Mr Seifert, "The Bright World of Metals" is considered the world's leading platform for the international metal and foundry industry. What can visitors look forward to in 2027?
Malte Seifert: From 21 to 25 June 2027, GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST will once again be presented together in Düsseldorf. Under the umbrella of "The Bright World of Metals", the four world-leading trade fairs will showcase the entire industrial value chain – from raw material processing to forming and thermal processes to modern cast products. Visitors will experience an industry that is on the verge of an epoch-making change globally. Decarbonisation, AI and connected processes, new materials and dynamic developments in die casting – especially in aluminium and magnesium solutions – are all shaping the agenda. At the same time, international exchange is growing: markets such as India, Turkey, Japan and Indonesia are investing heavily in new die casting and melting capacities as well as in smart factory solutions. Düsseldorf will therefore once again become the global meeting place for an industry that is reinventing itself technologically and structurally. "The Bright World of Metals" connects research, industry and politics and actively accompanies this transformation as a global stage for innovation and dialogue.
GIFA traditionally plays a central role. Which developments are the main focus there?
Malte Seifert: GIFA is the world's leading platform for foundry and die casting technology. It is where manufacturers, users and research institutions come together to present the latest solutions: from mould/die and core production to machine and plant engineering, large die casting machines, automated casting cells and digital process control. The field of light metal die casting is seeing particularly dynamic growth: aluminium and magnesium are enabling new applications worldwide – from Japan to Spain and from Turkey to Brazil – such as structural parts for e-mobility and functionally integrated components. This clearly shows how materials technology, simulation and tool development fuel each other.
What technological and strategic trends are shaping this change?
Malte Seifert: We are currently observing the following key topics that will significantly shape the future of the industry:
• Decarbonisation and green energy, i.e. climate-friendly processes, new energy sources and energy-efficient thermal process technology.
• Smart Factory and AI processes where data, sensor technology, machine learning and autonomous systems make manufacturing more efficient.
• Circular economy and energy networks.
• Future skills, skilled worker development and international networking and global technology development, because without this dimension, the transformation will not succeed.Whether real-time process control, AI-supported quality assurance, additive manufacturing tools, structural components or energy-optimised melting plants: the innovative power is enormous and shows that transformation is not abstract, but already a living reality. With our trade fairs, we accompany this process worldwide and offer a platform where technologies, markets and people come together.
How is "The Bright World of Metals" positioned in terms of content?
Malte Seifert: A key component of this are our international forums and conferences – including the GIFA, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST forums, the ecoMetals Forum, the European Steel Technology and Application Days (ESTAD) and the European Metallurgical Conference (EMC). Here, experts from research, industry and politics discuss global trends, supply chains, new materials and changes in the world of work. The various formats form the vibrant knowledge hub of an industry that is undergoing technological change faster than ever before.
"The Bright World of Metals" has a very strong international presence. What is the significance of this for the industry?
Our platform extends far beyond Düsseldorf. With ten international events in Asia, Africa and Europe – including ANKIROS, ALUEXPO Istanbul, GIFA/METEC Indonesia, GIFA/METEC Middle East Africa, METEC India and THERMPROCESS China – we support the industry worldwide.
Malte Seifert: This international presence makes us a global hub for knowledge transfer, market development and technological cooperation, and a strategic partner to an industry that thinks globally and transforms locally.
Mr Seifert, thank you very much for talking to us.
