are eager to experience innovative exhibits live.

At the same time, we know that traveling still is only possible to a limited extent for many. That's why we expect visitor numbers to be lower than in previous years.

Q: This is not your first live event this year — for example, you participated in Chinaplas earlier this year. So, how was that?

Steger: Chinaplas usually has a lot of international visitors. Due to China's stringent quarantine rules, the international audience was almost completely nonexistent this year. Of course, this was expected, so we tailored our trade fair appearance to the local processors. However, the atmosphere at Chinaplas was very good. Together with the USA, China was one of the first countries where the economic engine was the first to start up again and demand from the automotive industry also picked up. This was clearly noticeable at the fair.

Q: Why is it important for you to attend Fakuma this year?

Steger: Platforms for personal exchange are and will remain very important for us. Even though, during the pandemic, we saw that digital formats work extremely well and offer advantages in certain areas. Our goal is to combine the best of both worlds. In the future, there will be more and more hybrid events.

Q: How do the preparations for a major trade show like this one in times of COVID-19 differ from previous years? For example, is the stand staffed with the same number of people? Is it as big as it always was?

Steger: Preparations are much more time-consuming, primarily since hygiene requirements depend on political decisions and can change quickly. Of course, everyone's health and safety are top priorities at all times. That is why we are traveling with a comparatively small team this year and will have more space in the stand overall. Our stand will be larger than in previous years.

Q: Are you making any kind of virtual attendance possible for visitors who are hesitant to attend in person?

Steger: Our market access has become more digital. With our virtual trade fair Engel live experience in October last year and the live e-symposium 2021 in June this year, we were able to reach our customers regardless of travel restrictions, distances and time zones. The presentations from both events are still available on the platform.

There is also a machine showroom that can be found in the Virtual World on the Engel global website. Here, two exhibits from our Fakuma presentation can be viewed: The production of pipette tips on an all-electric e-mac injection molding machine and the production of the smallest components for ophthalmology with the new LSR microinjection unit. We have established the live experience as a permanent sales tool, not as a replacement but as a supplement to in-person events.

Q: What are you looking forward to most at Fakuma? And what do you expect from the show?

Steger: As mentioned at the beginning, the personal exchange is what I look forward to the most. Even if the effects of the pandemic still prevent some from traveling, we expect important interaction at Fakuma 2021. It is taking place at the right time. The markets are recovering faster than expected. Demand is high, because the plastics industry is tackling the challenges of digitalization, climate change and the transformation of the automotive industry with a great deal of dynamism. Fakuma offers the technological answers for these topics.

Q: Digitalization and the circular economy are important themes at this year's show. What do you think is the role of digitalization in the circular economy?

Steger: We are convinced that sustainability can only work with digitalization. Digitalization helps to utilize the full potential of the injection molding machine, which is the key to reducing the CO2 footprint. For example, with the help of Engel sim link, which connects simulation with real production, the course can be preset in component design for resource-saving production and subsequent recycling.

Intelligent assistance systems, on the other hand, such as iQ weight control not only reduce energy consumption but also make it possible to use recycled material where previously there was no alternative to virgin material.

Q: During the pandemic, the importance of digitalization became apparent during the lockdowns. How did your company respond and cope?

Steger: As an injection molding machine manufacturer, we provide support on various levels. One is stable processes, which we achieve with intelligent assistance, among other things. They are the prerequisite for using recyclates much more widely. Beyond that, it's about Design for Recycling. We support our customers in setting the course for a resource-saving manufacturing process and subsequent recycling of components as early as the component design stage.

Thirdly, it is about after-sales service. We are increasingly becoming a production companion throughout the entire life cycle of the machine, robot and complete production cell. Service no longer means providing support in the event of faults and maintenance, but also accompanying the customer in the continuous optimization of the production processes. The online support options are being continuously expanded for this purpose. Engel now employs its own data scientists, because it is precisely this expertise that is often lacking in manufacturing companies.

Q: Do you think the pandemic distracted your customers from thinking about their sustainability goals?

Steger: No, sustainability has not lost any of its importance, even if the media reports focused on other topics during the pandemic. The plastics industry is working on a circular economy for plastics, and there are more and more collaborative, international initiatives. This horizontal networking along the entire value chain is an essential prerequisite for closing material cycles, and digitalization also has an accelerating effect here.

Q: Tell me, what do you see as the major trends taking shape in a post-pandemic world? Has the outlook changed?

Steger: The outlook is complex and associated with great uncertainties. Risk factors include material bottlenecks, massive increases in raw material prices and the corona pandemic, which has not yet been defeated. Overall, we see that the markets are becoming more volatile and demand more flexibility from us. We are adapting to this. The surprisingly fast upswing we are currently experiencing and the uncertain outlook also characterize the long-term changed market situation.

Platforms for personal exchange are and will remain very important for us. Even though, during the pandemic, we saw that digital formats work extremely well and offer advantages in certain areas. Our goal is to combine the best of both worlds. In the future, there will be more and more hybrid events."