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Events

Russia strong in plastics

The mood at the region’s top trade fair, INTERPLASTICA 2008, the International Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber took its cue from the positive market developments. Exhibiting companies reported forging lots of customer contacts and that willingness to invest remained undented, resulting in the conclusion of numerous deals already during the four days of the fair’s run from 29 January to 1 February 2008. Some 24,000 trade visitors (1,000 more than at the previous years’ events) flocked from throughout the Russian Federation and many neighbouring countries to attend INTERPLASTICA and the packaging trade fair UPAKOVKA/UPAK ITALIA which was concurrently staged in Moscow. They were impressed with the comprehensive scope of offerings and innovative technologies showcased by machine builders, raw materials producers, manufacturers of plastic and rubber products, logistics companies and other service providers.

INTERPLASTICA was staged for the 11th time at the Moscow fairgrounds in Krasnaya Presnya by Messe Düsseldorf and its subsidiary Messe Düsseldorf Moscow OOO. Spread across a net exhibition area of over 13,000 square metres and featuring 580 exhibitors from 29 countries, this was the biggest INTERPLASTICA to date. Russian, German and Italian suppliers formed the dominant exhibitor contingents: Russia was represented by 173 companies, Germany by 150 and Italy by 89 exhibitors. Werner M. Dornscheidt, President and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, commented on the success of the event: “The exhibitors were impressed by the number and decision-making powers of visitors who had done their homework and consequently made specific queries and placed numerous orders. It just goes to show that even three months after the world’s No. 1 event for the industry, K in Düsseldorf, it’s still worth exhibiting on the dynamic Russian market. INTERPLASTICA is indispensable to business in this region!”

Russia remains one of the most important export destinations for German manufacturers, taking third place behind the USA and China among the key sales markets. Claudia Frey from the Fachverband Kunststoff- und Gummimaschinen (association for plastics and rubber machinery) within the VDMA pointed out, “In the first ten months of 2007, German plastics and rubber machinery to the value of almost EUR 210 million was shipped to Russia – equal to growth of 31 percent on the same period in the previous year. To keep up with the competition, the processing industry has to produce top quality and needs high-grade equipment to do so. In all of the key application areas for plastics and rubber, there are an abundance of interesting investment projects spurring demand not only for raw materials but also sophisticated machinery.”

This view is confirmed by Claudio Celata, managing director of the Italian Plastics and Rubber Processing Machinery and Moulds Manufacturers’ Association, Assocomaplast. Italy is Russia’s second most important source of plastics and rubber machinery and Italian exports for 2007 are expected to total EUR 165 million. In 2006, the figure was EUR 109 million. Celata foresees the market remaining attractive for Italian suppliers, especially as plastics processing companies are opening or expanding even in locations far removed from Moscow. These activities are being promoted by the regional authorities.

The exhibitors’ presentations at INTERPLASTICA 2008 were rounded out by a conference on the topic of recycling and materials used in plastics processing. The talks were well attended and visitors took advantage of the opportunity to get up to speed on the latest research and practical findings.