전시회(K-Show 2025)를 통해 본 글로벌 기술 트렌드

Abstract

This study analyzed the changing landscape of the global plastics and manufacturing industry by comparing the exhibition strategies and technological trends of the major participating countries—Germany, Japan, the United States, and Korea—at K-Show 2025, with approximately 3,000 companies from 61 countries participating. The exhibition highlighted technological and product strategies that clearly reflected each country's industrial structure, allowing us to identify the direction of the manufacturing paradigm pursued by each country. German companies focused on large-scale injection, extrusion, and blow molding equipment and plant-based manufacturing solutions, emphasizing process control technology that combines the reliability of high-performance equipment with automation capabilities. This approach maintained the traditional foundation of large-scale manufacturing while demonstrating technological strengths that substantially supported energy efficiency and productivity improvements. Japanese companies presented high-precision manufacturing solutions centered on electric injection molding machines, precision control technology, and functional polymer materials. In particular, the strategy of integrating electric high-speed injection systems with materials engineering to achieve both process stability and energy efficiency was highlighted. This demonstrates that Japanese manufacturing maintains a technological edge in the global market based on its long-accumulated precision design capabilities and high-quality focus. US companies, focusing on global chemical and engineering plastics companies, presented a wide range of material-based application solutions. Their product strategies, particularly those tailored to changing global policy environments, particularly those addressing sustainability, circular economy, and supply chain regulations, stood out. Korean companies, particularly large petrochemical companies, showcased high-performance, eco-friendly materials in readily commercializable forms. Meanwhile, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) targeted niche markets with recycling technologies and specialized equipment. This demonstrates that Korean industry is focusing on securing global customers based on rapid commercialization capabilities and market responsiveness. through this exhibition analysis, K-Show 2025 demonstrates that the global materials and manufacturing technology paradigm is being reorganized around energy efficiency, process automation, high-performance materials, and sustainability. Amidst this shift, Korean industry needs to strengthen convergent R&D that integrates materials, equipment, and digital technologies, particularly in the areas of precision manufacturing equipment and smart factory technology. Furthermore, securing eco-friendly certification and standardization capabilities for recycled materials is crucial to addressing strengthening global environmental regulations. Future research and industrial application directions include comparing national value chain strategies to derive a Korean-style materials-equipment-digital integration model and specifically analyzing the impact of digital twin and smart factory-based process innovation on industrial productivity.