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

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
11th of June, 2024
The 2025 program will follow shortly
Welcome!
Welcome!
A warm welcome from Polykum e.V.
Peter Putsch
Chairman
Polykum e.V.
Greetings from the Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt
Dr. Reiner Haseloff
Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt
Partner Country
Partner Country
Queensland - Germany: partnership and opportunities
Henriette Pook
Director of Research
Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ)
Keynote: Polyhydroxyalkanoate advancements - polymer modification, blends, composites and end of life
Prof. Bronwyn Laycock
Professor in Chemical Engineering
The University of Queensland
Shifting the paradigm: Developing cost effective biopolymer products
Alec Foster
Bioproducts and Packaging Portfolio Lead
scion research New Zealand
Uluu: seaweed-derived PHAs to replace plastic at scale
Michael Kingsbury
Co-founder and co-CEO
Uluu
Coffee Break
Biopolymers and Additives
Session 1
Biopolymers and Additives
Session 1
Stabilisation and colouring of biopolymers biogenic by-products
Dr. Mirko Rennert
Owner
Twins Crew GmbH
Bio2compound – continous processing of microscale functional fibers into biobased binder systems
Jörg Dörrstein
Managing Director
Biofibre
Biopolymer Injection Moulding Technology
Timo Günzel
CTO
BOLE Intelligent Machinery
Lunch Break
Biopolymer Recycling Solutions
Session 2
Biopolymer Recycling Solutions
Session 2
Controllability of plastic recyclates/ biopolymers - with cavity pressure
Thomas Koch
Team sales/ Application
Kistler Intrumente GmbH
Recycled post-consumer textile waste as reinforcement filler for plastic composites
Illia Krasnou
Senior researcher
Taltech
Advancements in Recycling Technologies for Bio-based PBS Materials
Dr. Patrick Hirsch
Group Leader “Sustainable Materials and Processes
Fraunhofer IMWS
Coffee Break
Biodegradation
Session 3
Biodegradation
Session 3
BIOMER - bio degredable waxes
Thomas Stöbe
Site Manager
DEUREX AG
Certification for a sustainable future - relevant certifications for bioplastics
Yunus Emre Altunay
Product Manager
DIN CERTCO
Coffee Break
Award presentation ceremony
Session 4
Award presentation ceremony
Session 4
Award announcement
The winners of the year present their innovations.
Laudatory speech and award ceremony
End of the event
Ticket-Shop
Onsite-Tickets
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.
Call for Papers
Bio-based and biodegradable plastics are changing the world. If you are already working with these materials of the future, share your experience - with your presentation to people from over 40 countries!
Contact
Newsletter
Contact
Phone: +49 (3461) 7940320
E-Mail: biopolymer@polykum.de
Fördergemeinschaft für Polymerentwicklung und Kunststofftechnik
Peter Putsch
Brandisstraße 4
06217 Merseburg
Germany
Newsletter
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POLYKUM-Newsletter
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.