With a press conference in presence and in streaming, Promaplast on July 7 has presented GreenPlast, a new exhibition-convention dedicated to materials, technologies, and converting processes for plastics and rubber, with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability, recovery and recycling of materials, and energy efficiency.

Illustrate and promote the sustainability of a versatile and key material in daily consumption: plastic. This is the motivation for GreenPlast, responding to the need to describe and share best practices in the plastics industry to benefit the environment.

From May 3 to 6, 2022, Fiera Milano in Rho-Pero (Milan) will host the entire plastics and rubber industry in an event dedicated to innovative solutions to boost environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, options for “Reducing-Reusing-Recycling”, and progress towards a circular economy. Companies in the industry have been investing in these areas for years, leading the way as dynamic market players.

GreenPlast, organized by Promaplast, will allow all interested operators - Italian and non-Italian - to evaluate plastics and rubber processing technologies and the new Industry 4.0 paradigm with an emphasis on the made-in-Italy, which has stood out all over the world for its hi-tech solutions ever since the awakening of an environmental awareness (many years ago and especially in the more developed countries).

The leading Italian and international companies will have the chance to show their innovative solutions for environmental sustainability in the halls of the fairgrounds: virgin, low-impact, low-carbon-footprint raw materials, secondary raw materials, biopolymers, and additives; semi-finished and finished products made from innovative, recycled, or biologically sourced materials; machinery, equipment, and systems that combine low energy consumption with high performance, high-efficiency processing and the use of innovative, recycled and/or biologically sourced materials; systems and machinery for the selection, processing, and recycling of plastics and rubber, both in-line and post consumption; support and consulting services for plastics and rubber production generally (from injection moulding to extrusion, from blow moulding to thermoforming etc.) and recovery and recycling; public corporations, consortia, and organizations active in plastics and rubber recycling.

GreenPlast will also feature an international conference, hosting world renowned speakers who will discuss key issues relating to the trade fair: environmental sustainability and the circular economy, especially as they relate to packaging and plastic products.

The event will be held in parallel with Ipack-Ima, international exhibition for the packaging industry. The concomitance of the two events is anything but casual: the affinity between the packaging and plastics industries is affirmed by the fact that some 50% of all packaging is made using plastics (trays, bottles, film etc.), and demand by consumers of packaging for environmentally sustainable products is only growing. The simultaneity of Ipack-Ima and GreenPlast will thus make it possible to combine the presentation of two different yet highly complementary production spheres.

The project will thus promote occasions for contact and development, bringing visitors, especially international ones, into contact with a complete spectrum, thanks to the transversal nature of the two exhibitions and the experience of their respective organizers, backed by the trade associations of the two macro-sectors represented: Amaplast (Italian Plastics and Rubber Processing Machinery and Moulds Manufacturers Association) and Ucima (Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association).

Furthermore, the fairgrounds will also host the concomitant the fairs Print4All (for commercial and industrial printing), Intralogistica Italia (for systems for industrial materials handling, warehouse management, materials storage, and picking) and, for the first time in Milan, Pharmintech (processing, and packaging solutions for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical). These events embody the logic of an integrated supply chain and are an important component of “The Innovation Alliance”.

The dialogue with and among the plastics industry will gain new impetus in 2023 with the triennial international fair Plast, which has finally been rescheduled for September 5-8, 2023. Exhibitors have already confirmed 30,000 m2, not wanting to miss the chance to take part in this high-profile event.