Interview with glasstec Director Lars Wismer on the glasstec 2024 highlights

As the driving force behind the world-leading trade fair for the glass industry, Wismer and the entire glasstec team are hard at work preparing for the 2024 edition. He offered a glimpse into the high points of the upcoming event and shared his personal recommendations for attendees.

Planning for glasstec 2024 is in full swing: what will be the highlights this year?

Lars Wismer: “glasstec 2024, held in Düsseldorf from 22 to 25 October, will again serve as a leading platform for the glass industry offering a host of highlights.

One highlight worth flagging up is the special show glass technology live organized in cooperation with leading technical universities. Here pioneering innovations will be exhibited such as a pavilion made of bent, laminated thin glass and transformable window displays. This show is considered the innovation barometer for the whole sector and will be expanded even further this year.”

glasstec has become one of the key platforms for networking and business opportunities. How was this achieved? And which special support does Messe Düsseldorf provide for industry players this year?

Lars Wismer: “It is particularly important for the development of glasstec to maintain and expand contacts across the entire sector. We strike a chord with our focal themes and support the glass industry by showcasing these themes at glasstec. This is also achieved by the participation of, among others, industry leaders, innovative start-ups and research institutions from all over the world. All of this makes glasstec a central meeting point where current trends, innovations and technologies are presented. The possibility to enter into direct contact with decision-makers and experts promotes the exchange of ideas and opens up new business opportunities.

This year glasstec attaches particular importance to promoting start-ups with special sessions and presentation options. These give young companies a platform to introduce their innovations to a broad public and make key contacts. At the same time, they enable long-established enterprises to identify promising new technologies early on and enter into cooperations.”

Which new trends and innovations do you see in the glass industry at present and in future? And how do you respond to these at glasstec as a world-leading trade fair?

Lars Wismer: “One central topic for the industry and, hence, also for glasstec, will be the on-going digitalisation of the sector, accompanied by a strong focus on circularity and decarbonisation. These topics will be addressed in various expert lectures and forums, designed to promote exchange between industry and research.

With this in mind, we have developed a number of new features under the umbrella of the glasstec conference.”

What are you personally looking forward to in particular at glasstec 2024? What ‘must-see’ events would you strongly recommend to visitors?

Lars Wismer: “glass technology live is a special highlight at this year’s glasstec because it doubles as the innovation showcase of the glass industry. This presentation is unique because it is organised in cooperation with leading technical universities and displays the latest and forward-looking developments in the glass sector. It presents not only current trends and technologies but also visionary concepts that hold the potential for sustainable change within the sector.”

Finally, could you sum up in 3 words: to you glass is…

Lars Wismer: “Tradition, Innovation & Sustainability.”

Many thanks, Lars Wismer, for providing these insights!

Why not browse glasstec 2024’s varied line-up of side events right now – well worth discovering!