ZELLCHEMING-Expo 2024 attracted the international pulp and paper industry to the RheinMain CongressCenter (RMCC) in Wiesbaden, Germany: From June 18 to 20, the major industry event offered some 2,500 visitors a wide range of opportunities for intensive information exchange and informal networking. More than 150 exhibitors (a further improvement on last year), sponsors and partner companies presented themselves on almost 2,000 sqm of Expo space.
“We are very pleased that we were able to improve the quality of the event once again,” explains ZELLCHEMING Chairwoman Prof. Dr. Helga Zollner-Croll. “Our practice-oriented program during the three days of the fair focused on current topics and application areas. In addition, there were workshops that were closely related to the work of our technical committees and were very well received”.
According to Petra Hanke, Managing Director of ZELLCHEMING Service GmbH and therefore responsible for the organization of the Expo, the high level of participation is another indication that the event has succeeded in further raising its profile: According to their own statements, more than 50 percent of the visitors hold management positions in their companies. This is an increase of 10 percent compared to last year.
Dr.-Ing. Frank Meltzer, Vice Chairman of ZELLCHEMING, emphasized that the Expo also thrives on the successful combination of different elements: “The variety of keywords alone – the United Nations Sustainability Agenda 2030, responsibility in the supply chain, dry papermaking, innovative testing methods, digital twins and start-up flash, to name just a few – is unique. Then there is the targeted commitment to groups with potential – with Women4Paper or the ZELLCHEMING Career Day. And finally, the special networking formats, such as the get-together in the exhibition hall or the live broadcast of the German national soccer team’s European Championship qualifying match on the largest LED screen in the state capital. We come up with ideas that are very well received and supported!”
Day 1: The Paper Industry – Part of the Solution
The ZELLCHEMING-Expo started with the opening session “On the way to climate-neutral paper production”. Participants included Hans-Christoph Gallenkamp, CEO of Felix Schoeller and President of the German Paper Industry Association, Dr. Markus Wildberger, Corporate Director Technology, Koehler Innovation & Technology GmbH, Dr. Uwe Knotzer, Managing Partner of Knauf KG and Michail Ginsburg, Managing Director of OutNature. Dr. Ekkehard Griep set the scene. The Federal Chairman of the German United Nations Association (DGVN) described the status at the halfway point of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030.
The panel discussion focused on partnership, creativity and innovation. The panelists agreed that the pulp and paper industry is an important enabler for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. “We are an innovative industry, and our employees are highly motivated to make the value chain more sustainable,” said Hans-Christoph Gallenkamp.
Dr. Uwe Knotzer was convinced: “CO2 is becoming a currency!” According to Knotzer, his company has set itself ambitious targets, for example in terms of CO2 savings, and now expects its suppliers to reflect this ambition and clearly document their own actions and results. Michail Ginsburg, who brought the retail perspective from his group of companies, believes in the disruptive power of the industry. The paper industry is capable of finding new solutions and challenging existing ones to become even better.
Dr. Ekkehard Griep was impressed by how “deeply rooted the economical use of resources is in this industry”, and Dr. Markus Wildberger clearly outlined his vision of the paper industry in 2030: “Sustainable and green!”
Day 2: Strong signals on the network
The day began with the 118th Annual General Meeting of ZELLCHEMING, which culminated in an awards ceremony for deserving members.
This was followed by the annual meeting of the ZELLCHEMING Women4Paper group, which started with a keynote speech by Jeannette Partner. The board member and CEO of Change Corporation addressed the question: “How can women succeed in STEM careers?”. After the Women4Paper Lunch, sponsored by AFRY, the event continued with Bettina Müller‘s workshop “Drivers – what drives us humans to act? A trained mechanical and plant engineer, she has worked successfully as a project manager in the paper industry for 25 years, overseeing the implementation of nearly 100 projects on site – and in recent years has also built up another mainstay as a coach.
Petra Hanke comments: “Our ZELLCHEMING Women4Paper network now brings together almost 400 women working in our industry. The interest in participating is growing from year to year and we will take this into account next year and prepare for even more participants”.
Day 3: Focus on the next generation
The Career Day started with the presentation of the ZELLCHEMING Young Talent Award 2024 to Rosario Othen. Other representatives of the industry’s next generation then took to the stage to give an insight into their everyday working lives. The paper rally with many points of interest and chances to win provided a lot of dynamism and interaction, as did the so-called PaperStars Walk of Fame, which created a red carpet feeling and served as a backdrop for glamorous social media pictures.
This special focus on the third day of the Expo offers the core target groups – students and trainees – direct and uncomplicated access to companies in the pulp and paper industry. “The Career Day has established itself and we are in discussions with all parties involved to further develop this promising format,” says Prof. Dr. Helga Zollner-Croll.
2025: Ready for the big show
Next year, at the ZELLCHEMING-Expo 2025, from July 1 to 3, 2025 at the RMCC Wiesbaden – two important anniversaries will provide a very special setting for the event:
120 years of ZELLCHEMING Association & 75 years of ZELLCHEMING-Expo!
“We will take this as an opportunity to inspire exhibitors and visitors with a special concept – more information will follow in the fall,” says Petra Hanke.
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