Poland’s “Plastpol” (www.plastpol.com) has joined the many events being postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The leading plastics and rubber processing trade fair for Central and Eastern Europe, originally scheduled for 19-22 May 2020, will now take place from 6-9 October 2020. The location will remain Kielce.

Organiser Targi Kielce (Kielce; www.targikielce.pl) cited the threat-assessment of the Polish and other governments of the coronavirus pandemic. After discussions with partners, exhibitors and visitors, it was determined that holding Plastpol in May 2020 would be “impossible.”

In other news, Germany’s “Hannover Messe” (www.hannovermesse.com), which was set to take place in April 2020, will be cancelled for the first time in 73 years. Jochen Köckler, chairman of the board of management of organiser Deutsche Messe (Hannover; www.messe.de), said the “exhibitors, partners and our entire team did everything they could to make it happen” but ultimately had to accept that hosting the event this year was not possible. The organiser will instead focus on next year’s event, which will be held from 12-16 April 2021.

Köckler said the decision to cancel was made due to the increasingly critical nature of the pandemic as well as government regulations on public and economic life. He added that the German industry is experiencing an unprecedented decline in demand and sales.

Instead of this year’s trade show, Deutsche Messe is in the process of establishing a digital information and networking offering. This includes live streams with experts, podium discussions and best-case presentations, which will enable visitors and exhibitors to have direct contact with each other.

Plasteurope.com has collected these and other event postponements or cancellations in a list. Information on trade fairs, meetings, conferences and congresses is updated regularly.