Hannover. Against the background of the REACh Regulation recently enacted by the EU, O&S 2016 will focus on the conservation of energy, materials and natural resources during the surface coating process, environment-friendly pre-treatment as well as new coating systems. In the coming year the Stuttgart-based International Trade Fair for Surface Treatments & Coatings (31 May to 2 June) will illuminate the entire spectrum of surface treatment technology. For the first time O&S will include guided tours centering on specific topics.

"A major advantage of O&S is that it showcases surface treatment and electroplating solutions in the immediate vicinity of key user industries located in the Stuttgart region," says Olaf Daebler, Director of O&S at Deutsche Messe AG. O&S covers the entire product spectrum: coating processes for metals, plastics, glass and ceramics; electroplating; industrial plasma-based surface treatment; and micromachining. In fact, the event ranks as the number-one showcase for electroplating technology. O&S, which takes place every two years, is targeted at decision-makers (e.g. senior executives, purchasing specialists, development engineers and plant managers) in mechanical and plant engineering sectors, the automotive industry (including component suppliers), the metalworking industry, the electronics and electrical engineering industries and the medical technology sector. In 2014 one visitor in two came to O&S with firm investment and purchasing intentions. According to an on-site survey, 64 percent of the visitors were directly involved in the decision-making processes in their companies. "Our expectations with regard to the visiting public were completely fulfilled. As in previous years we welcomed numerous foreign visitors at our stand. They were very well-informed, and this resulted in in depth technical discussions," confirmed René Moulin, Head of the Service Dept. at Dr.-Ing. Max Schlötter GmbH & Co. KG. "O&S presents a complete spectrum of surface treatment solutions - solutions which help users to improve their products," reported Bettina Love, Assistant to the Management of SurTec International GmbH, at the conclusion of O&S 2014.

New feature: guided tours

Beginning in 2016, the program of O&S will feature guided tours for visitors. On each of the three days of O&S two tours will take place devoted to the following topics: "Surfaces for the future - REACh-compliant and multifunctional coatings" and "Plant and equipment for the maximization of process reliability and quality". The tours will take visitors to selected stands at O&S, where company representatives will deliver brief talks describing their technologies and solutions.

A major highlight is the interdisciplinary O&S Forum, which focuses on the key issues confronting the surface treatment sector. Simultaneous German/English interpreting is available. In 2014 around 1,000 visitors took this opportunity to gather information and exchange ideas and opinions. The call for papers for the 2016 O&S Forum is currently under way. The program will cover a wide range of topics - for example, energy and material efficiency; the surface treatment of lightweight materials; new electroplating processes; CVD/PVD/thermal spraying techniques; applications and properties of surface coatings; Industrie 4.0 in the context of surface treatment; plant, equipment and processes; quality assurance and process optimization; statutory provisions (REACh, German Renewable Energy Law) and their implications; and funding programs for industry and research.

Value added events taking place in parallel

Parallel to O&S, three related events will be taking place at the Stuttgart trade fair venue from 31 May to 2 June 2016. parts2clean - Leading International Trade Fair for Industrial Parts and Surface Cleaning - focuses on the upstream processing steps which are central to effective treatment. LASYS - International Trade Fair for Laser Material Processing - presents a comprehensive line-up of laser machining systems for diverse materials and industrial sectors. Last but not least, AUTOMOTIVE Expo (an amalgamation of five different automotive fairs) will attract numerous users of surface treatment technology.