Bustling plastic industry in the Nordics - Plastteknik Nordic 2014

Plastteknik is a yearly event held in Malmö where the industry gathers for two days to do business and reconnect and find new inspiration. Paxymer was present with distributor IMCD. Here are some highlights from the fair

Karim Rashid - superstar industrial designer was the keynote speaker of the event and gave an inspiring lecture on innovation and creativity. One of the main points was that true creativity is creation without destruction. Raw material use, environmental impact and socioeconomic factors has to be taken into account when designing new products for them to be truly creative.

Panel debate on the future of the industry. Amit Paul, MD of Paxymer was exclusively enrolled to moderate a debate on the future of the industry with a distinguished panel consisting of Susanna Baltscheffskythe editor in chief of NyTeknik, Torbjörn Egerhag MD of KD Feddersen Nordic, Fredrik Sidahl CEO of FKG (Fordonkomponentgruppen) and Michael Svensson Development manager from SKF. Some conclusions from this debate addressing how we make sure that swedish industry continues to prosper in the future was:

- A stable political initiative to promote growth and innovation in the long term for the industry. Examples of "Industry 4.0" from Germany and the Brittish automotive initiative was brought up, where a wide political coalition decide on long term stimulus for the industry in order to promote sustainable innovation.

- Finding and educating new talent. The industry has to market itself better towards young people. Finding new talent is and will be a big challenge over the coming years. How come IT-engineers is a glorified line of work whereas the engineers working with the tradition industry is seen as dull and boring? 

- Our best chance is for the industry to focus on innovation and value adding activities. Media and the industry itself has a big responsibility to improve the stories that surround it.

Plastic Industry Awards was held at the Scandic Triangeln which gave good opportunity for mingling and dancing with colleagues and friends. Amit Paul the MD of Paxymer had the honor to open the awards this year with Francesca the MD of SPIF.

The fair gave an optimistic outlook for the general state of the industry. The fair was busy and many of the exhibitors were happy about the new opportunities that the fair introduced. It seems the plastic industry in Sweden and Denmark is bustling at the moment.

/Paxymer AB