FAF 2024 in Cologne. In focus: sustainability, digitalisation and HR management

When FAF opens its doors next Tuesday from 23 - 26 April 2024 in Cologne, visitors to the trade fair can expect not only 305 exhibitors from 24 countries, but also the trade fair's focus topics of sustainability, digitalisation and HR management: amongst others at the exhibitors' stands, at the FAF FORUM in panels and presentations and in the digital area of the trade fair at FAF CONNECT.

Voices of the sponsoring organisations
In addition to the exhibitors, the fair’s two sponsoring associations are also addressing the focus topics of FAF. Guido Müller, President of Bundesverband Farbe Gestaltung Bautenschutz (Federal Association Colour, Design, Building Protection): "FAF is the perfect forum for these three megatrends. These trend topics will pose a massive challenge to the painting and decorating trade as well as the neighbouring creative trades and producers in the near future. That's why it's important that we get to grips with them now, engage in dialogue with each other and work together on solutions. Our trade fair stand offers a glimpse into the future of the painting trade in 2040."

Oliver Heib, Chairman of Bundesverband Ausbau & Fassade (Federal Association of Finishing and Façade): "It's great that FAF, with its focus topics of sustainability, digitalisation and personnel management, addresses the biggest industry challenges and thus offers a platform where experts, specialists and interested parties from the finishing and façade industry can exchange information on the latest developments and innovations in this area."

This makes the FAF the most important place to think about answers to the industry's most pressing questions for the future.

Focus on sustainability: circular economy and zero waste
Nothing less than our future is at stake. Sustainability at all levels is therefore not a luxury, but a pure necessity – and has long been a decisive selling point in the market. Painters and plasterers have a natural advantage here: their craft – shaping the built environment, protecting the (building) fabric and thus preserving values for the long term – is already sustainable at its core. This also applies to the energy-efficient refurbishment of buildings through the thermal insulation of façades, one of the most effective levers for achieving climate targets.

In addition, the building materials industry, the specialist trade and the building trades are required more than ever to minimise the ecological footprint of their work across the entire value chain. This ranges from the substitution of products that are harmful to the environment and health with solvent-free, CHC-free and low-emission solutions to the use of building materials made from renewable resources, a consistent circular economy and the aim of avoiding waste of all kinds as far as possible or at least disposing of it in the best possible way, for example with reusable covering films or nonwovens.

Separating waste by type on the construction site is a prerequisite for recycling instead of landfilling. In order to achieve the desired "closed loop", Meffert's Profitec brand, for example, has introduced paint buckets with plastic hangers to minimise recycling.
There will be plenty to discover at the exhibitors' stands on the subject of sustainable façades. For example, the energy-efficient façade from Profitec as an eco-system consisting of greening modules and façade-integrated components. This creates vertical gardens that improve the microclimate and air quality. Or Sto's external thermal insulation composite systems, which can be customised using a modular system and are partly made from renewable raw materials.

Focus on digitalisation: on the construction site and in the virtual space
There is no way around digitalisation. It has been around for a long time and has changed many areas of life, in some cases extensively. So the question is not whether digitalisation will be used to facilitate the tasks of the skilled trades, but how. Digitalisation – if used correctly – can play its part in helping trades businesses to work more economically with fewer employees in times of a shortage of young talent. Digital tools are the basis for social media marketing, and digitalisation helps to use resources of all kinds efficiently and sustainably. Automated processes make it possible to better utilise the valuable time of skilled workers. Some companies are already doing this; all others can find out how to find, optimise and use their digital potential at FAF

For example, at the FAF SOCIAL MEDIA CONSULTING HOURS and in the FAF FORUM – and of course at the stands of the providers of digital tools, such as WINWORKER with the "digital construction site linking office and construction site. Knauf also supports trade businesses with digitalisation, for example with the System Finder, which quickly and intuitively determines the right system solution for every project – including quantity calculation, material list and technical documents.

Focus on HR management: Attracting newcomers, retaining employees
It's almost a truism: the demographic ageing of the population in Europe has already led to an acute shortage of young talent, and the labour market has shifted from a demand to a supply market. As a result, the skilled trades sector has a massive problem in recruiting new talent, and on many levels. On the one hand, it has become difficult to fill all training places and, on the other, to organise succession within the company. This is one of the reasons why the FAF trade fair management, together with the supporting associations Bundesverband Farbe, Gestaltung, Bautenschutz and Bundesverband Ausbau und Fassade, has addressed this problem. The FAF NACHWUCHSTAGE (FAF YOUTH DAYS) at the stands of the two federal associations, the FAF WERKSTATT and the FAF FORUM, are specially tailored to the needs of young professionals. The Federal Association for Finishing and Façades will be holding a "Next Generation Day Plasterers" on the Wednesday of the trade fair, while the Federal Association for Paint, Design and Building Protection will be hosting a training day on the Friday of the trade fair with the theme "Prospects for further training – careers in the painting and decorating trade". Almost all trade businesses are working hard on how they can attract newcomers and retain employees – for example by opening up new career prospects, improving working conditions and promoting employee health.

The exhibitors at the trade fair offer numerous solutions. For example, digital programmes, such as the one from WINWORKER, which make paperwork at the desk much easier for master craftsmen and company owners. Robotics on construction sites is also on the rise. Various pioneering models will be on show at FAF, such as the painting robot from Berlin start-up Conbotics, the painting robot Paco from Les Companions and the PaintBuddy from Caparol. What they all have in common is that they relieve tradespeople of physically strenuous work. They are also more efficient and environmentally friendly because they use less paint and – keyword: staff shortage – that the trades‘ entrepreneurs can still accept orders. In addition, the prospect of working as an operator or painting technician could make the painting profession more attractive and interesting for the next generation of painters.

Last but not least, the topic of personal health. Meffert AG's Profitec brand, for example, focuses on providing physiotherapy expertise. At the Meffert booth, physiotherapist Dominik Wiesel from Ingelheim will be demonstrating new ways to improve health at work to tradespeople live on site. This is also an inspiration for company bosses to implement this in their everyday work.