Asia's premier plastics and rubber trade fair, the 21st International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries (also known as Chinaplas 2007) opens on Monday at the China Import & Export Fair's Pazhou Complex in Guangzhou.

Trade visitors can take advantage of the annual event to establish close connectionsand explore business opportunities with both overseas and domestic suppliers, as well as purchase the latest products and equipment to enhance productivity and competitiveness. It is expected that the four-day event will attract over 60,000 trade visitors.

Since its inception in 1983, Chinaplas' scale and influence has increased year by year. Chinaplas is now widely recognized as the main platform for global buyers to search for business partners in the plastics and rubber industries. This year, 1,580 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions, including11 pavilions from Austria, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the Chinese mainland and Taiwan Province, will display their flagship products and technology in an exhibition area covering 102,000 sq m - a new record high in China and Asia.

With a proven track record in its past 20 editions, Chinaplas has the staunch support of the industry. Loyal exhibitors, such as Donghua Machinery, Zhejiang Jing Cheng Mold Machinery, Elite Machinery, Toyo Machinery, Arburg GmbH + Co Kg, Demag Ergotech GmbH, Sumitomo Chemical, Solutia, Total Petrochemicals, Wittmann Kunststoffgeraete GmbH, and Mold-Masters are repeat participants this year, with increased booth areas. Companies like Ningbo Nanrong, Wuxi Huarong, L.K. Machinery, Nantong Rayon Chemical, Heyuan Lung Kee, Astra Polymer Compounding, Connell Bros, Kopla, Kundig Hch. & Cie Ag, Vergason Technology, and Young's Corp will be making their first appearance at this year's Chinaplas.

Stanley Chu, chairman of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, the organizer of the event, said "With yearsof development, Chinaplas has become an effective channel for global suppliers to promote their plastics and rubber machines and raw materials. In future, Chinaplas will continue to drive the industrial and economic development of China and even the world. Through the staging of Chinaplas, we encourage suppliers to bring more innovations to our lives by introducing new materials, new technology and new concepts."

It was encouraging that buyers from over 110 countries and regions have registered to visit the show. Delegations from France, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, the United States, Venezuela and Vietnam will also attend the event. At the fairground, over 1,200 sets of advanced machines, such as injection molding and blow molding machines, and extruders and auxiliary equipment, as well as an entire range of chemicals and raw materials are on display.

There has been an increase in the quantity and quality of plastic products, while the machines and technology have become more sophisticated. Suppliers areall set to showcase their outstanding achievements in research and development at Chinaplas 2007.

To assist trade buyers in sourcing their business partners and increase on-site interaction, eight theme zones have been set up, namely, the Auxiliary & Testing Equipment, Die & Mould, Drinktec & Plastic Packaging, Rubber Equipment, and Machinery zones, the Chinese Export Machinery & Materials Hall, and the Semi-finished Productsand Chemicals & Raw Materials zones.

Furthermore, there will be a series of on-site activities held concurrently with Chinaplas, such as a CEO Forum, Charity Bazaar, China-India Plastics Industry Summit, Stamp for Fun, lucky draw and award presentation.

Chinaplas 2007 is the 18th consecutive edition to have EUROMAP (European Committee of Machinery Manufacturers for the Plastics & Rubber Industries) as its exclusive sponsor in China. The event has been organized by Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, in cooperation with China Foreign Trade Center (Group), China National Light Industry Council - China Plastics Processing Industry Association, China Plastic Machinery Industry Association, Guangdong Plastics Industry Association and Messe Dusseldorf China Ltd. The fair is also supported by many overseas and Chinese trade associations in the plastics and rubber industries.

Trade visitors are welcome to visit Chinaplas. Visitors can bring two name cards for on-site visitor registration. The admission fee is 20 yuan. Visitors who pre-register online at www.2456.com/chinaplas will enjoy free admission and receive acopy of the event catalogue.