Industry Communication Rethought: Digital Platform Instead of Product Catalogue
04.02.2026
Sustainable material solutions, circular economy concepts and increasing regulatory requirements are driving a growing need for explanation in the plastics industry. At the same time, products, applications and value chains are becoming ever more complex. Classic product catalogues or linear websites are often no longer sufficient. What is needed are new forms of industry communication that clearly contextualise information. One example of this approach is KAITEKI City by the Mitsubishi Chemical Group.
Why the Topic Is Relevant Right Now
- Increasing complexity of material and sustainability requirements
- Growing need for explanation along global value chains
- Rising importance of digital industry communication
KAITEKI City is designed as a digital, interactive platform oriented towards applications and societal challenges. Rather than presenting individual materials or products in isolation, the platform guides users through different thematic areas, including:
- Digital
- Energy
- Food & Packaging
- Medical
- Mobility
The platform aims to make relationships between material innovations, applications and sustainability aspects visible. It therefore serves less as a classic product showcase and more as a tool for contextualising solutions and application fields.
Application-Oriented Communication Instead of Product Logic: New Approaches to Industry Communication
A key characteristic of KAITEKI City is its application-based approach. Content is not structured around a product portfolio, but around concrete use cases and guiding questions. This reflects a growing need in industry communication: complex topics should not be simplified, but explained in a way that is easy to understand.
Traditional product catalogues provide detailed information, but they have their limitations when users, developers or decision-makers want to compare materials, classify applications or evaluate effects in the early stages of the customer journey. They can only provide limited guidance, context and connections.
Digital platforms can help to:
- visually structure technical content,
- connect different perspectives,
- allow users to navigate independently through thematic areas.
KAITEKI City is designed to transfer these principles to material and application topics. Sustainability aspects and regulatory requirements are considered where they are relevant in practice – within the specific usage context.
What Distinguishes Digital Platforms from Classic Product Catalogues
Classic product catalogue
Digital industrial platform
Product- and material-driven logic
Application and usage contexts
Linear information structure
Non-linear navigation
High need for explanation
Focus on relationships and interconnections
What Does This Mean for the Plastics Industry?
KAITEKI City exemplifies a trend that extends beyond individual companies. For the plastics industry, several overarching observations can be derived:
- Applications are becoming increasingly important as entry points for communication.
- Contextualisation reduces complexity without shortening content.
- Digital platforms are evolving into strategic communication tools, not merely marketing formats.
In particular, for companies in the plastics industry that communicate complex material and sustainability topics, such approaches can help to structure content more clearly and address different target groups more effectively.
How to Make Complex Solutions in Industry Understandable
- From product catalogues to application-based navigation
- Digital platforms as tools for contextualising complex topics
- Sustainability as a systemic issue rather than a single message
- Connecting technology, markets and societal requirements
Conclusion: Why Digital Platforms Are Gaining Importance in Industry Communication
KAITEKI City demonstrates how digital platforms can be used to contextualise complex industrial topics and make them easier to understand. The approach exemplifies a development that is becoming increasingly important in industry communication.
Author: Elena Blume | K-Mag
Elena Blume has been writing for various industry magazines for eight years and joined the K-Mag editorial team in 2021. She is particularly interested in topics related to innovative plastics solutions that contribute to sustainability and address current challenges relevant to industry and society.
At a glance
- KAITEKI City shows how complex material and application topics can be contextualised beyond classic product catalogues.
- The focus is on usage contexts rather than individual products or materials.
- A best-practice example of how digitalisation helps to communicate relationships clearly and in a structured way.
Key Takeaway:
Anyone who wants to communicate sustainable material solutions must not only develop them – but place them in a clear, comprehensible context and make them tangible.