“At last, following two editions - the 2012 and 2009 ones - that were held in a period that was far from rosy, Plast 2015 looks set to proceed at full sail. Nautical metaphors aside, the signs of recovery that we are starting to see on the domestic market and the good performances recorded last year by the plastics and rubber processing machinery, equipment and moulds sector are certainly very encouraging. We just need to have a bit of faith and a dose of optimism. After all, the figures relating to the fair are positive.” These are the comments of Mario Maggiani, CEO of Promaplast, the organiser of the international exhibition devoted to plastic materials and rubber, less than a week before the opening of the event.

Indeed, the number of exhibitors that will be present at this year’s fair represents a 3% increase on the figure for 2012: 1558 companies (881 Italian and 677 from abroad) will occupy halls 9 (raw materials), 11 (the side shows Rubber and Start Plast), and 13, 15, 22 and 24 (these latter four are given over to processing technologies). Like last time, the net exhibition area will total around 55 thousand square metres (which corresponds to an overall area of 120 thousand square metres). Here, several thousand machines and systems as well as auxiliary equipment will be displayed, in operation, for the benefit of the visitors. With just six days to go before the start of the event, the pre-registered visitors number over 40,000, another figure that represents a considerable increase on the same parameter in 2012. In addition, around 300 delegates are also expected, important industry players from 40 countries.