Follow
Follow
LinkedIn Facebook X Youtube e-mail
LinkedIn Facebook X Youtube e-mail

Achema again at last

Achema takes place again in August. In this interview, Björn Mathes provides insights into trade fair planning in extraordinary times.

After being postponed last year due to the pandemic, Achema will take place again this August. The leading international trade fair for the process industry brings together more than 2,000 exhibitors from the fields of chemical engineering, process engineering and biotechnology in Frankfurt. In this interview, Björn Mathes, Deputy Managing Director of event organiser Dechema, provides insights into trade fair planning in extraordinary times.

Picture of a man laughing into the camera.
Björn Mathes, Deputy Managing Director of Dechema e. V. (Image: Markus Püttmann)

Mr Mathes, what are you most looking forward to as an organiser after the involuntary break? And what challenges does such a „new start“ entail?

In particular, we are most looking forward to the fact that things are finally starting up again. It is very, very pleasing for us to see that the entire trade fair industry, especially in Germany, has made a very successful and skilful restart since May of this year. And we, especially here at Dechema, are of course looking forward to being able to bring together the entire world of the chemical-pharmaceutical process industry, all its suppliers and users here in Frankfurt again, after more than four years since the last Achema. On the other hand, we realise that we have too few staff at many critical points. But what also leaves us with one or two worry lines is the current situation with air traffic.

Especially in view of such difficulties: Do you think face-to-face trade fairs are still in keeping with the times?

It is certainly difficult to sign this for all trade fairs in all sectors worldwide. The following applies to Achema: none of the products exhibited here are catalogue goods. Many of the parts that our exhibitors sell have an extremely small batch size. It is therefore important to show this technology. When I invest in a new chemical or pharmaceutical plant, it's not usually because I've attended a digital event. I want to be able to interact in person, perhaps even experience the smooth running of packaging machines live. And this is precisely the experience offered by the face-to-face trade fair, which will of course be supplemented by digital formats in the future.

What are you focussing on at this year's Achema?

In addition to the overarching topics of „digital transformation“ and „green transformation“, we are focussing on three topics this year. The first is modular and networked production, i.e. everything relating to modular systems, concepts and Industry 4.0. We have the topic of „product and social security“. This is no longer a topic that is just for the IT department. The topic of security is becoming increasingly important in both the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. And the third topic is The Digital Lab, where we are focussing on the question of what a laboratory will look like in five to ten years„ time and how we can overcome the current disruption in data flows from research and development in the laboratory to production.

http://www.achema.de

More news from the magazine

One hundred years blue tin

Since 1925, the Nivea cream can has borne its deep blue colour, white lettering and round shape - a design that has remained stable over generations, markets and crises and is now celebrating its 100th birthday.
Read more "