"Food goes Powder" and "Young Professionals": key topics of the new format at SOLIDS and RECYCLING-TECHNIK Dortmund
Towards a more innovative process industry – this is the guiding principle behind the new ‘BULK MASTERS’ format. The hackathon will take place from 8 to 10 October 2024 as part of the SOLIDS & RECYCLING-TECHNIK trade fair duo in Dortmund and aims to promote innovation and creativity in the process industry. Interdisciplinary teams comprising students, engineers, developers, designers and other creative minds will spend 48 hours devising solutions to real-world problems set directly by companies in the industry.
The new format was developed by the trade fair organiser Easyfairs Deutschland GmbH in collaboration with, amongst others, Bochum University of Applied Sciences (ruhrvalley Start-up Campus & ruhrvalley), REMBE® GmbH Safety+Control, CADFEM and the German Bulk Materials Industry Association (DSIV). “BULK MASTERS offers an ideal platform for bringing fresh and innovative ideas to our sector. This is extremely important because, as in many other sectors, the challenges facing the process industry – such as sustainability and the shortage of skilled workers – are growing ever greater. At the same time, the use of artificial intelligence offers numerous opportunities to find innovative solutions and optimise processes. These three topics alone hold great potential for thinking outside the box and developing new approaches,” explains Anna Lena Sandmann, Exhibition Director of SOLIDS & RECYCLING-TECHNIK Dortmund at Easyfairs.
"Zeppelin Systems" on board as challenge provider
The first challenge organiser for the BULK MASTERS has been confirmed: Zeppelin Systems. “As a global plant engineering company, the hackathon is a wonderful opportunity for us to think outside the box and find new, innovative solutions. That’s why we see it as a fantastic opportunity to be a challenge organiser here. We have the chance to harness maximum creativity for innovation in a very short space of time – something that’s rather rare in the stresses of day-to-day work – and that’s why we’re very much looking forward to the hackathon and the results it will yield,” said Schneider, Vice President of Technology & Innovation at Zeppelin Systems. The company specialises in the design, construction and technological development of industrial plants for the storage, conveying, mixing, dosing and weighing of high-quality bulk materials and raw materials. With around 1,900 employees worldwide, Zeppelin Systems creates solutions every day for customers in the plastics, chemicals, rubber and tyre industries. The food and beverage industry also values Zeppelin Systems’ long-standing turnkey experience and technological expertise.
Focus topics: "Food goes Powder" and "Young Professionals"
This year’s BULK MASTERS will focus on two key themes:
“Food goes Powder”
Germany, as one of Europe’s largest food exporters, faces new challenges and opportunities in the pulverisation of foodstuffs. The ability to transport food in powder form eliminates the need for water transport, which offers environmental benefits and minimises logistical challenges. At the same time, pulverisation presents significant technical challenges: nutrient loss, contamination during the grinding process and caking due to varying moisture contents in the raw materials. With the highest concentration of food producers, North Rhine-Westphalia – and thus BULK MASTERS – is an ideal location to tackle these challenges.
“Young Professionals“
The appeal of the process industry to young talent is crucial to the sector’s future. Young professionals bring fresh perspectives, creative ideas and a technical understanding. “With a modern and dynamic format such as the BULK MASTERS, we’re killing two birds with one stone. Not only do we promote the development of creative solutions to current challenges in the process industry, but by bringing young talent together, we also demonstrate the sector’s potential to participants whilst simultaneously creating a modern platform for exchange between the next generation of specialists and technology providers and users,” emphasises Anna Lena Sandmann.
Focus on innovations: Presentation of the results on the second day of the trade fair
The results of the BULK MASTERS will be presented on the second day of the trade fair as part of the trade fair duo. In short pitches, the teams will present their proposed solutions to the trade audience and a selected jury. The winning team can look forward to an attractive cash prize. Companies and institutions still have until 15 July to apply to set the challenge and thus receive innovative solutions to their specific challenges.
The trend reports from SOLIDS, RECYCLING-TECHNIK and PUMPS & VALVES Dortmund are compiled by specialist journalists with in-depth knowledge of the industry and are available to the press for free reproduction, provided the source is acknowledged.
Source: SOLIDS & RECYCLING-TECHNIK Dortmund