Basf satisfied with its return to Plast

Just over a fortnight after the close of Plast 2026, MacPlas met with Filippo Sola, Senior Sales Manager, Engineering Plastics at Basf Italia, to gather his impressions of the twentieth edition of the international triennial exhibition, an event to which the chemicals and plastics giant chose to return this year.

How would you assess Basf's participation in Plast 2026? What were the most significant moments or contacts of this edition?
“We chose to participate in Plast 2026 with the intention of demonstrating our closeness to the Italian market at a complex time. Taking stock at the end of the fair, we can say we are satisfied with our participation. We renewed closer ties with several customers with whom we had been collaborating on an intermittent basis. The fair provided the opportunity to sit down together, think more long-term and explore how we might engage more consistently to support their production. In addition to numerous first contacts, which we will endeavour to serve through the distinctive features of our #OurPlasticJourney programme, which brings together under one umbrella the development of innovative, sustainable and high-performance plastic solutions across the entire product lifecycle, finding a moment such as Plast to explore the needs of the supply chain in depth is certainly important for us”.

Is the current geopolitical context influencing the strategies and decisions of your customers in the plastics and rubber sector? Did you pick up any signals in this regard during the fair?
“Absolutely. The geopolitical developments of recent years are having an enormous impact on the sector. One need only think of energy costs across our continent since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine, followed by tariffs and, more recently, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. All events that are putting the European manufacturing sector under severe strain. In such a complex scenario - in which the need to defend our continent's strategic autonomy is growing ever stronger - we felt it was important to be present at this year's edition of Plast as the leading chemicals producer made in Europe. Basf's production base in Europe is a significant detail: even in times of uncertainty such as these, it guarantees our ability to supply customers without interruption or delay, offers greater insulation from geopolitical risks and enables agile customer support”.

Which Basf solutions or technologies generated the most interest among visitors to Plast 2026, and in what direction is your offering moving in the coming years?
“With our Engineering Plastics division, at Plast 2026 we presented the Ultradur and Ultramid product ranges. Among the latter, Ultramid Expand attracted the greatest attention from visitors. This is a foam based on expanded polyamide granules with unique properties, combining lightness with advanced performance. It is distinguished by its high heat deflection temperature and excellent resistance to elevated temperatures, maintaining outstanding mechanical properties even above 120°C. It also offers good chemical resistance to automotive fluids, can be processed using established technologies such as steam chest moulding, already in use for other materials such as expanded polypropylene, and is recyclable. It is furthermore compatible with cataphoresis painting treatments. In short, a highly versatile, high-performance product that has the potential to become an important asset for the automotive supply chain and beyond”.