The self-confident slogan of the conference "PU - what else!" had not a little to do with the economic strength of foamed materials: numerous polyurethane innovations - in the automotive sector, the construction industry, adhesive and assembly technology and surface finishing - have so far ensured robust growth of the PU market. In plain language: annual consumption is now running at over 8 million tonnes worldwide: in Europe, it is almost 3 million tonnes - with an upward trend.