Turning Innovation into Real Impact: Our Recap of FAKUMA 2026
The plastics processing industry gathered at Lake Constance from October 12–16, 2026, for the 30th edition of FAKUMA in Friedrichshafen. Widely recognized as one of the world’s leading technical trade events for industrial plastics processing and injection moulding, FAKUMA is a pragmatic, hands-on working fair where machine manufacturers, material developers, and converters meet to explore market-ready solutions.
For us, this year’s FAKUMA was a milestone, too – marking a key trade fair in the year of traceless’ industrialization. With production in our new facility up and running and market rollout in full swing, we arrived in Friedrichshafen not just with granules in a jar, but with proof of industrial scalability, series-mature applications, and an expanding network of commercial partners.
Full "Hamburg-Power" in Hall B4: Co-Exhibiting with Biesterfeld
A core highlight of our week was co-exhibiting alongside our strategic distribution partner, Biesterfeld Group, at Booth B4-4200.
Scaling a new material category requires more than breakthrough chemistry—it demands robust supply chains, deep market access, and comprehensive technical support. Combining traceless’s material innovation with Biesterfeld’s extensive global distributor network and plastics expertise created strong synergy effects. Together, we brought genuine "Hamburg-power" to southern Germany, showing visitors that sustainable, bio-based alternatives can integrate smoothly into established commercial channels.
High Industry Demand Across Sectors and Roles
Our booth welcomed a diverse cross-section of the manufacturing landscape. Discussions spanned multiple sectors:
Target Industries: Packaging, Food & Beverage, Medical, Consumer Goods, and specialized industrial applications.
Key Partners: Plastics converters, compounders, machinery and tooling manufacturers, distributors, as well as brand owners and potential end users.
Decision-Makers: From detailed technical deep-dives with R&D, tooling engineers, and product developers to strategic roadmapping with purchasing teams and executive management.
This broad engagement was mirrored by industry media coverage, with outlets such as plasticker and K-Zeitung highlighting traceless among the forward-looking material solutions at this year's fair.
An industry-ready solution: traceless® FORM in action
Throughout the week, our focus was squarely on traceless® FORM, our material grades engineered specifically for injection moulding. Because traceless® materials process like standard thermoplastics on conventional machinery with standard parameter adjustments, converters can build on existing infrastructure and know-how.
Visitors could explore the processing potential of traceless® FORM through tangible injection-moulded samples and insights from our latest trials:
The Next Generation of Single-Use Cutlery: In collaboration with our partner EckoPack, we gave visitors an exclusive preview of a brand-new disposable cutlery line launching under the Luamo brand. Luamo cutlery proves that natural polymers can deliver a premium look, smooth touch, and everyday stability without compromising on biological circularity. Special thanks to our development partner CompriseTec for their support in reaching injection moulding series maturity.
More of our brand-new processing samples: Including plant clips produced by Fröbel GmbH and biodegradable golf tees, highlighting traceless potential in agriculture & outdoor applications; as well as brand new samples by TriWeFo.
What the Industry Wanted to Know: Key Takeaways
The technical curiosity at FAKUMA led to constructive dialogues around our novel nature-based material. Here’s our Top FAQs:
A Non-Plastic Material Class: traceless® is neither a conventional plastic nor a bioplastic. It is chemically natural – more precisely: based on natural polymers derived from agricultural plant residues without chemical modification – representing an entirely distinct material category.
Series Production on Standard Machinery: Converters were keen to see samples and discuss learnings from our latest processing trials, confirming that traceless® FORM runs on standard injection moulding equipment.
Clear Route to Market: Commercial onboarding follows a structured path—from technical assessment and initial qualification trials using material from our industrial plant, leading up to serial production and market rollout.
Regulatory Future-Proofing: Defined as non-plastic materials under current EU regulatory frameworks (such as the PPWR and SUPD), natural polymers are a solution that provides long-term compliance security amid tightening plastics restrictions.
Heading Home with Momentum
FAKUMA 2026 proved that the plastics industry is actively looking for high-performance, non-fossil solutions that are ready for industrial adoption today.
We extend our sincere thanks to the team at Biesterfeld Group for an outstanding joint presence, to our partners for the cooperation and to every visitor who joined us. We return to Hamburg with valuable market insights, promising new connections, strengthened partnerships, and fresh momentum for the next steps ahead.
