Career paths in the plastics industry From IKV to different professional fields in a diverse industry

I came into contact with plastics technology when I was young. My father was a production manager in a plastics processing company, so I gained my first experience in logistics, toolmaking and production through holiday jobs. I was particularly fascinated by the ‘big machines’ that produce precise components in huge quantities – an enthusiasm that has stayed with me to this day and ultimately led me to extrusion technology.

During my studies, my initial focus was on injection moulding. In addition to machine and process engineering, I was particularly interested in applications in medical technology and packaging solutions. At IKV, there were numerous opportunities to experience various processes in practice – not only in injection moulding, but also in other areas of plastics processing. Whether in exercises, machine demonstrations or as a student assistant in the injection moulding hall – I learned to compare theoretical knowledge with the ‘real’ behaviour of the machines.

My time as a research assistant was particularly formative for my future career: the close link between theory and practice in the characterisation of new materials through to the optimisation of process parameters, often in the context of current industrial and research issues, was especially valuable. This experience not only gave me a deep understanding of materials and processes, but also taught me independence, responsibility and organisation – skills that have always accompanied me later on.

After completing my studies, I decided to do a doctorate at IKV. My thirst for knowledge in plastics processing had not yet been quenched, and the opportunity to pursue complex technical challenges in my own research topics was too tempting. At the same time, I learnt how to build my own team, guide students and pass on knowledge in a structured way. With the change of role to senior engineer, scientific details receded more into the background, while strategic and organisational tasks increasingly became the focus. As part of the management team, I learnt to develop an overarching view of the various facets of IKV – from strategic orientation and resource planning to the interface between research and industry. The aim was to make sustainable long-term decisions and manage complex processes efficiently.

Looking back, these two roles – the scientific and technical specialisation as a doctoral student and the strategic and organisational responsibility as a senior engineer – prepared me perfectly for my current job in industry. They not only gave me a deep understanding of plastics processing and the needs of this industry, but also the ability to harmonise technical innovations with economic and strategic requirements.

Nevertheless, the switch to extrusion machine construction was an exciting challenge for me. While I had in-depth specialist knowledge in injection moulding, I now had to quickly understand the specific processes and requirements of extrusion and its markets.

Today, I am particularly enthusiastic about working in a highly innovative environment in which we, as machine manufacturers, actively contribute to the further development of the industry through new technologies and more efficient processes. This includes not only the development of high-performance and future-proof machine technology, but also close cooperation with customers, partners and other players along the value chain. Regulatory requirements such as the PPWR and the Packaging Act are increasingly influencing our industry, and I am excited to design technical solutions that fulfil these framework conditions. However, at least as important to me is the respectful cooperation. The open dialogue with colleagues, customers and partners – be it in the development of new concepts or in solving acute challenges – motivates me every day. I have already experienced this culture of cooperation at IKV and I am proud that I was able to actively help shape this environment.

I had never actually intended to specialise in plastics technology. Plastic – for me this was initially the “evil plastic bag”, which makes the jute bag unemployed and is hard on the fish’s stomach, or a cheap substitute for valuable materials. After my intermediate diploma in Bochum, I transferred to the RWTH in 2004 to study renewable energies in the field of energy technology. A friend signed me up for the IKV excursion to the K trade fair, and after an exciting day I was fascinated: Plastic is a high-tech material with incredible application possibilities and innovations. That’s how I came to IKV – first as a student assistant and later as a research assistant.

I was able to gain valuable experience in many ways at IKV. The practice-oriented research not only gave me a sound knowledge of plastics as a material and the associated process engineering, but also taught me how to coordinate research projects and develop application-oriented solutions. The close exchange with the industry was particularly valuable and enabled me to build up a cross-industry network from which I still benefit today.

I started my career as a process developer in central research at 3M with the aim of driving forward innovations in plastics technology. Today, I head the Process Development department and work on the strategic direction of new production technologies for the future. We analyze short and long-term market trends in order to drive forward the right technologies. I am fascinated by the variety of applications and the unique properties of new products – whether in the household, the automotive industry, electronics, medical technology or even space travel.

The close connection between research and industry is particularly close to my heart. As a member of the Board of Trustees of the IKV Sponsors’ Association, I am now actively supporting the Institute’s innovation process from the industry side and contributing my experience to the strategic development of IKV. In this way, I am also taking the opportunity to support the transfer of knowledge and technologies from research to industrial application and thus actively help shape the future of plastics technology.

A decisive moment in my life was a vacation in Bali during my studies. I took part in a snorkeling trip where you could observe wild rays in their natural habitat. The rays congregate in this special place because the circular current of the water collects plenty of plankton there. Unfortunately, this current also collected a large amount of plastic waste, and it was distressing to see the majestic animals swimming through masses of garbage. This moment made me decide to make a change.

“Change begins with understanding” – this was the guiding principle behind my decision to study plastics technology. I quickly realized that plastics are much more than just packaging waste. From lightweight constructions in the automotive industry to life-saving applications in medical technology – plastics are an integral part of our lives. The interdisciplinary training, which combines chemistry, physics, engineering and ecology, provided me with the ideal basis for developing sustainable solutions.

During my studies, I worked as a research assistant in the plasma working group at IKV. These five years left a lasting impression on me. I gained a deep understanding of the coating of plastics and learned to apply scientific methods in a structured way. After my studies, I became a research assistant and continued my research at IKV. One focus of my work was the development of plasma polymer coatings that make plastics more sustainable and versatile. A particular focus was on the task of making packaging recyclable and therefore sustainable without compromising on its functionality. As part of our research at IKV, we have succeeded in developing chemically stable coatings for plastic packaging that exceed the functionality of existing multi-material packaging in a cost-efficient manner.

At the end of my doctorate, I decided to industrialize the developed technology with my start-up IonKraft. Supported by the EXIST funding program, we were able to build a prototype of a coating reactor. Just three years after its foundation, IonKraft already has 20 employees and is about to enter the market. Our goal is to make around 250 million items of plastic packaging recyclable by 2028.

Another milestone was the inclusion in the EU’s EIC Accelerator Program, which supports the industrial application of the technology with EUR 2.5 million. At the end of 2023, IonKraft was able to win one of the world’s largest packaging manufacturers to pilot the first industrial coating system.what fascinates me most about my job today is the transition from scientific research to industrial applications. The opportunity to develop sustainable technologies that solve real problems and at the same time have a positive impact on the environment and society motivates me every day. The dynamics of a start-up and working with international partners are what drive me.

“Plastics technology offers the moulds to actively shape the future,” is my conclusion. Anyone who wants to combine innovation with sustainability will find the perfect foundation in this course. Technical knowledge combined with entrepreneurial thinking leads to solutions that go far beyond what once began in a lecture hall.

To be honest, my original reason for deciding to study plastics engineering was quite pragmatic. I wanted to study and work in Aachen in the popular Pontstrasse – an absolute stroke of luck, as it turned out later! After my undergraduate studies, which were far removed from practical applications, I rediscovered the fun of studying at IKV and at the same time laid a very good foundation for my later career entry. Studying a material opens the doors to almost all engineering professions and branches of industry.

Right from the start, I was fascinated by the opportunity to work in an industry that offers great leverage for sustainability and the circular economy. I was particularly impressed by the short project times and high production volumes in the consumer goods industry: I can quickly and visibly make a difference with my innovations.

The biggest hurdle when I started my career was translating the technical and scientific content from my studies into understandable language – for colleagues who don’t have a technical background. Learning this skill was challenging, but that’s exactly what I love about my job today: making complex content understandable and developing innovative solutions together.

The best thing for a development engineer is to find their own ideas and innovations in everyday life – whether directly on the supermarket shelf or in use with family and friends. It always reminds me how relevant and immediate our work is. Behind every successful product are challenges and wonderful colleagues with whom we have found solutions together.

I studied plastics technology a few decades ago, but the close connection to the industry and IKV has remained. My intensive time as an undergraduate and graduate student in the IKV thermoforming working group was particularly formative. Even during my main course of study, I regularly wrote about plastics technology topics for specialist journals – so my entry into the world of specialist media was almost a foregone conclusion.

I started my career as an editor for plastics machinery and plastics processing at a specialist publishing house. Three years later, I ventured into self-employment as a specialist journalist and communications service provider. Today, I am Managing Director of Kunststoff-Profi Verlag GmbH & Co. KG and Editor-in-Chief of the trade magazine K-PROFI and the platforms K-AKTUELL and K-AKTUELL.de. Together with my team, I support plastics processors in the DACH countries in recognizing trends, producing more efficiently and positioning themselves successfully against the competition.

Even though I don’t pursue a traditional engineering career today, my studies at IKV still form the solid basis of my work: quickly understanding technical content, classifying developments in the plastics industry and evaluating market potential. Looking back, it is clear to me that almost all of the topics that are considered groundbreaking in the industry today – lightweight construction, recycling, resource efficiency, simulation and digitalization – were already on the agenda at IKV at least a decade earlier.

The close contact with IKV is still a great added value for me today. I regularly attend events and conferences at the Institute, provide editorial support and thus keep my finger on the pulse of developments. Anyone who actively works at IKV, accepts new challenges, builds up contacts and maintains the network is ideally equipped for a career in our diverse and constantly growing industry.

I was born with an interest in plastics technology at an early age: My father worked as an engineer in plastics development and processing at the former Hüls AG (now Evonik). After completing my intermediate diploma in mechanical engineering at Ruhr University Bochum, I decided to specialize in plastics engineering at RWTH Aachen University. The move to IKV had a decisive influence on my further career – firstly through the sound training, but also through the experience I was able to gain as a research assistant.

The desire to put the theory I had learned into practice led me into industry after my doctorate: I started as a trainee at Robert Bosch GmbH and after just a few months took on my first management position at the Bosch subsidiary Blaupunkt. Here I was able to prove myself in various areas of responsibility – from mechanical design and project management to overall responsibility for commercial products.

In 2009, I had the opportunity to return to my roots in plastics technology: I moved to the central research and advance development department at Robert Bosch GmbH, where I was responsible for the plastics technology department for 10 years. Today, I still work in the central research and advance development department at Bosch in Renningen, but I have become unfaithful to plastics again. As head of the “Applied Mathematics and Engineering for Future Components” department, I have to deal with numerous exciting physical principles. Even after more than 25 years at Bosch, I still really enjoy my work!

Looking back, my time at IKV not only shaped me professionally, but also taught me important skills – from structuring complex projects to leading teams. The open exchange with industry and the work on practical research questions at the institute were particularly valuable.

From an early stage, it was clear to me that I wanted to get into project management as a career – and it was not difficult for me to decide that my path would lead me there via plastics technology. I was fascinated by the complex material behavior of plastics and the almost unlimited application possibilities. I found the interfaces with other specialist areas particularly exciting: How do plastics interact with tissue in medical technology? How can the adhesion of fibres in fiber-reinforced plastics be optimized? And how do you combine plastic and metal to create high-strength hybrid components?

During my studies at IKV, I not only acquired in-depth knowledge of plastics and their processing, but above all learned how to find solutions to previously unknown problems. That was one of the most important skills I took away from this time.

Today I work as a patent attorney and am confronted with new ideas and innovations every day. My expertise in plastics technology in particular helps me to fundamentally understand inventions and transfer them into strategic property rights. I find it particularly exciting to experience the latest technical developments at first hand – often before they even come onto the market. At the same time, my job is incredibly varied because I work with clients from a wide range of industries.

My path shows that studying plastics technology doesn’t just lead to traditional product or process development. The combination of technology, law and strategy in my current work is exactly the right mix for me – and I am thrilled to be able to play an active role in shaping technological progress.

We encounter plastics everywhere – in everyday life as well as in highly complex technical applications. It was precisely this versatility that fascinated me about plastics technology from the very beginning. I started at IKV as a trainee in the injection molding department. Initially I worked in the back injection molding sector, later in medical technology. These experiences have not only given me tangible practical insights into plastics processing, but have also awakened my enthusiasm for injection molding and its special processes. The almost unlimited possibilities, but also the technical complexity of these processes fascinated me from the very beginning.

During my studies, I was able to deepen my knowledge and explore interdisciplinary topics. Studying abroad in Madison, Wisconsin, was particularly valuable for me, where I grew not only professionally but also personally – many of the contacts and friendships I made there still exist today. At IKV, on the other hand, the freedom of choice in the Master’s program allowed me to look beyond traditional mechanical engineering and take subjects such as industrial design or technical textiles – an important impetus for my interest in interdisciplinary issues.

After graduating, I remained at IKV as a research assistant and eventually took over as head of the injection molding special processes group. In this role, I was not only able to deepen my knowledge of the various special processes, but also gain valuable management experience. I particularly liked the way it looked at the bigger picture in terms of process engineering.

My move into industry eventually led me to Yizumi Germany, where I continued to work on special injection molding processes as Product Manager. Today, I am head of the research and development department and, in addition to research projects, I also act as an interface to our Global Innovation Center in China. In the process, I have expanded my subject area beyond injection molding and now also deal with granulate-based 3D printing and thixomolding.

My path shows how diverse plastics technology is – and how important it is to remain open to new topics and developments. Studying at IKV not only provided me with specialist knowledge, but also opened up the right contacts and opportunities to go my own way in the industry.