1986 | On 27 June, SPE Central Europe is founded at the Sheraton Hotel in Munich. Klaus-Dieter Johnke is elected President of the German-language section of the Society of Plastics Engineers. In November, the association is registered in the Hanover register of associations under the name “Internationale Gesellschaft für Kunststofftechnik e. V.”. |
1987 | SPE Central Europe co-organises the “Medical Plastics” conference in Copenhagen in September 1987 and the International Conference “High Performance Plastics Containers” in Zurich in October 1987. |
1988 | On 28 and 29 November, the “International Plastics Forum” takes place in Salzburg. 630 participants attend plenary lectures and presentations by internationally recognised experts in four sections at the Salzburg Congress Centre. |
1989 | In January, Professor Günter Krehbiel founds the Student Chapter College of Rosenheim. Initial activities include establishing contact with Kristianstad University and the University of Nottingham, a dedicated exhibition stand at ANTEC ’89 in New York, practical semesters for Rosenheim students in the USA, Australia and Thailand, and an extrusion seminar for young Argentinian engineers in Rosenheim. A concept commission is formed to identify ways and opportunities to better market SPE Central Europe and thus create incentives for membership. As a first measure, the publication of a quarterly information service is decided. In November, the “Medical Plastics” conference takes place in Cologne, with SPE CE again acting as co-organiser. |
1990 | SPE Central Europe organises the International Management Forum on 19 and 20 February 1990 in Cologne with 230 participants. The presentations address personnel development and qualification as well as management information systems, controlling and joint ventures, but also procurement strategies, logistics systems and quality strategies. In addition, an expert survey based on the Delphi method is launched to assess the long-term development of the plastics processing industry. Around 500 plastics experts are surveyed on ecological challenges, future manufacturing concepts and research and development, as well as market research and corporate management. |
1992 | Plastics in vehicle construction move into focus; the first SPE Automotive Award is announced with three categories – Body Interior, Body Exterior and Power Train. To evaluate the submitted plastic vehicle components, Technical Division Coordinator Rudolf Fernengel provides facilities at 2R Kunststofftechnik in Schweitenkirchen. On 27 October, the winners are announced at the Award Night at the Swissôtel in Neuss. |
1993 | The results of the expert survey (Delphi study) are published. It confirms that the development of new polymer materials and associated processing technologies is mostly initiated by the automotive industry. |
1995 | At the suggestion of Professor Herbert Lindinger, the Automotive Award is expanded to include the media & publications category with the subcategories Image Product Ad, Image/Product Brochure and Annual Report. |
1996 | In December, the “2nd International Plastics Forum” is scheduled to take place in Neuss, this time led by SPE International. SPE Central Europe puts together a high-calibre programme. After postponements and communication failures, the Americans unfortunately cancel the conference entirely. |
1998 | At the invitation of Dr.-Ing. Herbert Patzschke, Vice President Germany and Managing Director of the Kunststoff-Zentrum in Leipzig, the jurors of the SPE Automotive Award meet for the first time in Leipzig to evaluate the submissions for the Automotive Award. |
2000 | The jury meeting takes place at the Kunststoff-Institut für die mittelständische Wirtschaft in NRW (KIMW) in Lüdenscheid. |
2001 | Dr.-Ing. Herbert Patzschke suggests making the Award winners and other interesting submissions accessible to the professional public in an exhibition. In June, the Automotive Award Center – Plastics is opened at the Kunststoff-Zentrum in Leipzig in the presence of around 140 guests. |
2004 | A new category is introduced for the Automotive Award media & publications: Homepage/Digital Media. Professors Herbert Lindinger and Dr.-Ing. Georg Menges receive honorary membership of SPE Central Europe in recognition of their many years of commitment. A few weeks after the Award Night in October, a moderators’ meeting takes place in Cologne to discuss the further development of the SPE Automotive Award. |
2006 | The SPE Automotive Award parts & components is awarded for the first time for components in the Electronical/Optical Part category. |
2007 | A brochure featuring the winners of the category awards and special awards is compiled for the EuroMold exhibition stand. |
2009 | Once again, the focus is on adapting the Automotive Award to new circumstances; a workshop takes place in Hanover in April. The Marschall Media Group produces a video of the Award Night for the first time. |
2010 | Professor Georg Menges becomes the first person to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from SPE Central Europe for his life’s work. |
2011 | SPE Central Europe celebrates its 25th anniversary with a look back at what has been achieved and two looks forward. The Award is to be developed into an international prize, the office in Wolfsburg is to be strengthened, and a conference centred on the Award winners is also under discussion. |
2013 | Members of SPE Central Europe, representatives of the Hungarian section and SPE International take the occasion of Dr.-Ing. Klaus‑Dieter Johnke’s 65th birthday to thank him most warmly for his tireless and committed work for SPE and for the many, many ideas with which he has continually advanced the society and the Award. At the Award Night, Uwe Wascher is honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. |
2014 | The Automotive Award Center – Plastics moves out of the Kunststoff-Zentrum in Leipzig; the exhibits are temporarily stored in SPE’s own container on the premises of the Grafe Group in Blankenhain. Plans are to display parts of the exhibition at university institutes: IKV Aachen, IKT Stuttgart, TU Ilmenau, FH Merseburg and FH Reutlingen. |
2015 | The jury meeting takes place for the first time at the Grafe Design Center in Blankenhain. |
2016 | The Academy Award is established. It is intended to recognise master’s theses on plastics that relate to vehicle construction. |
2017 | At the IKT Colloquium in Stuttgart, the Academy Award is presented for the first time. In July, a workshop on the further development of the Automotive Award takes place in Ochsenfurt, to which five long-standing and highly committed jurors are also invited. Some of the proposals are to be implemented as early as the 2018 Award. |
2018 | Following the automotive industry’s KIEFA principle and in line with the increased importance of plastics in automotive construction, the Automotive Award parts & components introduces three new categories: Chassis Unit, Structural Components and Enabler Technology. In the media & publications category, the new relationship between print and digital media is reflected; only two category awards are now presented – one for print media and one for digital media. |
2019 | Back to the Roots – the SPE Automotive Award is only presented in the parts & components category. |
2020 | At the end of January, a jury meeting takes place in Niederzissen, where not only content-related but also organisational questions of the Award are discussed very constructively. Among other things, a reorganisation of the categories is decided for the 2021 Award (Chassis Unit and Structural Components are merged, New Mobility is newly added) as well as the introduction of a Sustainability Award. |
2021 | Due to the pandemic, the jury meeting for the 20th Automotive Award takes place as a hybrid event. The Sustainability Award is presented for the first time, recognising improved overall ecological performance and complementing the existing category and special awards. |
2022 | A record number of 43 submissions is recorded for the 21st Automotive Award. For his decades of work for the Award and the association, Dr.-Ing. Klaus‑Dieter Johnke receives honorary presidency. Dr.-Ing. Rudolf Fernengel is appointed honorary member for his services to the AutomotiveAward. In addition, the late jury member Peter Egger is remembered. |
2023 | Exchange with industry partners is deepened through a visit to KTM Technologies. At the meeting at KUZ Leipzig, long-standing committed jury members are honoured for the first time and the evaluation criteria for the Sustainability Award are further developed – prompted by an introductory presentation by Prof. Hans‑Josef Endres. A new university series to promote emerging talent is launched with an event at the University of Stuttgart. |
2024 | SPE Central Europe presents itself at the International Colloquium on Plastics Technology in Aachen and provides information there about the 22nd Automotive Award. At the jury meeting in Blankenhain, the Enabler Technology category is divided into two subcategories (materials & technologies and part & component design) due to the high number and diversity of submissions. The Award Night takes place for the first time at the Kameha Grand Bonn; the award-winning developments set clear priorities in sustainability, recyclability and resource-efficient manufacturing. The former Academy Award is presented under the new name Young Professionals Award and places greater focus on promoting emerging talent. Long-standing board members Dietrich Taubert and Klaus Eue are granted honorary membership for their tireless commitment to the association. |
2025 | In April 2025, Dr.-Ing. Rudolf Fernengel, co-founder of SPE Central Europe and a defining figure of the Automotive Award, passes away. He is honoured posthumously. The university series continues from this year under the new name TechTalks@campus and strengthens the exchange between industry, universities and emerging talent. Shortly before the K trade fair, the winners of the 23rd SPE Automotive Award and the Young Professionals Award are announced at the Kameha Grand Bonn, and our long-standing member Otto Happich is honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. At TECHNOMER 2025 in Chemnitz, SPE Central Europe presents highly innovative submissions from the AutomotiveAward 2025 at an exhibition stand. |
SPE Central Europe e.V.
Awards für Innovationen in der Kunststoffentwicklung
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