This year’s Central German Plastics Day (MKT) dialogue forum took place on June 16 at the Georg Friedrich Händel Hall in Halle (Saale) and explored the future perspective of “Plastics in Central Germany.”
Panel participants: Prof. Markus Krabbes, Rector, Merseburg University of Applied Sciences; Dr. Matthias Jacob, Samix GmbH; Kristy-Barbara Lange, Head of Communication & Public Affairs, TecPart e.V.; Peter Putsch, Chairman, Polykum e.V.; Mario Suckert, State Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs of Thuringia; Stefanie Pötzsch, State Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs of Saxony-Anhalt; Dr. Mike Thieme, KuVBB e.V. Berlin/Brandenburg; Marcus Cramer, Board Member, PolymerMat e.V.; Robert Röllig, House of Transfer; Reinhard Artus, Communications Manager, Polykum e.V.
© PolymerMat e.V.
Auditorium
© PolymerMat e.V.
Keynote Presentation by Peter Putsch, Polykum e.V.
© PolymerMat e.V.
This year’s Central German Plastics Day (MKT) dialogue forum took place on June 16 at the Georg Friedrich Händel Hall in Halle (Saale) and explored the future perspective of “Plastics in Central Germany.”
The MKT is jointly organized by
Kunststoffverbund Brandenburg/Berlin e.V. (KuVBB),
POLYKUM e.V. in Saxony-Anhalt, and
PolymerMAT e.V. in Thuringia.
The 70 participants represented plastics manufacturing and processing companies, state governments, scientific institutions, and plastics associations from Berlin-Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt.
Main Focus: Biopolymers This year’s MKT was hosted by Polykum e.V., whose Chairman, Peter Putsch, presented the future of bio-based and biodegradable plastics. One of the key topics of his presentation was the visualization of a planned biopolymer production facility in the Central German chemical region. Learn more in the
ARD Media Library.
Panel Discussion Value chains and material cycles do not stop at state borders. Cross-regional cooperation is essential. During the discussion, industry representatives and policymakers explored the following questions:
- What can politics and industry achieve together?
- What opportunities does the plastics industry offer?
- How can we jointly ensure targeted and successful future development?Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive.Kristy-Barbara Lange, Head of Public Affairs, TecPart – Association of Manufacturers of Technical Plastic Products
The Central German Plastics Day #MKT2025 once again demonstrated the significant industrial potential of the circular economy for plastics in Central Germany, particularly for small and medium-sized plastics processing companies and manufacturers of technical plastic products.
The initial networking between regions, clusters, and stakeholders is working—but the key question is what concrete actions will follow. Thinking about Central Germany’s plastics potential in an integrated way is no longer enough. We need binding projects, joint industrial policy positions, and visible implementation by the participating federal states.
Central Germany has the potential to become a driving force for industrial circular economy and innovation. What concrete progress will we see at the next #MKT in Saxony in 2026?Dr. Matthias Jacob, Operations Manager, MEDISCA
This year’s Central German Plastics Day once again focused on the key question: “What comes next for plastics in Central Germany?” The event clearly demonstrated the innovation potential that results from close cooperation among the Central German federal states, particularly in the field of advanced polymers.
Once again, it became clear how important networking and knowledge transfer across regional borders are. The close cooperation between the clusters and institutions in Thuringia, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony—including KuVBB, POLYKUM e.V., and the Plastics Center Leipzig—continues to strengthen regional collaboration.
Saxony’s role as host in 2026 highlights the importance of cross-state cooperation and provides a platform for addressing common future challenges. Together, the Central German states will continue advancing the plastics industry and provide valuable momentum for the entire region.