EUROGUSS: The future of the industry begins in Nuremberg

"You use it every day!" With this sentence, the organisers of the trade fair want to bring the topic of die casting closer to those outside the industry. Every door buckle, every car has to do with die casting and therefore concerns us all. There is great interest among experts in aluminium, magnesium and zinc die casting. The figures are going up - this year almost 650 exhibitors from 33 countries, a good third more visitors than two years ago and a high level of internationality at 60 per cent - but the challenges are also growing: keyword sustainability. The trade fair is taking the path to the future with people who not only care about the topic, but are also driving it forward.

Nothing works in the corporate world without functioning supply chains, and companies and consumers alike have experienced the global extent of this in recent years. However, supply chains are also the decisive lever for sustainability. As a rule, this is where the majority of CO₂ emissions are generated, but this is also where companies can take action and make a difference. With sustainability expert Prof Dr Matthias Fifka from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Prof Dr Lisa Fröhlich, Professor of Sustainable Supply Chain Management, two proven experts addressed the topic of "sustainable supply chains" at EUROGUSS.

Their analysis: innovative business models can prevent so-called stacking crises and establish sustainable supply chains, despite challenging regulations (keyword: Supply Chain Act) and only in teamwork between companies and their suppliers. Major topics in this context are Responsibility with regard to social and environmental aspects, the circular economy and decarbonisation.

The "NextGen" is already just around the corner and every year it is given a big stage at EUROGUSS: young scientists from all over the world - the future of the industry - are honoured for their outstanding theses with the Talent Award. New ideas and approaches flow in and well-trained young talents from all over the world can use the trade fair as an entry ticket to the industry. The trade fair slogan "Casting your future" applies here in more ways than one, as "casting" means not only moulding or designing, but also selection procedures.

This time, five graduates from German and US universities made it to the final round. Talent Award winner Danny Rohde from the University of Kassel impressed the jury the most with his "Cool Spray" mould cooling system. It represents an alternative to the conventional, energy-intensive temperature control of permanent moulds using heating/cooling units. What fascinates him about the Talent Award is "that it gives me the opportunity to present the results of my Master's thesis to an international audience of experts".

The new generation of casters not only has innovation, but also sustainability in their genes. With his master's thesis, finalist Dariusz Miersch from Heilbronn University wants to "contribute to the production of complex die-cast parts from sustainable aluminium and thus reduce the CO₂ footprint of the automotive and aluminium industry". His colleague Micheal P. Moodispaw from Ohio State University was "honoured to be a Talent Award finalist and share new ideas on sustainable material design with a wider audience". As part of his master's degree, he researched an aluminium alloy that can be made from 100 percent recycled material from old cars.

Jury chairman Franz-Josef Wöstmann, head of the Foundry Technology and Lightweight Construction department at Fraunhofer IFAM, summarises the Talent Award: "International networking is an essential driver of progress. This also applies at student level." This is why a Student Day was also organised for the first time at EUROGUSS 2024.