Vogel Communications Group (VCG) is launching a broad initiative for the topic of plastics at Easter 2025. VCG is Europe's largest industrial media company with around 110 specialist media in around 25 sectors - with a focus on industry, automotive and IT. As a partner to companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, VCG repeatedly addresses topics of the future and creates platforms for exchange and market development. Within the Vogel Group, WIN-Verlag, a wholly-owned subsidiary of VCG, plays a leading role in the field of plastics.

At the end of 2024, VCG began to intensively expand the topic of plastics and pool new expertise at its headquarters in Würzburg. The approach: to play an active and leading role in shaping the future of the plastics industry, as there is great potential for the markets here, e.g. in the area of sustainability. This is why VCG has created a triad for the plastics industry within a few months with a wide reach: Print - Digital - Events. And thus stands for a holistic communication offering covering all aspects of plastics, rubber and sustainable transformation - cross-media, forward-looking and practical!

• December 2024: Foundation of the media brand PlastXnow in the WIN publishing house
• March 2025: Integration of the two media brands Plastverarbeiter and KGK - Kautschuk-Gummi-Kunststoffe
• April 2025: Start of a comprehensive cooperation with SKZ - Süddeutsches Kunststoffzentrum for events and training, among other things
• May 2025: further strategic additions to activities in the future market of plastics are in progress

"With this comprehensive overall package, we are contributing our editorial expertise, our event know-how and our enormous reach and creating a platform for open and forward-looking dialog in the plastics industry," explains Matthias Bauer, CEO of VCG: "Industry experts, companies and interested parties can look forward to groundbreaking content and inspiring events, and our customers benefit from a strong competence network and broad market access."

This means in detail:

Under the umbrella of the PlastXnow media brand, the tried and tested will be retained and further developed in a future-oriented manner with new impulses. The two renowned media brands Plastverarbeiter and KGK - Kautschuk Gummi Kunststoffe will remain as independent media brands with clear target group access and together strengthen PlastXnow's market presence.

Plastverarbeiter continues to assert its role as the decision-maker magazine for efficient production in the plastics processing industry. With well-researched content, clear language and direct practicality, the trade magazine offers its readers real added value - for more market opportunities and sustainable production processes.

The highlight in 2025 is the international congress "BIOPOLYMER - Processing & Moulding", which we are organizing together with the Fördergemeinschaft für Polymerentwicklung und Kunststofftechnik in Mitteldeutschland - POLYKUM e. V. on 16 and 17 June 2025. The congress offers a high-caliber platform for expert dialogues on the future of the plastics industry, with a special focus on biopolymers, sustainable materials and modern processing technologies.

Another milestone is the content partnership with PlasticsEurope Germany in the run-up to K 2025, the world's largest trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, from October 8 to 15, 2025 in Düsseldorf. Under the joint motto "our Way 2 K", a multimedia campaign is being created to highlight the transformation of the plastics industry towards greater sustainability, innovation and transparency.

In addition, VCG is further expanding its decades of expertise in specialist books: with a growing focus on the topic of plastics for in-depth knowledge transfer, orientation and further training along technological, economic and regulatory developments.

A key new factor is the training cooperation with SKZ - Das Kunststoff-Zentrum: the strategic partnership covers both the content of training for specialists and the event level and provides innovative impetus - from Würzburg - for the entire value chain of the plastics industry in Germany and beyond. The joint event program begins on 14/15 May with the "E&E Conference" focusing on sustainability, material requirements and digitalization at the Vogel Convention Center Würzburg. SKZ and VCG, both based in Würzburg, are planning to intensify their cooperation at industry events, specialist congresses and networking events. The aim is to use combined expertise and innovative formats to present practical solutions, market trends and scientific findings and to promote exchange between industry, research and the media.

N.B.: The SKZ is Europe's largest plastics institute with an industry network of over 440 partners. VCG is Europe's largest industrial media house and offers broad target group access with its three media brands "PlastXnow", "Plastverarbeiter" and "KGK - Kautschuk Gummi Kunststoffe".