PRESS RELEASE

SHAKE AT PLAST’03

Positive balance for PLAST’03 – international plastics and rubber molding industries’ exhibition – that took place in 5 days only, from Tuesday, May 6 to Saturday, May 10, 2003, in 14 halls of Fiera Milano fairgrounds. 
On a net area of 71.336 sqm, almost the same of the previous event and with a slight decrease of the number of visitors (67.907 versus 70.631 of three years ago), the tradeshow recorded a more encouraging statistical result in comparison with the other international exhibitions, which took place in the first months of 2003. This is undoubtedly a satisfactory goal, considering the adverse economic situation and the negative effects of SARS epidemic, of the strong slackening of business travels due also to the worldwide political situation, as well as terrorism risks.
However, beyond the statistics, PLAST’03 has been valued positively due to the surprising shake given to the demand of machinery, equipment and plants compared with the flat trend of orders, which characterized the first quarter of 2003, in Europe. As a matter of fact, several exhibitors at PLAST’03 succeeded in selling their machinery directly during the show; this fact has not happened in the main fairgrounds worldwide for many years. 
Proofs of this unexpected event have been collected in almost all the sections of the exhibition devoted to the machinery: thermoforming machines, extrusion lines, injection moulding machines and blow moulding machines for bottles, welding machines etc. According to the interviews carried out during PLAST, not only Italian exhibitors but also German, Austrian and Taiwanese ones benefitted from this opportunity. 
Therefore, PLAST confirmed once again its feature of the worldwide technological display, which has offered every three years an effective promotional and commercial meeting point to exhibitors and visitors. However, it is to underline that the international level of PLAST ’03 – proved by 52 countries represented by exhibitors and visitors coming from 126 different countries – has not been exploited properly by all foreign participants at the Milanese show, as they focus their presence at PLAST on the opportunities offered by the sole Italian market. 
Finally, it is worth pointing out that the “raw materials” section has not been adequately represented within PLAST ’03 layout due to the absence of many worldwide producers, even if those attending the show (such as Basell, Polimeri Europa, Atofina and Degussa) expressed a positive opinion on the exhibition results. In this frame, it could be remarked that the Iranian NPC (National Petrochemical Company) attended PLAST’03 – their first participation at an international show – and decided to introduce and launch their relevant production programme, which stirred up the large interest of many sectoral players. 
Next PLAST has been planned for Spring 2006, in the new fairground of Fiera Milano in Rho-Pero, placed in the immediate suburbs of Milan, where a modern “exhibition machine” will host appropriately a large number of exhibitors and visitors.-go to https://www.molds-china.com to know more information.

RENDEZ-VOUS IN MILANO

PLAST’03 is the biggest technological showcase in Europe in 2003 devoted to the plastics and rubber products industry – machinery, equipment, moulds, components, raw materials, plastic finished products etc. – supported by EUROMAP (European Committee of Machinery Manufacturers for the Plastics and Rubber Industries) and the Italian trade Associations.
PLAST’03 will be held in the Milan fairground from Tuesday May 6 to Saturday May 10, from 10 am to 6 pm, on a net exhibition area of 75.000 m2.
Three years ago, on the occasion of PLAST 2000, 1.660 exhibitors were recorded (of whom 693 were foreign) and 70.631 visitors from 117 countries.
Many seminars and workshops will take place on the occasion of PLAST’03, offering visitors a more exhaustive technological survey.
The triennial Italian exhibition once again is holding firmly its leading position – just after the K of Düsseldorf – in the world ranking of specialized fairs for this industry. In recent years some other European events have reduced their importance in terms of size and attraction of foreign visitors or evidenced both their national character and limited topics to a great extent. In the meantime PLAST has increased its size progressively as well as extended its technological scope.
The price of the daily ticket is 10 euro but foreign visitors who pre-register before 31.3.2003 through this web site will have free entry to the 12 halls of PLAST’03. As a matter of fact, they will be able to get their ticket from the counters located in the 4 reception desks of the Milan fairground, saving time and money.

EVERY THREE YEARS

Few days after the end of “PLAST 2000” – international exhibition for the plastics and rubber molding industry – held in Milan Fairground from Monday 8th through Saturday 13th May, the official statistics published by the fair management, Enfiplast, are positive. With respect to the previous edition the total exhibitors number has increased of about 11%, the net area of the show has been 14% higher and the number of visitors has grown of about 5%. The table with “PLAST 97” and “PLAST 2000” figures supplies further data for comparison. 
Also the opinions about “PLAST 2000”, gathered through interviews among exhibitors and visitors, are positive, without reserve. The economic situation of the sector, in Italy and in the main foreign countries where the plastics and rubber industry is well developed, had an important influence on the Milan exhibition’s promotional and commercial results. Therefore, every three years, either exhibiting area or exhibitors’ number have grown; more important, “PLAST” has given strength to its international aspect and to its feature of the wide and exhaustive technological show. Some other European exhibitions have disimproved in terms of size and attraction of foreign visitors. It is the case, for example, of “Interplas” (Birmingham) and “Europlast” (Paris). Other shows, even if growing, like “Equiplast” (Barcelona) and “Fakuma” (Friedrichshafen), have confirmed their national characteristics (it is the case of the Spanish exhibition) or their limited topics (for example the regional German show, almost entirely devoted to the injection moulding technologies). On the contrary, “PLAST 2000” has improved and broadened, with respect to the previous editions, the outline of different processing technologies, auxiliary equipment, moulds and components with more than 3.000 working machinery on display in the 17 halls of the Milan Fairground. Only the raw materials sector has not increased; as a matter of fact, the main multinational companies have been unable to catch the occasion to exhibit properly their innovations at the processors’ disposal. Moreover, it must be remarked the almost total lack of a strategic national industry for the production of raw materials. In spite of this, also in this section of “PLAST 2000” there have been interesting points with the stands, small but meaningful, of DuPont, Elf Atochem, EniChem, Montell etc.. The next “PLAST” is scheduled in Milan, from 6th through 10th May 2003.