Covestro and Uniplan receive Red Dot Design Award

Covestro and the Cologne-based agency Uniplan are winners of this year’s Red Dot Design Award in the category “Digital Solutions – Trade Fair”. Both partners are being honored for an integrated digital and real-world experience they developed on the occasion of the leading plastics trade fair, K 2022. It is based on three pillars: the digital platform SPACE, the integrated booth concept STAGE including a lecture program and the researcher portrait series MEET THE INNOVATORS.

“With our multi-layered campaign, we are pursuing the goal of establishing contacts with many partners to advance the industry on its path to climate neutrality and the circular economy,” explains Dr. Christian Haessler, one of the two project managers for K 2022 at Covestro. “This communicative 360° approach was also expressed in the motto of our appearance at K 2022, ‘Crafting Connections With You’.” The Red Dot label has established itself internationally as one of the most coveted seals of quality for good design.

Rüdiger Maeßen, CEO Europe at Uniplan, is equally positive: “The good co-creative collaboration and the innovative concept were fundamental to the success of this holistic campaign. Together with Covestro, we have driven the circular economy agenda in the industry by creating an authentic exchange on multiple channels. Therefore, we are even more pleased that the sustainable campaign approach not only convinced the global target audience, but also the jury of the Red Dot Award.”

In order to connect with target groups around the world at an early stage and offer them a holistic, long-term experience as a “home base,” Covestro and Uniplan designed a digital event platform called “SPACE.” It went live several months before the start of the trade show and provided information about planned activities at the booth and the company’s major highlight topics:

These Topic Clusters also formed the basis for the second pillar – the integrated STAGE booth concept. As the other Covestro project manager Dr. Christopher Stillings explains, “Not only the exhibits and topic clusters, but also the wide-ranging lecture program in the central Talks Arena were tailored to these topics. Inspiring guests from well-known companies and universities – all actors in their respective fields – captivated the audience with keynotes on current trends and technologies and during panel discussions. Not only booth visitors participated, but also viewers around the world who followed the live broadcasts via social media.”

Another highlight is the Color Material Finish (CMF) Sample Library, a collection of plastic samples that makes materials visible and tangible. Part of Uniplan´s and Covestro’s STAGE concept is that the booth – or parts of it – can be used repeatedly for further exhibitions. Sustainability aspects and the reduction of CO2 emissions were also at the forefront in the selection of materials for the trade show appearance itself. The success proves both partners right: Thus, the quality of contacts was significantly improved compared to K 2019, and a positive response developed both externally and internally over a longer period of time.

While innovative developments are showcased and (hopefully) get the attention they deserve, the researchers behind them are often not visible. In the video series “Meet The Innovators” Covestro gives a voice to some of them and their inventions – see the blog post. They were introduced to a larger audience at K 2022, but prominent guests continue to discuss important innovations and technologies in the “Meet The Innovators” livestream series.

Many inspiring encounters at K 2022 have already led to a large number of new partnerships, technologies and material solutions. They form a valuable basis for developments that Covestro plans to showcase at the next major trade show appearance at K 2025. The company’s motto may be different then – but the message remains that partnerships are the key to achieving a climate-neutral and circular economy: “Crafting Connections With You”.

Back in May 2023, Covestro and its partner Accesso Dynamics were honored with an award offered by Red Dot and Koelnmesse. At the furniture supplier trade show interzum 2023, they received the “Best of the Best” interzum Award for their Arfinio technology. This technology, first presented at K 2022, enables products with complex but seamless shapes. The development also contributes to sustainability, as the products are partly made from bio-based raw materials, are repairable and can be mechanically recycled at the end of their useful life.

Covestro and Uniplan were also nominated for the Heavent Award in the “Forum, Summit, Congress, Fair Award” category for their communication concept for K 2022. A total of 132 projects from event, experimental and live marketing agencies as well as companies and trade fair and congress organizers were submitted for this year’s event competition.