Your Global Gate for Plastics and Rubber
One year on from K 2016, the international plastics and rubber industry is in excellent form. Profiting from the globally growing consumer market with its high expectations on quality, the industry stands for dynamic development and innovative power along the entire value chain. The products, processes and solutions that premiered at K 2016 are setting the pace in today’s and tomorrow’s markets.
In this age of globalisation, the export-focused plastics and rubber industry needs other suitable platforms in addition to its flagship fair in order to gain direct access to emerging markets. To meet this demand, Messe Düsseldorf has pooled its international activities under its Global Gate brand. The product portfolio benefits from all the expertise and experience that Messe Düsseldorf has built up not only as organiser of K in Düsseldorf but as a co-organiser of successful regional events. The ten specialist trade fairs are professional communication platforms and door-openers to promising emerging markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, China, India and Southeast Asia.
Werner Matthias Dornscheidt, President and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, sees major benefits for internationally operating companies. “Trade fairs have always been the ideal medium for moving into new markets. While taking only a negligible economic risk, exhibitors can present their product and service range, analyse the local competition, and make new business contacts. To make their trade fair experiences even more comfortable and convenient for our customers, we have pooled all the activities for our trade fairs inside and outside Germany under one brand, the new Global Gate. In practice, this means that our Düsseldorf-based team serves every one of the trade fairs in the portfolio, with the support of our local subsidiaries and foreign representatives. In close cooperation with our partners we will not only advance our concept for K itself but also work on strengthening the special regional benefits of the other local events and expanding their scope.“
Arabplast in Dubai focuses on the very interesting markets of the GCC and MENA region. The Gulf States are not only the top petrochemical producers and exporters, but also premium plastic product suppliers. The region’s solid economic conditions create an outstanding investment climate, which results in a rising demand for polymer materials. The most recent Arabplast in January 2017 reported 906 exhibitors from 39 countries and more than 19,000 visitors. Similar, if not higher figures are expected for the next event which is scheduled for 5 to 8 January in 2019.
China continues to be a major market for the plastics and rubber industry and still has the highest plastics consumption in the world. Chinaplas is a must for anyone aiming to succeed in China and neighbouring countries. Messe Düsseldorf has a long-standing partnership with Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., the organiser of Chinaplas, which benefits all mutual customers. As the organiser of Germany’s joint national participation, Messe Düsseldorf offers German manufacturers the opportunity to use this trade fair as their gate to the Chinese market. The coming Chinaplas, which will take place from 24 to 27 April 2018 in Shanghai is expected to again welcome well over 3,000 exhibiting companies and more than 150,000 trade visitors.
In Indonesia, the fourth-largest nation in the world, rising purchasing power and better living standards have increased the demand for consumer goods, which also benefits the plastics and rubber segment. The INDOPLAS, INDOPACK and INDOPRINT trio of trade fairs is an important part of Messe Düsseldorf’s portfolio. In September 2016 the three trade fairs, which complement each other ideally, attracted 372 exhibitors and about 22,500 visitors from 34 countries. They will be staged again at the Jakarta International Expo centre from 19 to 22 September 2018.
In Russia, interplastica is the leading business platform for the plastics and rubber industry. After a difficult period, there are now clear signs of economic growth in the region that is particularly benefiting industries that serve the consumer sectors. In January 2017, 23,000 trade visitors attended interplastica and the parallel event, upakovka, in Moscow. The 800 exhibitors at these two events spoke of lively discussions at their stands and of visitors who displayed a keen interest in and willingness to order their products. These exhibitions are scheduled to run in tandem again from 23 to 26 January 2018, providing a comprehensive overview of the products and services of the plastics and packaging industry.
In 2015, the interplastica Kazan – Trade Fair Plastic and Rubber in conjunction with Tatarstan Oil, Gas & Petrochemical Forum – was launched with great success. This event represents the economic region of Kazan/Tatarsan.. The autonomous republic of Tartastan is one of Russia’s industrial regions with the highest growth rates. Thanks to major crude oil and natural gas resources, the government is able to make substantial investments in downstream industrial segments. The next interplastica Kazan will take place from 6 to 8 September 2017.
IRAN PLAST, already in its 11th year, has become the most important specialist trade fair for Iran’s plastics and rubber industry. Since 2015 there has been a close cooperation between the organizer, the Iranian National Petrochemical Company NPC, and Messe Düsseldorf. Iran, a country with a population of 75 million, has a solid oil and gas industry that accounts for more than 50 per cent of the country’s exports. There is a significant backlog in the investment goods sector and experts predict rising demand, particularly for machinery and equipment. About 920 exhibitors presented took part in the last IRAN PLAST, which was held in April 2016. The next fair will take place from 24 to 27 September 2017 at Tehran’s exhibition centre.
The plast alger event is one of the biggest industry meets in Africa. Since 2008, the Heidelberg-based organiser fairtrade has been running this biannual trade fair for plastics and composites which is held alongside printpack alger in Algeria’s capital Algiers. Now, Messe Düsseldorf has come on board as an equal partner, focusing its efforts on this emerging region: the country is among the four largest economies in Africa. Before the end of 2019, Algeria will be investing USD 260 bn in advancing its infrastructure and industrialisation. At the last event plast alger recorded 166 exhibitors and 4,360 trade visitors from 22 countries. The next trade fair will take place from 11 to 13 March 2018 at the CIC – Centre International de Conférences in Algiers.
Vietnam has the highest growth rates in Southeast Asia, and the demand for plastics and rubber has risen accordingly. The current conditions suggest that solid and sustainable investment in new lines and technologies will continue. Messe Düsseldorf is also active in this emerging market, organizing Plastics & Rubber Vietnam, which will take place from 20 to 22 March 2018. The last fair, held in March 2016 at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, reported 149 exhibitors and 6,400 visitors.
In 2015 about 1,600 exhibitors participated in PLASTINDIA. The most important tri-annual plastics and rubber fair in India is staged in Ahmedabad/Ghandinagar and attracts visitors from the Indian subcontinent and bordering nations. In 2015, the trade fair relocated from New Delhi to a new region in order to tap into promising growth potential – the Indian market is considered to provide excellent opportunities. The Plastindia Foundation and Messe Düsseldorf have been working together for a long time. Messe Düsseldorf will be co-organising the next fair again, which will run from 7 to 12 February 2018.
In Thailand, the plastics processing industry is playing a key role in the country’s economic upswing, with investments being subsidised by the state. T-Plas in Bangkok is rated as Thailand’s top event for the industry. With its focus on the booming region of Southeast Asia, T-Plas is a major attraction not only for plastics processors but also for user industries such as construction, packaging, automotive and electrics and electronics. In August 2015, more than 7,300 visitors came to see products and presentations shown by 243 T-Plas exhibitors. The next fair will take place from 20 to 23 September 2017.