Exhibition Special: CHINAPLAS 2009 opens and welcomes 200 new exhibitors

With more than 200 new exhibitors and a record floor space of 140,000 sq m, the 23rd International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries looks set to break all records. The event, also known as CHINAPLAS 2009, opens today in Guangzhou and hopes to attract more than 70,000 domestic and overseas trade visitors.

The four-day event, aimed at allowing attendees to purchase and view a wide array of chemicals and raw materials, as well as the latest machines and equipment, is now recognized as the number one plastics and rubber trade fair in Asia, as well as the number three in the world.

Since its launch in 1983, the scale of the CHINAPLAS show has increased year by year. It is now one of the most important events of the year for global buyers and an indispensable opportunity to search out the latest technologies and meet potential new business partners.

This year more that 1,850 exhibitors, together with pavilions from Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, as well as the Chinese mainland and Taiwan province, are displaying their flagship products and technologies.

Stanley Chu, chairman of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, the organizer of CHINAPLAS 2009, said: "Despite the impact of the financial crisis on the industry, CHINAPLAS 2009 has still attracted 200 new exhibitors, including Changsha Skyway, Fortune Precision, Forstar Precision, Huangyan Hengxin Mould, Kisco (HK), Kureha Corporation, Mobis Plastic and PTT Polymer.

"Past exhibitors have also demonstrated their continuing support for the event. Some exhibitors have increased their booth space to display more new machines, chemicals and raw materials."

Among the companies taking additional floor space this year are some of the biggest names in the industry - including Akei Plastic, Jon Wai Machinery, Heartychem, L.K. Machinery, Lyondellbasell, National Petrochemical, Ruian Fengming Machinery, Ruian Guangda Plastics Machinery and Shinil Chemical.

To ensure ease of business matching and networking among visitors and exhibitors, 10 theme zones have been set up this year.

In addition to the original theme zones - Auxiliary & Testing Equipment, Chemicals & Raw Materials, Die & Mould, Extrusion Machinery, Injection Molding Machinery, Plastic Packaging & Blow Molding Machinery, Other Processing Machinery, Semi-finished Products and the Chinese Export Machinery & Materials halls, new this year is the Plastic Building Materials Pavilion, specially created with the theme of "Connecting Hearts with Sichuan Joining Hands on Reconstruction Projects."

The new theme zone showcases innovative infrastructure and household plastic products, including plastic pipes, plastic plates and foam materials, plastic window/door profiles, wooden plastic products, and others. Another highlight of the pavilion is a mockup of a rebuilt Sichuan residential apartment.

Wide application

With the development of processing technology, plastics and rubber are now widely used in many sectors, including automotive, electronics and electrical appliances, information technology and telecommunication, construction, packaging, medical equipment, and toys.

At CHINAPLAS 2009, a number of the exhibitors are showcasing their new and advanced technologies in a variety of industrial sectors. BASF, for instance, is showing innovative technologies and products applicable in the automotive, packaging, building and construction industries.

ExxonMobil has teamed up with several machine manufacturers at the show to demonstrate the various applications used in manufacturing and production lines. These demonstrations include applications for film packaging and injection molding for consumer and industrial products.

More than 1,800 exhibits of advanced machinery and a comprehensive range of raw materials are on display at CHINAPLAS 2009.

Supporting events

Every year, many of the concurrent events that complement the main exhibition are a keenly anticipated part of CHINAPLAS.

Following the success of the China-US Plastics Industry Summit last year, the organizer, Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, is building on this momentum in 2009 by joining forces with the China Plastics Processing Industry Association, China Plastic Machine Industry Association, Taipei World Trade Center, Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry and the Guangdong Plastics Industry Association to present the Cross-Strait Plastics Industry Summit 2009.

This summit was held yesterday and was the first of its kind to allow the cross-strait regions to exchange opinions on market updates and developments, as well as the challenges facing the plastics industry. Over 40 technical seminars are also being held during the four-day event.

It is expected that over 50 local and overseas buyer delegations will visit this event. This includes associations and business groups from Brazil, Egypt, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkey and Vietnam.

CHINAPLAS 2009 is the 20th consecutive event to enjoy the support of EUROMAP (European Committee of Machinery Manufacturers for the Plastics & Rubber Industries) as the exclusive sponsor in China.

It is organized by Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, co-organized by the China Foreign Trade Centre (Group), China National Light Industry Council - China Plastics Processing Industry Association, China Plastic Machine Industry Association, Guangdong Plastics Industry Association, Messe Dsseldorf China Ltd, Shanghai Society of Plastics Industry and Beijing Yazhan Exhibition Services Ltd.

It is hosted by the China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition Corporation. The fair is also supported by significant overseas and Chinese trade associations in the plastics and rubber industries.

(China Daily 05/18/2009 page4)