The 10th International Converting Exhibition, ICE Europe 2017 concluded its anniversary edition on 23 March. A total of 6,850 visitors from 68 countries attended the trade fair, which, with 429 exhibitors from 28 countries, occupied a net exhibition area of 11,000 m² and was therefore comparable in size to the previous event. The number of exhibitors and visitors fell slightly compared to the previous record-breaking trade fair (by 2% each).
With its high percentage of foreign participants, the 10th Leading International Trade Fair for Paper, Film and Foil Converting reflected the importance of global business contacts for the converting industry: 45% of the exhibiting companies and 49% of all visitors came from abroad this year - a record level of internationality. The largest exhibitor countries after Germany were Italy, the UK, Switzerland, the USA, France and the Netherlands. The Top ten visitor countries were Germany, Italy, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, the UK, France, Spain, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
According to trade fair organiser Mack Brooks, an initial evaluation of the Visitor analysis, that the trade visitors mainly came from the following industrial sectors: Packaging, plastics industry, printing industry, paper industry, mechanical engineering, textile and nonwovens industry, chemical industry and automotive industry. Visitors indicated the following as the most important areas of interest at the trade fair: Coating and laminating, slitting and winding technology, accessories, materials, inspection, measuring and testing equipment, printing technology, converting and drying/curing.
ICE Europe 2017 Awards
To mark the 10th anniversary of ICE Europe, trade fair organiser Mack Brooks Exhibitions presented awards for technological excellence and best practice to four exhibiting companies for the first time. The ICE Europe Anniversary Awards were presented on the first day of the trade fair. The winners had previously been selected in an online vote by converting experts via the trade fair website. A total of 39 entries were received. 1,300 industry representatives cast their votes to select the winners in the four categories of Converting Solutions for New Materials, Industry 4.0, Clean Technologies and Innovative Partnerships.
In the category ‘Converting solutions for new materials‘ the company Infiana Germany received an award for their innovative antistatic release films. Companies that won in the category ‘Industry 4.0’ had developed system solutions for digitalised manufacturing processes. The winner in this category was Derichs GmbH for its new ED-1 system, which provides real-time data directly from inside the roller.
In the category ‘Clean technologies’ received Applied Materials Web Coating GmbH the award for the TopBeam system platform, which is based on an electron beam evaporation process and provides users with a solution for depositing transparent coatings of various oxide materials that are characterised by excellent barrier properties.
Kampf Schneid- & Wickeltechnik's Converting 4.0 network received the prize in the category ‘Innovative partnerships’. Practical examples of the open Kampf Converting 4.0 network were presented for the first time at ICE Europe 2017. The partner companies in this network starter group are KAMPF, BST eltromat, Neuenhauser Vorwald, Paul&Co, Codecentric and XYQOM.
The next ICE Europe will take place from 12-14 March 2019 at the exhibition centre in Munich.
