The shoe machine manufacturer Desma is reporting a record number of visitors for this year’s in-house exhibition on September 24th and 25th, as the commercial director Klaus Freese is quoted in the final report: “We counted around 800 guests from home and abroad and were able to welcome 57 international co-exhibitors . This means we have achieved new record numbers.” At the trade fair, which takes place every two years at the Desma production facility in Achim near Bremen, the shoe industry meets to present new products and exchange ideas about the future of the industry. According to Desma, the trade fair is “the center of the global shoe industry for two days”. In addition to the stands of Desma and the 57 other exhibitors, there was also a supporting program, explains Desma managing director Christian Decker, who is responsible for technology: “We have organized a diverse program of around 20 specialist lectures, presentations and live demonstrations, with the topics of innovation, Sustainability and artificial intelligence were in the foreground.” The most important topics at the trade fair were innovation and automation. A new system technology is intended to produce soles made of thermoplastic materials using the pioneering Super Critical Foaming technology. This process creates a microporous foam that enables the production of very light yet high-performance soles. This means that material can be saved, especially since the material is recyclable. Desma has also received the PFI Eco label for its commitment to climate protection and the circular economy.
As an example of growing automation, Desma presented the PU boot “Integralt” as a concept shoe in 2024. The boot was designed with AI support and manufactured on a direct sole system. In a workshop, the participants designed the shoe and sent the data directly to a 3D printer and a 3D knitting machine. Flexible prototypes of the soles and near-production shafts were produced within a few hours. “Design2manufacturing is becoming increasingly important,” emphasizes Christian Decker. “We showed at the in-house exhibition that it is possible to reduce the time from designing a shoe to prototyping and series production to just a few days or hours. The combination of all the processes shown opens up previously unimagined possibilities for shoe manufacturers,” says the Desma managing director.