At the thirty-third Chinaplas fair (Canton, May 21-24, 2019), the Italian collective organised by Amaplast (the Italian trade association, member of Confindustria, bringing together about 170 manufacturers of plastics and rubber processing machinery, equipment and moulds) will include about fifty Italian businesses and occupy an area of 1,400 square metres.

“The massive Italian presence at the specialized fair in China confirms the strategic importance of this market”, underscored Alessandro Grassi, Amaplast President, “which imported some 117 million euros worth of Italian-made plastics and rubber processing technology in 2018”.

“Actually, this represents a contraction with respect to the 134 million in 2017. However, we have witnessed an increase in importation from Italy of core machinery, that is, the technologically sophisticated machinery that Chinese manufacturers do not yet have the know-how to build. This is why the local converters with a range of high-value-added products - well aware of the technology gap that still exists - continue to turn to European manufacturers to modernise and expand their machinery fleet to keep in step with China’s industrial development plans. With this view, Italian manufacturers, who are able to leverage the flexibility and ability to provide technologically advanced, custom-built machinery and auxiliary equipment that has always earned them worldwide acclaim, see China as a market whose potential has yet to be fully exploited”, added Grassi.

The Italian collective at Chinaplas 2019 includes a great number of Amaplast members: Amut, Bandera Luigi, Bausano, BG Plast Impianti, Biesse, Borghi, Cemas Elettra, CMS, Co-Lines, Comerio Ercole, Comi, Crizaf, Electronic Systems, FB Balzanelli, Frigosystem, Gap, Gefran, Helios Italquartz, Icma San Giorgio, Industrial Frigo, Itib Machinery, Maris, Matex, Moretto, OMG, Omso, Piovan, Plas Mec, Plastic Systems, Promixon, Rodolfo Comerio, Sacmi Imola, Simplas, Sipa, Sorema, ST Soffiaggio Tecnica, Tecno System, Tecnomatic, Tecnova, Tria, Union, Zambello Riduttori.

The Italians could have occupied much more space. In fact, many participation requests had to be turned away by the organiser, Adsale Exhibition Services, which faces particular space constraints in odd-numbered years, when Chinaplas takes place in Canton (as opposed to the new and spacious Hongqiao fairgrounds in Shanghai on even-numbered years). This provides further proof of the faith of Italian businesses in the Chinese market.

At least twenty other Italian companies will be present at Chinaplas 2019, some at the stands of their local branches or agents.

The Italian plastics and rubber processing machinery, equipment, and moulds industry recorded a production value in 2018 of 4.7 billion euros (+0.6%), of which 3.26 billion derived from exports (-1.5%).

After a record-breaking 2017 - with all indicators showing double-digit growth - last year’s results may be considered more than satisfactory, especially considering the recovery in the domestic market, which has shown encouraging growth (+4.7%) after a period of weakness, probably partially due to the investment incentive measures implemented in the previous stability law.