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glasstec 2018 generates important impulses for the future

Oct. 29, 2018 – The 25th staging of glasstec, International Trade Fair for Glass Production, Processing and Products, in Düsseldorf, Germany again confirmed its position as the leading international trade fair and platform for the worldwide glass sector. A total of 1,280 exhibitors from 50 countries showcased their products in nine halls to more than 42,000 visitors from over 120 nations. The percentage of attendees coming from countries other than Germany remains unrivalled in the industry. Exhibitors unanimously reported promising new contacts and concluding good to very good business deals. The favorable conditions in the industry were also reflected by the positive atmosphere in the halls.

“glasstec remains the leading international platform for global launches in the glass industry which the entire glass world follows. The industry works in sync with the two-year cycle of glasstec and gears its innovations to precisely this moment in time. No other trade event can present such a wide range of forward-looking solutions, products and applications. This is also appreciated by the constantly growing proportion of international visitors,” commented Wolfram N. Diener, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf.

The VDMA (Mechanical Engineering Industry Association) member companies are also overall highly satisfied with the trade fair. “Many high-level specialist discussions were held with the visitors, which look likely to lead to orders. Machine manufacturers were clearly focused on the issues of digitization and networked production. Digitization has reached the glass industry. Many exhibitors work intensively on future-proof products and show their solutions at the exhibition stands,” said Egbert Wenninger, Chairman of the Board of VDMA’s Glass Technology Forum and Chairman of the glasstec Advisory Board.

More than 70% of trade visitors travelled to glasstec from outside of Germany. The high proportion of executives from top management (more than 70% of the visitors have decision-making authority) underlines the excellent quality of the trade fair. The wide and varied range of products and services is also reflected in the varied conference program and the special shows. glasstec offers an ideal platform for knowledge transfer and shows all target groups, from craftsmen, architects, glass processors, manufacturers, technology providers and upstream suppliers to the industry, all the innovations and visions of tomorrow.

“Glass is a trend and this year’s glasstec has made this perfectly clear again! The industry keeps moving and the current upswing clearly shows that the millennia-old history of glass as a material continues with amazing innovations. As the trade association of the glass industry and conceptual sponsor of glasstec, we can look back on an exciting trade fair week. It is always exciting to experience glass in its diverse applications,” commented Dr. Johann Overath, Director General of Bundesverband Glasindustrie e.V.

A special feature at glasstec 2018 was again the North American Pavilion, organized by Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA) and co-sponsored by the National Glass Association (NGA). 13 companies displayed their products within this group exhibit.

The special show glass technology live was again a highlight at glasstec 2018. For the first time organized by four conceptual partners the Technical Universities Darmstadt, Dresden, Delft and Dortmund), there was a stronger focus on scientific glass research with emphasis on interactive façades and display glass, energy and performance, structural glass (solid, thin and hollow glass) as well as new technologies.

For the first time, the glasstec conference brought together the various conferences at one location under a common umbrella brand, linking theory closer to the exhibits in the halls while deepening the background knowledge of the participants. The conference included the technology conference function meets glass, the International Architecture Congress, and the scientific conference engineered transparency.

In addition, conceptual partners of glasstec organized conferences. HVG-DGG (Hüttentechnische Vereinigung der deutschen Glasindustrie e.V. and DGG (Deutsche Glastechnische Gesellschaft e.V.) dealt with the topic of glass melting and emissions. For the first time this year, the Federal Association of the German Glass Industry (BV Glas) addressed the topic of environmental and climate policy in Germany and the EU. (BV Glas). The forum of the VDMA focused on connected production and new technologies A new events was “Daylight by EuroWindoor” about legislative frameworks and planning aspects of daylighting in buildings.

In the new START-UP-ZONE in Hall 10, 15 young, international companies from ten countries (Norway, Finland, India, Italy, Switzerland, Lithuania, Austria, Netherlands, Germany, Taiwan) showcased their ideas. “In the glass industry start ups find it especially difficult to make contact with companies although these could clearly benefit from innovative technologies. The START UP-ZONE has allowed us to obtain valuable feedback and take concrete steps for installations. This is exactly what the industry needs,” noted Daniel Valenzuela, Business Development Manager at Actyx AG.

In addition to the extensive ancillary program, glasstec 2018 featured several special exhibits. The Federal Guild Association of the Glazier Trade presented “Crafts LIVE” with the topic “Finishing Glass: from Warehousing to Finished Products.” Martin Gutmann, Federal Guild Master and President of glasstec 2018, commented: “The glass industry once again impressively demonstrated its many facets and its potential in Düsseldorf. Visitors here could experience innovative craftmanship in Hall 9, as well as a versatile, innovative industry in the other exhibition halls. Even in times of political turbulence and disagreements that cannot be overlooked, we have every reason to look to the future with optimism. The glazier trade does not need any “retrofitting” in order to be able to survive in the future.”

Other highlights included the new “glasstec Challenge” competition for students from three large glass schools and the special exhibition “glass art”.

For more information
www.glasstec-online.com