International congress on the future of the plastics industry
on June 16th & 17th, 2025

in Halle (Saale), Germany and on live stream for free

Bio-based and biodegradable plastics are changing the world. Are you an expert in this field? Or would you like to find out more about these materials? Then become part of our global community now!

Partner 2025

Poland
Partner country 2025

Poland will be our partner country this year, it will be the start of the of the strategic collaboration of the POLYKUM e.V. and PKTK for the knowledge and technology transfer in the field of biopolymers. The goals are to educate the industry about the properties and challenges of biopolymers and to create partnerships in this area. The Polish Cluster of Composite Technologies (PKTK) was established in October 2017 in Kraków and constitutes a platform for cooperation of entities operating in the field of composite technologies, including universities and scientific, research or development units as well as entrepreneurs, inventors, business environment units and other interested persons or institutions. Currently the cluster has over 100 members.

Our second Polish partner is the AHK. The German-Polish Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Poland), based in Warsaw, is the bilateral chamber with the largest number of members in Poland. It represents the interests of almost 1200 member companies and has been promoting German-Polish economic relations for 30 years. The AHK Poland has a Poland-wide network of regional offices in Katowice, Wrocław, Poznań and Gdańsk. Membership includes in particular: invitations to numerous business meetings, access to exclusive information, promotion of your company among other Chamber member companies and numerous additional services. The Chamber's 60-strong team is available to companies involved in bilateral trade in both countries. It offers companies from Germany and Poland a professional advisory service and promotes the exchange of information and experience as well as the development of relations with institutions on both sides of the Oder.

 

 

Program
16th & 17th of June, 2025

In addition to exciting presentations, you can also look forward to an exhibition by our congress partners on site. You can also follow all presentations on June 17, 2025 in our livestream!

 

16.06.2025

BIOPOLYMER Congress Opening Event

6:00 - 6:05 pm

Opening Words BIOPOLYMER Kongress 

Peter Putsch
Chairman Polykum e.V. 

6:05 - 06:10 pm

Saxony-Anhalt as the center of the German bioeconomy 

Dr. Jürgen Ude
State Secretary for Structural Change and Major Industrial Projects

06:10 - 06:15 pm

Halle as a city of the future

Mayor of Halle (Saale)

06:15 - 06:30 pm

Applied research in pilot scale as a key factor for the successful development of sustainable materials and technologies

Prof. Erica Lilleodden
Director of Fraunhofer IMWS

Prof. Maik Feldmann
Head of Business Unit Polymer Applications

06:15 - 07:30 pm

Award ceremony for the BIOPOLYMER Innovation Awards 2025

Moderated by Dr. Martin Bussmann 

07:30 - 10:00 pm

Opening of the buffet
Networking and exchange 

17.06.2025

Welcome!

09:00 - 09:05 am

A warm welcome from Polykum e.V. 

Peter Putsch
Chairman
Polykum e.V.

09:05 - 09:10 am

Video message from the ministry 

Sven Schulze
Minister for Economic Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry of Saxony-Anhalt

Poland

Partner Country

09:10 - 09:15 am

Greetings from our partner country Poland 

09:15 - 09:40 am

Bioplastics in Poland and Europe – Floating Between Vision and Reality 

Wojciech Pawlikowski
CEO
Noweko Ltd 

09:40 - 10:05 am

Keynote Partnercountry Poland

10:05 - 10:30 am

Biocomposite

10:30 - 10:45 am

Coffee Break 

Biopolymers and Additives

Session 1

10:45 - 11:10 am

Evaluation of Thermal Stability of Thermoplastic Bio-Polyesters and Stabilizer Performance Using Multi-Step Kneading Tests 

Andriy Horechyy
Scientist / Project Manager 
FILK Freiberg Institute gGmbH

11:10 - 11:35 am

NatFeel®: a smart talc based modifier for compostable biopolymers

Piergiovanni Ercoli Malacari 
Product and application development 
IMI Fabi Spa 

11:35 - 12:00 pm

Ingeo grades for plastics processing - the latest trends 

Julian Schmeling
Applications Development Engineer 
NatureWorks 

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Lunch Break 

Applications made from biopolymers

Session 2

1:00 - 1:25 pm

Polybutylene Succinate: New Possibilities in the Manufacturing of PBS

Dr. Christopher Hess 
Vice Head R&D 
Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH 

1:25 - 1:50 pm

The New EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR): Challenges and Opportunities for Biobased, Compostable, and Biodegradable Plastics 

Katrin Schwede
Managing Director
Initiative natürliche Kreislaufwirtschaft e.V. (INAK) 

1:50 - 2:15 pm

Why biodegradable plastic polymers are not a nice to have but a must for certain

Christian Lott
Director
HYDRA Marine Sciences

2:15 - 2:30 pm

Coffee Break

Fraunhofer Pilot Plant Center for Polymer Synthesis and Processing PAZ

Excursion

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Schkopau arrival and get-together at PAZ 

3:30 - 5:30 pm
  1. Station:
    Production of bio-based polybutylene succinate using a novel continuous synthesis technology

     

  2. Station: 
    Production of injection molded articles from bio-based polybutylene succinate

     

  3. Station: 
    Production of continuous fiber-reinforced bio-based polyamides for lightweight construction applications

     

  4. Station: 
    Production of sustainable child seat shells from bio-based polyamides using hybrid injection molding
5:30 - 6:00 pm

Return journey to Halle (Saale) and end of the event

Ticket-Shop
Onsite-Tickets

The onsite tickets entitle you to participate in the congress opening evening event with presentation of the BIOPOLYMER Innovation Awards on 16.06.2025, as well as participation in the congress and the excursion on 17.06.2025.

Would you prefer to participate online?
Online Registration

BIOPOLYMER
Innovation Award

The handmade trophies will be awarded for the sixth time in 2025 by the non-profit association POLYKUM. Previous winners have come from Italy, Finland, Belgium, Brazil and Germany. The projects honored by the independent jury demonstrate how biodegradable plastics can be used to break new ground in the packaging industry, the leisure sector, construction, medicine and technical applications, for example.

Applications for 2025 can be submitted now.

Find out more about the award and the previous winners on our award page. 

BIOPOLYMER Innovation Award

Sponsors & Organizers

Sponsors

Organizers

Contact
Newsletter

Contact

Fördergemeinschaft für Polymerentwicklung und Kunststofftechnik
Peter Putsch
Brandisstraße 4
06217 Merseburg
Germany

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POLYKUM e.V.

The Association for the Promotion of Polymer Development and Plastics Technology in Central Germany - POLYKUM e. V. sees its most important task in promoting the transfer of knowledge, innovation and technology and the cooperation of small and medium-sized companies in particular with each other and with science along the value chain. The diverse activities and measures for this include maintaining regular contact with members, organizing workshops and scientific events on industry-specific topics, and organizing joint stands at regional and international trade fairs.
More about POLYKUM e.V.

PLASTVERARBEITER

is the leading trade magazine for decision-makers in plastics processing and offers practical, well-founded information for specialists and managers in plastics processing, mechanical engineering, tool and mold making as well as for raw material suppliers. The magazine supports the implementation of cost- and resource-efficient production and helps to identify new market opportunities.

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