Ai interview – Markus M. Jessberger, Event Director, Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH.

The 8th ALUMINIUM trade fair and conference will be held from the 14th to 16th of September, 2010 at the Exhibition Center in Essen, Germany. The bi-annial ALUMINIUM world fair is expected to attracted around 900 exhibitors from 40 nations and more than 18,000 visitors from over 100 countries. This year’s event has been headlined ‘ALUMINIUM – between innovation and environment’ and like prior editions will provide an overview of the entire aluminum industry.

ALUMINIUM is the leading B2B platform in the world for the aluminum industry and its main applications. This is where the who-is-who of the industry meets. The trade fair unites producers, processors, technology suppliers and consumers along the entire value chain – from raw materials through to semi-finished and finished products.

Parallel with ALUMINIUM 2010, the fifth COMPOSITES EUROPE will be held at Essen from September 14th to the 16th. Organizer of ALUMINIUM 2010 and COMPOSITES EUROPE, Reed Exhibitions Deutschland, says that these two events combined represent the largest platform for lightweight materials. COMPOSITES EUROPE is the most innovative fair in the strongest European composites market and showcases the entire sector of the industry. Here, international researchers, developers and decision makers meet the users of the composites industry, whose key technologies and applications are the focus of attention such as the automotive, aerospace, lightweight construction and wind energy sectors.

The ALUMINIUM 2010 event will have numerous pavilions. The new ‘Piecework Coating Pavilion’ will be set up with the support of GSB International – Quality Association for the Piecework Coating of Building Components. The Surface Pavilion, sponsored by VOA, will again be located in the neighboring Galeria. Even after enlargement, the Surface Pavilion is already fully booked, say the show organizers.

The Solar Pavilion will specifically target suppliers of aluminum for solar technology. The material has been well established for a long time as the basis for substructures, poles, mounting systems or moldings for solar modules in this sector which is of increasing interest for the industry as a sales market. 

For the very first time, ALUMINIUM 2010 will have a Magnesium Pavilion, which is supported by the European Research Association for Magnesium (EFM). Magnesium plays an important role especially for the hardening of aluminum alloys. Up to 5 per cent is added to the aluminum, thereby improving processing characteristics such as, for instance, weldability. The largest consumer of aluminum magnesium alloys is the packaging industry (50 per cent), followed by the automotive industry (35 per cent) and the building sector (15 per cent).

The COMPOSITES EUROPE exhibition will include one area for raw materials such as resins, fabric, thermoplastics and additives. One area will showcase semi-finished products, intermediate products and finished- products. Another area will deal with processing technology, another with machines, equipment and consumables while one area will highlight services. The organizers say that COMPOSITES EUROPE offers latest information material solutions, lightweight concepts and the latest production and automation solutions to master future construction challenges. While the automotive industry is one of the main participants, other industries like aviation and wind energy are also targeted.

From 2012, ALUMINIUM and COMPOSITES EUROPE will be held at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre. “Since the first edition of ALUMINIUM in 1997, the number of exhibitors has risen to almost 900 companies occupying a total area of app. 65,000 m². Another 13,000 m² are taken up by the 350 exhibitors of COMPOSITES EUROPE, which is held concurrently and has also taken an extremely dynamic development since its premiere in 2006. Up to now, COMPOSITES EUROPE alternated between Essen and Stuttgart every year. After 2010 it will be held alternately in Stuttgart (2011) and Düsseldorf (2012),” say the shows’ organizers.

Automotive Industries spoke to Markus M. Jessberger, Event Director, Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH.

AI: What kind of automotive technologies will be showcased at ALUMINIUM 2010?

Jessberger: The exhibitors will display latest products and processes on automotive solutions that support environmental aspects as well as performance and safety advantages. I.e. ALUMINIUM exhibitor Novelis was recently selected as leading supplier for aluminium sheet by both AUDI and BMW and will feature their latest developments in Essen. Aleris and Hydro will as well present new aluminum 5xxx and 6xxx series alloys for automotive solutions.

The accompanying ALUMINIUM 2010 CONFERENCE offers a specially dedicated session on latest developments in the automotive industry, featuring presentations from Porsche, Leiber Group, Hydro, Aleris and Linde AG.

AI: What are the kind of automotive solutions expected to be highlighted at this year’s COMPOSITES EUROPE?

Jessberger: The composites industry has identified the automotive sector as the biggest potential of high-performance carbon, for example in chassis and accessories. So this will be one of the topics of the show. Other exhibits are textile materials from woven, knitted or fabric-type fibres which are used in side walls, floors, air deflectors, bumpers, flaps and doors of cars.

AI: Historically, the two events have always attracted a lot of visitors from the automotive industry – what are some of the benefits for automotive companies to take part in ALUMINIUM and COMPOSITES EUROPE?

Jessberger: Especially for developers, engineers and buyers from automotive OEM as well as suppliers from the automotive industry, the combination of ALUMINIUM and COMPOSITES EUROPE offers a perfect “one-stop-shopping opportunity”: Both fairs combine around 1.100 exhibitors that offer innovative materials and process solutions for today’s requirements in automotive manufacturing. Multi-material construction grows more and more important and both trade fairs combine the leading suppliers for aluminium and composites material. You will find your aluminium sheet at ALUMINIUM, composite automotive parts in the halls of COMPOSITES EUROPE and the joining technologies in the hall between both fairs.

AI: How will this year’s show be different from previous years events? Tell us about the ALUMINIUM 2010 tagline – ‘between innovation and environment’.

Jessberger: ALUMINIUM 2010 places both aspects in the center of attention – following the importance that the industry gives environmental issues. We like to point out that aluminium provides innovative and sustainable solutions for various applications such as automotive, but also for aerospace, building or packaging. Aluminium is the material of choice for environmentally friendly manufacturing.

AI: What kind of participation do you expect at both shows in 2010?

Jessberger: We expect around 25,000 visitors coming from Germany, Europe and all over the world – amongst them industry professionals from the aluminium and the composites industry as well as the major application areas.

AI: What are some of the trends in the aluminium and composites industries that will impact on the automotive sector?

Jessberger: I think the use of auto parts made of recycled aluminium will grow more important as through recycling one can take the most advantage of the efficiency of aluminium throughout the life-cycle. In the composites sector bioplastics and carbon fibre materials provide new opportunities. A third trend is the combination of various materials – like aluminium and composites that can bring together their best attributes in modern, innovative automotive solutions.