During the 30th edition of the Fakuma trade fair, which will take place from Monday 12 to Friday 16 October 2026 in Friedrichshafen, the organiser P. E. Schall, together with media partner K‑Zeitung, will present the Fakuma Innovation Award for the first time. The award is intended to honour technological excellence, innovative strength and teamwork in the plastics processing industry. Entries are being accepted in six thematic categories covering a wide range of topics across the entire value chain. The submitted solutions will be evaluated by an independent expert jury, and the award ceremony is scheduled for the first day of the trade fair. Fakuma, which started in 1981 with 76 first-time exhibitors, has developed over the following decades into one of the key European platforms for the plastics processing sector, and the organisers emphasise that the anniversary is to serve above all as an impetus for presenting new solutions that address current and future technological, environmental and economic challenges. The award is designed to reflect the values associated with Fakuma, namely performance and competence, and to create an international platform for companies wishing to demonstrate their innovative capability to a professional audience.
Six thematic categories covering the entire value chain
Entries for the Fakuma Innovation Award can be submitted in one of six categories that reflect the main areas of plastics technology presented at the fair. The organiser has defined the following thematic groups: injection moulding, extrusion, recycling, tool and die making and thermoforming, compounding and materials, as well as plastic technology enablers, that is peripheral equipment. In this way, the competition covers the entire process, from materials and processing methods to supporting technologies, including automation solutions and ancillary equipment. The scope of the award corresponds to the trade fair’s topics, where, in addition to processing technologies, peripheral systems and integrated automation solutions are also presented.
Participation conditions and evaluation of entries
The key condition for accepting an entry is the possibility of presenting the project live at Fakuma 2026. This may be a market-ready product, a working prototype or a live demonstration of a technology. The organisers emphasise that participation in the competition is free of charge and that entries can be submitted online until 6 September 2026. All submitted projects will be analysed and evaluated by an independent expert jury in accordance with defined criteria. The most promising innovations will be recognised during a festive ceremony organised on the first day of the trade fair by P. E. Schall in cooperation with the media partner. Bettina Schall, managing director of the trade fair organiser P. E. Schall, encourages participation by stating: "We cordially invite all plastics processing companies to submit their projects for the Fakuma Innovation Award 2026. The industry is looking forward to receiving entries that deliver benefits, pioneer new approaches and help address future challenges."
International industry event providing strong impetus for plastics processing
Fakuma is regarded as a trade fair with high user relevance for practitioners and as an event with a distinctly practice-oriented character. The organisers also announce for 2026 fully booked halls with numerous international exhibitors and a positive atmosphere. The thirtieth edition of the fair will be held from 12 to 16 October 2026 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and, as every year, will transform the Friedrichshafen exhibition grounds into a major meeting place for the sector.
Industry visitors can expect a comprehensive supporting programme on all five trade fair days. It will include technical presentations at the forum, the third edition of the round-table discussion and Career Friday aimed at young professionals entering the labour market in the plastics processing sector.
Information channels and organiser profile
Current information on the Fakuma Innovation Award and the trade fair itself is published via the event’s digital channels. The dedicated award website is available at: https://akademie-schluetersche.odoo.com/fakuma-award.
64 years of trade fair activities by P. E. Schall
The trade fair organiser Schall has been developing specialised trade fair platforms for industrial markets for 64 years. Among the events it organises are trade fairs dedicated to 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). On the basis of these events, new markets have emerged in individual sectors, whose participants are characterised by a high level of innovative capability, comprehensive system competence and a focus on practical solutions.
