
K 2022 - Together for a better future
October 2022 - This year's K-Exhibition has come to an end, leaving us full of gratitude and zest for action. For over a week, we were able to be part of the event with seven business units and, together with over 3,000 other exhibitors, show our passion and expertise. True to the title of our campaign "We can't create the future alone", we were looking for partners and customers who want to develop ideas together with us and create a sustainable, innovative, and secure future.
Our booth was accompanied and enhanced by our virtual showroom. Whether visiting the show or staying at home, customers and interested parties were able to pay Kuraray a digital visit via various channels. Dr. Matthias Gutweiler, Managing Director of Kuraray Europe GmbH, welcomed all curious visitors in a video message and presented Kuraray's vision for years to come: "For almost 100 years, we have been walking a path: For people and the planet - to achieve what no one else can. To remain true to this vision in the future, we have set ourselves ambitious goals. Sustainability, innovation, and digitalization play central roles in this." This was also reflected in the design of the showroom, which enticed visitors with interactive possibilities. In various virtual rooms, four of our focus segments awaited interested visitors: Automotive, Paper and Packaging, Sports and Outdoor, and Life and Personal Care. There we presented some of our latest developments, of which we are proud:
EXCEVAL™ coated flexible paper bags for coffee beans are a game-changer. Because common multilayer packaging is impossible to recycle due to a barrier aluminum layer and production involves high energy costs, more sustainable solutions are highly needed. Our thin, water-soluble EXCEVAL™ coating, which acts as an oxygen and aroma barrier, provides a solution.


Recyclable paper packaging with Kuraray's renewable and water-soluble PLANTIC™ barrier film was also on display in the showroom. This is a solution that is particularly used for dry products such as coffee or pet food and is already commercially available. The PLANTIC™ film, laminated or extruded onto the inside of the paper packaging, forms a barrier against exterior-or unwanted flavors and oxygen, while an inner sealing layer - e.g. made of polyethylene (PE), (bio) polybutylene succinate (bio-PBS) or polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) - also acts as a moisture barrier.
Live expert presentations on our solutions for current customer challenges that we offered during the trade show are also available as recordings in our showroom and will be accessible for at least another year. The highlight was the first international presentation of our "Innovation Networking Center" (INC) - a virtual and also global organization. The INC represents a new way of driving innovation - creating a platform that puts customers' needs at the center. At the same time, it brings together Kuraray's global network: Experts and technologies that develop sustainable solutions for tomorrow.