Plastics machinery: it’s a date at Chinaplas with over 40 companies

Over 40 Italian companies will comprise the national pavilion organized by Amaplast (trade association within Confindustria uniting approximately 170 manufacturers of plastics and rubber processing machinery, equipment, and moulds) for the 36th edition of Chinaplas(Shanghai, 23-26 April 2024). This is an important representation that will occupy a particularly important area in terms of business volume and develop opportunities in a recovering Chinese economy after the recent difficult years.

In a complex international context and with the implementation of ambitious national programmes for reform, development, and stability, the Chinese economy withstood external pressure, overcame domestic issues, and achieved an overall positive trend in 2023. The plastics processing sector was not an exception, recording modest yet constant and progressive growth. According to the national statistics office, it produced just under 75 million tons of finished products in 2023 for a 3% increase over 2022. Also in 2023, exports of Italian-made plastics and rubber processing machinery to China approached the threshold of 170 million euros - a historical record - with a 12% increase over 2022.

Furthermore, the share of sales of high-added-value complex technologies has strengthened or consolidated at high levels. These include extrusion lines and plants for mono- multi-filament, with demand on the Chinese market increasing significantly in recent years, exceeding the production capacity of local manufacturers both in terms of quantity and especially in terms of quality, the latter of fundamental importance in the production of high-end products.

The plastics processing segment now accounts for over 10% of light Chinese industry in terms of value of production, total assets, employees, exports, and other indicators. Thus the further development of the sector will be strictly correlated with the performance of the entire light industry. In 2024, in order to achieve objectives of sustained growth, progression in domestic demand, and overhauling of the production apparatus – while ensuring stable development of the sector and accelerating structural modernization – the Chinese government and governmental organs at all levels will introduce a series of integrated policies to support investment, boost faith in the market, promote growth of the sector, and stabilize the development of foreign trade. The expansion of the Chinese plastics processing industry could accelerate significantly in the second quarter of 2024. The growth rate in the third and fourth quarters should be somewhat lower but nevertheless constant.

The Italian pavilion at Chinaplas 2024 covers over 1,500 square metres and hosts a number of Amaplast members: Amut, Bandera, Cemas, Color Service, Comerio Ercole, Electronic Systems, Fimic, Frigel Firenze, Frigosystem, Gap, Gefran, Helios Italquartz, Icma San Giorgio, Industrial Frigo, Ipm, Itib Machinery International, Lawer, Maris, Moretto, Omipa, Omso, Pegaso Industries, Piovan, Plas Mec, Previero/Sorema, Comerio Rodolfo, Sacmi Imola, Sica, Simplas, ST Soffiaggio Tecnica, Tecnova, Termostampi, Tria, Union, and Zambello.