Messe Stuttgart: Mr. Heseding, what will the sustainability discourse focus on in 2026 from your perspective, and what are the most important topics in the area of recycling for the VDMA?
Markus Heseding: Sustainability has now become a strategic economic factor. In 2026, it will be about bringing together ecological responsibility, supply security, and competitiveness. For the precision tool industry, three topics are clearly at the center: the recycling and return of tool packaging, the supply of carbide to the metalworking industries, and the Product Carbon Footprint as the basis for transparent and comparable CO2 data.
Messe Stuttgart: In the following interview, we want to focus on the first two points. You have long emphasized that every gram of carbide that remains in Europe is a gain. What is needed to keep tungsten in the European cycle – and where can the industry start?
Markus Heseding: The competition for tungsten is increasing worldwide – especially because other industries, such as the defense industry, are significantly expanding their needs. At the same time, Europe has very few projects for primary tungsten mining, and the strong dependence on Chinese supplies is risky for us.
This is currently leading to significant cost increases, lack of price stability, great supply uncertainty, and no predictability. This is particularly critical because carbide tools are indispensable key components in the metalworking industry – in almost all processing processes.
In this context, recycling is gaining further importance. European carbide recycling has been an ecological and economic success story for decades. Therefore, Europe needs resilient supply concepts that connect circular economy, technological innovation, and fair industrial partnerships.
That is precisely why it is so crucial to keep tungsten in the European cycle. Carbide scrap is a strategic raw material – every gram that remains in Europe strengthens our industrial sovereignty. Stronger take-back systems, higher collection rates, and uniform quality standards in recycling are necessary. Our customers can also contribute significantly by selling their carbide scrap to European partners. Our motto: 'Those who commit to the European cycle remain resilient in tool technology!'
Messe Stuttgart: In addition to the recovery of tungsten, the question of how tool packaging made from recyclate can be successfully introduced to the market is increasingly coming into focus. What steps are necessary to effectively promote the use of recyclates in the metalworking industry? What priorities does your working group on recycling packaging set?
Markus Heseding: When using recyclates, technical feasibility is rarely the problem. The challenge lies in the fact that tool packaging has a low market value and recycling is often difficult to present as a viable business case. Other hurdles include scalability, availability, and uniform quality standards. It is particularly important to collect enough pure material for reliable production.
In the VDMA working group 'Recycling of Tool Packaging', we are working with partners along the value chain on practical solutions. A field trial has successfully implemented a functioning return and recycling of used packaging into post-consumer recyclate, which is tested and processed again. This creates a valid data basis for a closed loop.
Today, there are already pioneering companies that offer tool packaging entirely made from recyclate – some manufacturers have already made the switch. These solutions will be presented at AMB 2026.
Messe Stuttgart: How can these three topics – namely carbide recycling, recyclate packaging, and CFP – be made visible at AMB? Which VDMA initiatives or practical projects will be the focus in 2026?
Markus Heseding: Many companies will present the latest developments at AMB, making the trade fair exciting. We will also connect this at the VDMA Technology Forum, at booth B50 in the L-Bank Forum (Hall 1). We will show how sustainability, circular economy, and digitalization can be concretely implemented in the precision tool industry.
Digitalization supports these topics through transparent material flows, digital proofs, and standardized processes along the value chain. Numerous member companies and research partners of the VDMA will present their solutions. Additionally, we will showcase – very timely – the results of our recently completed research project on increasing efficiency in carbide recycling.
Messe Stuttgart: To what extent can AMB as a leading trade fair accelerate the exchange and development of solutions for the challenges? What role does cross-industry dialogue at AMB and personal exchange play?
Markus Heseding: One advantage is: AMB brings together the entire process chain of chip-removing metalworking. The vast majority of visitors will come from the industrial core region of Germany. Equally important will be the international visitors, who traditionally come strongly from Switzerland, Austria, and Italy, but also from the Netherlands, France, Sweden, the Czech Republic, or Turkey. AMB simply succeeds in bringing together technological innovation, international reach, and the complete process chain of industrial manufacturing.
Especially in times when the industry is simultaneously under economic, geopolitical, and industrial policy pressure, this exchange is indispensable.
We all hope that AMB will set important economic impulses. It is a place where companies can examine investments in future technologies, experience new applications, and strategically position themselves for the next development steps.
Messe Stuttgart: Thank you very much for the conversation.
Contact:
