K 2028 Roadmap: Advisory Board Shapes Upcoming Event
K 2028, the world’s leading plastics and rubber industry trade fair, will be held from 18–25 October 2028 at the Messe Düsseldorf exhibition grounds in Germany. Following the inaugural Exhibitor Advisory Board meeting, convened earlier this May, strategic and conceptual preparations are officially underway to shape the focus, programme structure, and communications for the upcoming flagship event.
At the May meeting, the committee unanimously elected Dr Axel von Wiedersperg, CEO of Brückner Group SE, as its new Chairman. He succeeds Ulrich Reifenhäuser, who steps down after playing a pivotal role in leading the advisory board since 2004 and shaping the development of K over the past two decades.
Dr Wiedersperg, who holds a doctorate in law, possesses many years of industry and market knowledge in the plastics and rubber sectors, as well as an extensive international network within the industry. As a member of the K Exhibitor Advisory Board since 2023, he was involved in the preparations for K 2025 and the strategic development of the trade fair. In addition, he serves on the board of VDMA Plastics and Rubber Machinery.
The meeting focused on a joint review of K 2025, the evaluation of the exhibitor and visitor survey, and an initial outlook on the direction of K 2028. Key themes for the upcoming event were discussed, and the next steps for the strategic development of the trade fair were initiated.
The K Exhibitor Advisory Board represents the entire spectrum of the trade fair—from machinery and plant engineering through the production of plastics and rubber to their processing. It comprises representatives from the exhibiting industry as well as leading industry associations.
Düsseldorf will once again become the global meeting place for the plastics and rubber industry at K 2028. Leading international suppliers from the mechanical engineering, raw materials, and processing sectors, as well as companies from the plastics recycling sector, are once again expected to attend.
Organised by Messe Düsseldorf since 1952, the triennial exhibition continues to serve as a vital global benchmark for the industry. K 2025 hosted an impressive list of 3,246 exhibitors representing 65 countries. The event underscored its global reach by also drawing 1,69,000 trade visitors, 73% of whom came from abroad.
Exhibitor registration for K 2028 opens in January 2027. Further information on K 2028 is available at www.k-online.com
