CIRPLEX – Circular Plastics Experience Summit – Alpen-Adria

Innovative trade fair and congress format

The CIRPLEX (Circular Plastics Experience Summit) is a novel combination of congress and trade fair. Sustainable and circular plastics solutions in the Alps-Adriatic region are presented in one location. This unique space connects start-ups with industry leaders. CIRPLEX is the hotspot for decision-makers in the plastics industry from Austria, the Alps-Adriatic region, southern Germany and central and south-eastern Europe.

>>The congress program<<

Congress Programme

13 May 2025

Exclusive networking pre-event at Lake Wörthersee (by personal invitation only!)

14 May 2025 – 1st day

Opening Cirplex – Congress Theater (10 pm)
Matchmaking Event – Cradle-ALP
Gregor Haverkemper (Director Marketing Styropor & Neopor BASF SE)
Title: Closed Loop – The Holy Grail?
Thomas Rau (Expert in the field fo Circular Evonomy)
Title: The Next Chapter
Panel discussion with Virginia Janssens (Plastics Europe), Peter Hodecek, MBA (Member EuRIC – European Recycling Industries Confederation), Gerold Breuer (EREMA Group, Head of Marketing & Cooporate Development)
Title: How can Europe regain its pioneering role in the plastics industry – both internally and in global competition?
Erwin Smole (Member of Executive Board STW Klagenfurt) and Berthold Baurek-Karlic (CEO Venionaire Capital)
Title: InvestCEC – Circular Economy as a Growth Engine: Opportunities for Businesses and Investors
Elin Sohlberg (Head of Operations BEWI Circular)
Title: Closing the loop with BEWI
Peter Hodecek (Vice-President EuRIC – European Recycling Industries Confederation)
Title: Chances and advantages for certificated specialised waste management companies
Panel discussion: Marta Pastres (ABA Invest in Austria), Marzia Di Bella-Negi ( BABEG Success in Carinthia), Nicole Holzbauer (Invest in Klagenfurt), Natascha Zmerzlikar (Invest in Klagenfurt)
Title: Promoting Green Tech in Austria: Business & Innovation Opportunities in Plastics
Paolo Garbagna (Professor at University of Pavia)
Title: On Thin Ice: The Daily Corporate Struggle to Navigate Between Greenwashing and Genuine Sustainability
Lindner Recyclingtech
Title: From Downcycling to Upcycling: Innovation is key
Joachim Kircher (Director Ernst & Young denkstatt Gmbh)
Titel: 6 blocks for the transition of the plastics industry
Herbert Tanner (Head of Software Development in Digital Industries, Siemens Austria)
Title: The power of digital transformation for sustainability
Network meeting with regional delicacies – Congress Theater

15 May 2025 – 2nd day

Life Experience Tours to LINDNER-RECYCLINGTECH GMBH, HIRSCH Servo AG, KRM Kunststoff-Recycling-Maschinen GmbH & SynCycle Operations GmbH
Matchmaking Event – Cradle-ALP
Ingo Sartorius, Managing Director BKV GmbH
Titel: Contribution of plastics to carbon circularity
Andreas Witschnigg (R&D Product Development PreZero Polymers Austria)
Title: Mechanical Recycling of Household Packaging Waste – Opportunities, risks and achievements under legislative targets
Round Table: Karoline Moosbauer (Business Development Manager Reuse, Greiner Packaging), Corinna Franz (Marketing & Sales Assistant, Starlinger) Josefina Bölting (Sales & Business Development Manager CCL Label), Markus Kraft (HIRSCH Servo AG)
Title: Cooperation in the value chain’ using the example of packaging
Maja Mešl (Head of Career center and International office Slovenija)
Title: Circular polymer solutions – developments and activities in Slovenia
Marcello Colledani (Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Politecnico di Milano)
Title: Ongoing Industrial Demonstration Activities in DeremCo: High-Value Recycling of Composite Materials and their Re-use within and Beyond the Original Application Scenario
Michael Lackner, Managing Director LINDNER
Title: From Downcycling to Upcycling: Innovation is key
Peter Marschalek (Managing Director Digital Excellence GmbH)
Title: AI in practice — Using artificial intelligence to make your business sustainable
Udo Pappler (Managing Director of the Austrian Research Institute for Chemistry and Technology)
Title: EDIH Applied CPS – Your digitalisation partner with EU funding programme
Markus Brillinger (Pro2future)
Title: Making the invisible visible: patented torque measurement as the key to optimising efficiency, wear and screw design in plastics extrusion
Janez Slapnik (University Slovenj Gradec, Faculty of Polymer Technology)
Title: Plastic End-of-Life: How to Utilise Different Technologies to Enable Efficient Circular Economy
Elke Metzsch-Zilligen (Director Division Plastics | Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF)
Title: From Waste to Resource: Improving Recyclate Quality for High-Performance Applications
Clemens Holzer (Head of Polymer Processing, Head of the Department Polymer Engineering and Science Montanuniversitaet Leoben)
Title: How we are saving the world with plastics
Start-up presentation

LIVE-EXPERIENCE TOURS

15 May 2025 (Departure bus transfer in front of exhibition hall 4 at 9:10 am – return approx. 1:00 pm)

Limited contingent – only 25 places per tour!

LINDNER Recyclingtech

The product portfolio ranges from stationary and mobile shredders for waste management to complete systems for plastics recycling.

Register now!

HIRSCH
Servo AG

HIRSCH Servo Group: the expert in the EPS & EPP industry with 50 years of experience, 34 production sites in 10 countries.

Register now!

KRM
Recycling

KRM Kunststoff-Recycling-Maschinen GmbH produces high-quality plastic regranulates from post-consumer and production waste.

Register now!

Growth potential due to pent-up demand

Wachstumspotential

Harald Kogler

Within the Carinthian industrial landscape, the plastics industry represents an important focus that is well above the national average. CIRPLEX makes this core industrial competence visible and creates a new industry meeting place. I am convinced that CIRPLEX will establish itself well as a conference trade fair in the long term.

CEO HIRSCH Servo AG

Werner Kruschitz

The first conference on the circular economy took place in Klagenfurt in 2022. At that time, the idea was born to develop a congress trade fair that would develop international appeal from Austria. CIRPLEX will make an important contribution to helping our neighbors in the Alps-Adriatic region and Southeast Europe develop a sustainable circular economy.

CEO KRM Kunststoff-Recycling-Maschinen GmbH

Virginia Janssens

CIRPLEX 2025 is a unique platform that combines innovation and sustainability in the plastics industry. As a hotspot for decision-makers from the Alpine-Adriatic region and beyond, it offers invaluable opportunities for knowledge sharing and networking. It will take all of us to shape the future of a circular and competitive plastics industry supported by new standards and an enabling framework. I am honoured to provide the keynote and to learn from the other speakers and participants. I warmly invite you to be part of this important event in Klagenfurt to help restore our journey towards a competitive, sustainable and strategic plastics ecosystem in Europe.

Managing Director Plastics Europe

Thomas Rau

Thomas Rau is an entrepreneur, architect, innovator, inspir e r and visionary. His motto is "guided by the future". Everything he does is driven by what will be needed in the future not what is feasible at the moment. Thomas Rau identifies tomorrow`s challenges and uses his enthusiasm, energy and humour to convince his audiences and clients that they need to take radical steps to make sustainability work.

Inspirational Speaker on Systemic Change

Dr. Elke Metzsch-Zilligen

As a leading institute for structural durability and system reliability, Cirplex is the ideal place for us to discuss and advance innovative solutions and technologies in the field of plastics. We see/view this as an opportunity to establish valuable partnerships and work together on the future of plastics technology. We are convinced that our innovative solutions for improving the quality of recyclates make a decisive contribution to replacing virgin plastics.

Director Division Plastics | Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF

Ingo Sartorius

Facts and figures on circular economy of plastics, climate protection and sustainability represent the topics of BKV GmbH, the competence centre of the plastics industry. Successful realisation of these subjects demands the cooperation of all relevant stakeholders, inter alia within the economy and its value chains, with administration, academia, etc. Cirplex is the central platform for cooperation and collaboration between trans-national regions in Europe.

Managing Director BKV GmbH

Maja Mešl

As a representative of the Faculty of Polymer Technology in Slovenia, I am excited to share our country's innovative approaches to circular polymer solutions at CIRPLEX. Slovenia has made significant strides in this area. I believe many opportunities for closer cross-border collaboration between all stakeholders in this region exists and that this summit provides an excellent opportunity to foster and enhance these collaborations and jointly leverage these opportunities, thus we are honoured to participate.

Faculty of Polymer Technology, Slovenia

Elin Sohlberg

Cirplex is more than just a trade fair—it’s a step towards a truly circular economy. At BEWI Circular, we are committed to closing the loop by collecting and recycling EPS, one ton at a time, turning waste into valuable resources. This event brings together industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers to accelerate sustainable solutions and create a future where materials never go to waste. Cirplex is where ideas meet action, and together, we are shaping a smarter, a better everyday world.

Head of Operations BEWI Circular

Berthold Baurek-Karlic

Cirplex in Klagenfurt is a central platform for the Alps-Adriatic region to promote innovative solutions for the circular economy in the plastics sector. It brings together companies, investors and experts to develop sustainable business models and accelerate the transition to circular value creation. For projects such as InvestCEC in particular, the trade fair offers an ideal opportunity to promote cross-border cooperation and present new technological approaches.

CEO Venionaire Capital AG

Erwin Smole

For Stadtwerke Klagenfurt, Cirplex is an important platform for actively shaping sustainable solutions for the circular economy. In the InvestCEC project, we are contributing our experience in urban infrastructure and driving forward innovative business models that conserve resources and strengthen Klagenfurt as a pioneer in the circular economy.

Member of Executive Board STW Klagenfurt

Sandra Pechac

Establishing a functioning circular economy requires close cooperation between all players along the value chain. Only together can we develop innovative and sustainable packaging solutions that conserve resources and reduce the ecological footprint. Events such as CIRPLEX are essential for this, as they bring together companies, innovation drivers and decision-makers.

Managing Director Platform Packaging with a Future

Dr. Andreas Witschnigg

I think it's good that this trade fair is taking place for the first time, as there is a lot of expertise in the area of circularity and recycling in this region. The trade fair also helps to make this transparent. True to the motto: Do good and talk about it.

R&D Product Development, PreZero Polymers Austria GmbH

Gregor Haverkamper

A functioning circular economy is the conditio sine qua non for the future of the plastics industry in Europe. This requires innovation and openness to technology, not narrow-minded discussions about closed material cycles and excessive regulatory requirements. CIRPLEX provides the perfect framework for discussions on these topics in the Alpine-Adriatic region.

Director Marketing Styropor & Neopor BASF SE

Peter Marschalek

Cirplex 2025 in Klagenfurt is an excellent opportunity to show how sustainability and artificial intelligence can be combined. I am convinced that Cirplex will become firmly established in Carinthia and contribute to the development of a sustainable circular economy.

Managing Director Digital Excellence GmbH

Udo Pappler

The CIRPLEX trade fair is in tune with the times. Sustainable, circular plastic solutions are essential in these times. We have to face the challenges of the future, there is no way around it. I am therefore looking forward to exciting days in Klagenfurt, an intensive, professional exchange and am very excited about the new format - trade fair combined with congress.

Managing Director of the Austrian Research Institute for Chemistry and Technology

Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.mont. Clemens Holzer

After the successful Circular Economy Conference 2022 in Klagenfurt, it is impressive what the innovative, committed and active industry representatives of Carinthian plastics companies have now achieved with CIRPLEX. The circular economy works across borders and this combination of trade fair and congress sends out a strong signal in the south of Austria, but also in the entire south-east European EU region.

Head of Polymer Processing, Head of the Department Polymer Engineering and Science Montanuniversitaet Leoben

Marcello Colledani

Fiber Reinforced Polymer material recycling and re-integration in new products is today being demonstrated by DeremCo, both from the technical and economic viewpoints. The next challenge is demand widening for secondary materials streams and business upscale.

Professor at the Mechanical Engineering Department of Politecnico di Milano

Paolo Garbagna

Imagine a space where the conventional boundaries of the plastics industry dissolve, giving rise to a revolutionary cycle of creativity and sustainability. Cirplex 2025 is that transformative arena—a dynamic crucible where visionary start-ups and industry giants converge to reimagine plastics from waste into boundless opportunity. Here, every challenge is met with inventive solutions and every material is reborn through circular innovation. In this unique meeting place, the future isn’t just predicted—it’s actively crafted, turning ideas into actions and setting the stage for a resilient, regenerative economy.

Professor at University of Pavia

Joachim Kircher

Cirplex in Klagenfurt stands as a pivotal platform in the Alps-Adriatic region, offering a prime opportunity to stay abreast of the latest innovative solutions and challenges in the circular economy within the plastics sector. It is the ideal venue to gain insights into recent developments and connect with partners to advance the business case for a circular economy.

Director Sustainability Services Ernst & Young denkstatt GmbH

Peter Hodecek

The plastics industry is characterised by a high level of innovation, a wide variety of materials and diverse applications. Our daily lives would not be possible without plastics. The recycling of plastics is becoming increasingly important from an environmental and sustainability perspective. The reuse and recycling of certain products, as well as material, energy and chemical recycling, make it possible to close material cycles, thereby achieving the desired conservation of resources. With CIRPLEX, a new platform has been created to demonstrate the recyclability of plastics.

Vice-President EuRIC – European Recycling Industries Confederation

Barbara Mayer

Tomorrow’s leading companies will be those that embrace digital transformation today to prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. To win the race against climate change, innovative digital technologies will enable us to do more with less in our industrial world - by seamlessly combining the real and digital worlds and using the creative power of industrial AI.

Teamlead Innovation & Standardization in Digital Industries, Siemens Austria

Gerold Breuer

The progress in recycling expertise along the entire plastics value chain in recent years is remarkable and gives me confidence. Our recycling machines at EREMA are only part of the solution. It is gratifying to see that CIRPLEX is promoting this essential interdisciplinary dialogue in Austria.

Head of Marketing EREMA Group GmbH and Managing Director PURE LOOP GmbH

Matthias Egarter

I´am proud that we have been part of CIRPLEX from the very beginning and part of this cross-border trade fair. As a recycling pioneer, we stand for innovative recycling solutions and look forward to setting new impulses together with other experts and further promoting dialogue in the industry. CIRPLEX will establish itself as an important meeting place for the plastics industry in the Alps-Adriatic region.

Managing Director LINDNER

Anna Kozera-Szałkowska

As a representative of plastics producers in Poland I am pleased to be a part of CIRPLEX 2025. Plastics industry in our country is for years steadily growing, in spite of the different current challenges. However, at the moment whole Europe is facing the new threats and therefore needs a strong, united, innovative approach to the future. Such exceptional hub for regional exchange of experience as CIRPLEX 2025 is what enables us better collaboration, fresher ideas and greater acceleration of the sustainable transition of the European plastics industry.

Managing Director Plastics Europe Polska

Janez Slapnik

Effectively managing the end-of-life phase for plastics requires a strategic integration of various technologies. At the Faculty of Polymer Technology, we explore how these different approaches can contribute to a truly efficient circular economy. CIRPLEX is the ideal venue to share these insights and foster collaboration between research institutions and industry leaders, accelerating the adoption of effective solutions across the Alps-Adriatic region and ensuring a sustainable future for plastics.

Faculty of Polymer Technology

Stefan Pirker

Plastics are essential to modern life, keeping our food fresh, our vehicles light, and our medicines sterile. However, most plastics currently follow a linear lifecycle, in which they are produced, often used once, and then discarded—typically ending up in landfills or incinerated. A circular economy addresses this by keeping materials in use longer and reducing waste and emissions. While most recycling today is mechanical, chemical recycling like ReOil® is an essential complement that offers several unique advantages. At OMV, we’re leading the way to renewable and circular chemicals and materials that make sustainable life possible.

Head of Circular Economy Innovation - OMV

Matthias Katschnig

Our task is to establish the use of recycled materials as a fully-fledged alternative to virgin materials. With modern sorting and processing technologies, we can now achieve outstanding material qualities. But it's not just about technical feasibility - it's also about measurable environmental benefits. The life cycle assessment of recycled plastics clearly shows that the use of recyclates saves resources, energy and CO₂ emissions. It is crucial that we use events such as CIRPLEX to jointly convince the market, politicians and industry that recycled plastic is not the second choice, but the first choice - for a sustainable future!

CEO Katschnig Consult GmbH

Andreas Starzacher

For us, as the Carinthian Economic Development Fund, it is essential to build and support strong value creation networks in the region. We promote the development of innovations and new business models emerging from collaboration between companies, research institutions, and educational establishments. The circular economy and recycling industry offer many opportunities in the context of new regulations and at the interfaces between collectors, processing, converting, and product development.

KWF Director Strategy & Business Development

Our partners and exhibitors

Graphics for download and further use

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MATCHMAKING POWERED BY Cradle-ALP

Your opportunity for B2B meetings!

Register and book your 20 minutes 1:1 meeting slots with potential partners for collaboration. During this event you will be able to network with entrepreneurs, startups, industry leaders and research institutions from the Alpine Space and Adria Regions, Central and Southeast Europe.

How does it work?

Register here: Cradle-ALP – Circular Alpine Space community (B2Match) from March 21st, 2025
Publish your profile: establish your clear and easy to understand business profile (only visible for other participants).
Select interesting participant profiles: Go to the list of participants and discover interesting and promising dialogue partners for you.
Send and receive meeting requests
Matchmaking event: Meet at agreed date, time and assigned table no.; you will find the list of your meetings

B2B Matchmaking time slots available from:

14 May 2025: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
15 May 2025: 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Ticket prices

Day admission adults	EUR 25,-
Online adults	EUR 20,-
Teenagers (15-19 years)	EUR 9,-
Online teenagers (15-19 years)	EUR 5,-
Children up to 14 years	free
Groups of 10 or more (per person)	EUR 10,-
Online groups of 10 people or more (per person)	EUR 7,-
Visitor car park – daily maximum	EUR 9,-

Information

Dogs are not permitted in the exhibition halls or on the outdoor exhibition grounds.

Information

Heuer gibt es keinen Shuttle-Service zur Messe.

The CIRPLEX Team

Prok. Almir Slamnik, BA MBA
Leitung Marketing & Vertrieb Messen, MICE & New Business +43 463 56800-22 slamnik@kaerntnermessen.at

Lorenz Pfeifer
Projektassistenz +43 463 56800-57 pfeifer@kaerntnermessen.at

Stuart Altvater
Marketing & PR +43 463 56800-71 altvater@kaerntnermessen.at

Mag. Kristina Reichl, Bakk.
Events & Marketing +43 463 56800-75 reichl@kaertnermessen.at

Data and facts

3.200 m²

Exhibition space

Exhibitors

Speakers

Live-Experience Tours

Highlights

Besucherfolder & Programm

Besucherfolder Fit & Power Bühne Krone Frisch & G’sund Bühne

Impressionen

Themen

Wellness & Fitness

Fitness-, Sport- und Therapiegeräte – Infrarotkabinen, Saunen, Solarien, Whirlpools – Kuranstalten, Thermen, Wellnesshotels – Thermenregionen

Gesunde und ausgewogene Ernährung

Bio- und Naturprodukte – Ernährungsberatung – Gesunde Lebens- und Genussmittel – Gesundes Abnehmen, Heilfasten – Nahrungsergänzungsprodukte

Schönheit & Wohlbefinden

Fußpflege – Haar- und Körperpflege – Kosmetik – Schlank & Fit – Schmuck und Accessoires – Schönheitssalons

Vorsorge und medizinische Beratung

Kammern und Innungen – Bandagisten – Gesundheits- und Therapiezentren – Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung – Rotes Kreuz – Seh- und Hörhilfen – Sozialversicherungsträger

Altenpflege

Hauskrankenhilfe, Hauskrankenpflegeartikel – Mobilitätshilfen – Rehabilitation (Physiotherapie/Ergotherapie) – Sanitär- und Rehahilfen

Naturheilkunde & Alternativmedizin

Akupunktur, Akupressur – Aroma- und Farblichttherapie – Bachblütentherapie – Fußreflexzonenmassage – Homöopathie – Magnetfeldtherapie – Massagetechniken – Shiatsu – Osteopathie

Natürliches Wohnen

Biologische Reinigungsmittel – Feng Shui Beratung – Gesundes Schlafen – Schafwollprodukte

Literatur

Bestseller von Gesundheitsexperten – Entspannungsmusik – Lesenswertes zum Thema „Gesund Leben“

Gesund leben & gleichzeitig glücklich

Parallel zur GESUND LEBEN findet die “19. Österreichische Messe für Körper, Geist & Seele” statt.

Alle Aussteller und Vorträge finden Sie unter www.gesundemesse.eu