CHINAPLAS 2017 Opens Today as a World-Class Event
With the global economy clouded by declining demand, globalization pressures and trade protectionism, the plastics and rubber industries are striving to navigate these challenges and continue their growth. The premier trade show for these sectors, CHINAPLAS 2017, throws open its doors today. The event provides a networking platform between visitors and more than 3,400 exhibitors from all over the world, presenting many innovative and new technologies. The trade fair is taking place in China Import & Export Fair Complex, Pazhou, Guangzhou, PR China, from 16-19 May, occupying a vast exhibition area of over 250,000 square metres.
A spectacular trade show focuses on technology
China's gross domestic product grew at a rate of 6.9% in the
first quarter of 2017, while the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences predicts
annual growth will be 6.6%. Slower economic growth has become a new normal in
China. As a result, instead of relying on largely on vigorous growth as before,
companies now are aiming to improve their quality and efficiency, as they
transform and upgrade their enterprises for the future.
"Under this economic backdrop, it's both an opportunity
and a threat for the industry at the same time," says Mr Stanley Chu,
Chairman, Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., organizer of CHINAPLAS 2017.
"On one hand, Chinese products are increasingly moving toward providing
added value. Vehicles, especially new-energy vehicles, as well as packaging and
medical products are rapidly going high-tech. On the other hand, industries
such as home appliance manufacturing have an urgent need to eliminate their
excess capacities and introduce innovation. At the same time, government
policies favour technological innovation and support environmental protection
measures, while enterprises increase their investment in R&D and brand
building. What's more," added Chu, "an increasing number of Chinese
enterprises is keen on investing or setting up factories overseas. All these
factors provide a favourable platform for the development of plastics and
rubber industries and generate demand and opportunities for innovative technologies
and smart manufacturing."
The industries are also benefiting from a huge plastics
application market, supply-side structural reform, and from enterprises' strong
desire to transform their business structures and upgrade their technologies.
With "Greenovation for a Smart Future" as the show theme, CHINAPLAS
2017 has set "Intelligent Manufacturing High-tech Materials Green
Solutions" as the event's main focuses. Breakthrough technologies, new
materials and cost-effective processing technology and management solutions are
on display throughout the many exhibition halls.
Commenting on the annual show's development over the past 30
editions, Ada Leung, General Manager of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., said,
"We are impressed by the increasing importance attached to the Chinese
market by the leading overseas technology suppliers. Meanwhile, we are also
witnessing strong interest in Chinese machinery by overseas buyers." The
staging of CHINAPLAS, she noted, has helped to bridge the gap between buyers and
suppliers during the process of globalization. It also has accelerated the
integration of technologies and trading both outside and within China,
contributing to more technologically sophisticated exhibits. "CHINAPLAS
2017 has evolved from a former sourcing and trading platform for materials and
machinery into an international, technology-oriented platform," Leung
said.
Technology is the word
Smart factories, virtual reality (VR), artificial
intelligence (AI), drones, bicycle sharing systems are just a few of the topics
and keywords that have risen to popularity in the past year. What they all
share is a close relationship to technology and innovation. During this second
year into China's National 13th Five-Year Plan, supply-side structural reform
is taking place, and it relies increasingly on modern technological progress.
CHINAPLAS this year, Leung said, is providing the platform for the launch of
more than 40 technologies globally or in Asia, while also showcasing a variety
of cutting-edge innovations, including:
Momentive Performance Materials Inc. Silopren* LSR 4655 SL
liquid silicone rubber enables designers and manufacturers of healthcare
equipment to introduce advanced material features to critical applications. The
proprietary product may eliminate the need for secondary lubrication processes
to reduce the coefficient friction, which in turn can improve the mounting
efficiency of molded parts during the assembly of devices.
Separately, the self-bonding technology offered by
Momentive's Silopren* LSR 27x9 series enables the efficient one-step
overmolding of silicone elastomers with thermoplastics and other selected
substrates. These materials can adhere to many substrates without the need for
surface treatment and without adhering to metal molds.
Toray Plastics (China) Co., Ltd. Toray's TORELINA®PPS
polyphenylene sulphide offers excellent characteristics of heat resistance,
dimensional stability, high strength and flame retardancy, and its superb
fluidity leads to outstanding dimensional precision. These properties make it
ideal for use in power control units for hybrid and electric vehicles.
NatureWorks LLC. NatureWorks is showing at CHINAPLAS a range
of successful implementations of its Ingeo-brand polylactic acid bioplastic in
compostable coffee pods. The technical achievements in films, rigid capsule
bodies, and nonwovens, used for filtration, have opened new pathways to achieve
success in both coffee platforms. It can meet the temperature requirements for
both the drip and high-pressure platforms while maintaining compostability.
Newly developed Ingeo 3D870 grade for industrial 3D filament, which rivals ABS
heat and impact resistance, will be on display for the first time at the show.
EREMA Group. The Austrian company is demonstrating its
INTAREMA TVEplus 1108 with Laserfilter, which collects contaminated plastic
wastes for recycling at high efficiencies and qualities. Some 80% utilization
is met in European markets.
Coperion (Nanjing) Machinery Co., Ltd. The company is
introducing new involute screw elements for its high-end ZSK extruder series
and its new pelletizer "SP treasure", a cost-efficient strand
pelletizer exclusively tailored to the Chinese market. It ensures higher
productivity, filling, dispersibility and distribution, and lower energy
consumption (SEI in kWh/kg), which can contribute to cost savings.
Guangdong Yizumi Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. Yizumi's DP
series two-platen injection molding machines are designed for producing auto
parts and household appliances. At CHINAPLAS 2017, Yizumi presents an
innovative process that enables use of the MuCell foaming process and produces
parts with high-quality finishes that can have glossy, matte, granular, leather
or fabric looks.
Autodesk Software (China) Co., Ltd. The latest version of
Moldflow products has more than 40 enhancements or improvements that help to
enhance manufacturing via simulation by validating and optimizing the design of
plastics parts before production.
(For more details on these and other technologies on display
at the show, please visit "2017 New & Hot Technology
Collection".)
Leung pointed out that CHINAPLAS 2017 offers a wide array of
solutions that users crave. These leading technologies, including smart
factories and solutions for saving energy and boosting efficiency, are
particularly helpful for those enterprises who aim to gain an upper hand.
Special tips to explore more
In line with the technology-oriented goals of CHINAPLAS, the
organizer is introducing a feature this year called "Tech Talk." Many
practical solutions will be shared in open forums, including technical insights
about the application of targeted nano enhancements in plastics; the
application of flame-retardant, antibacterial polypropylene in the "smart
home"; the present status and future development of PPS resin; system
solutions to presses with Inverter+ PLC; customized solutions for industrial 3D
printing (materials, technology and processes); and "8+16" management
philosophy etc.
In addition, the organizer plans three Guided Technology
Tour routes, with the themes of "Intelligent Manufacturing
Technology", "Advanced Automation Equipment" and "High-tech
and Green Materials". During these tours, experts will offer detailed
explanations about the new products and technologies on display, to allow
visitors to focus on their targeted exhibits in a time-efficient manner. The
organizer this year is also launching "Expo Discovery", which aims to
help visitors explore the "treasures" on the second and third floors,
with a view to learning about some of the more novel technologies on offer.
A stellar lineup of speakers at concurrent events
This year, Industry 4.0 continues to be the prime focus, in
response to the intense interest in "smart manufacturing". The
automotive, electrical and electronics, and packaging sectors have their own,
industry-specific seminars at the "2nd Industry 4.0 Conference". In
addition to the sharing of the "COSMO Platform" by Haier Group, one
of the world's leading appliance brands, Stratasys, a leader in 3D printing,
will discuss case studies that can lower packaging costs by 90% through 3D
printing. Other speakers include Industry 4.0 pioneers Arburg, KraussMaffei,
ENGEL, Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH and others, who will be showcasing or
introducing their latest, state-of-the-art, 4.0 technologies.
The world's leading chemical company, BASF, is reprising its
role as an exclusive event partner of the concurrent event "Design ×
Innovation" this year, with the theme of "Smarter Living".
Prototypes of creative product design on smart living, including robotics and
inflatable bicycle tires, are being showcased.
Meanwhile, a number of seminars are organized to uncover the
latest market trends for different end user markets. These include the
"3rd Medical Plastics Conference", "Seminar on Barrier
Properties of Food-Contact Materials", "China Blister Technologies
Summit", "Seminar on Cutting-edge Plastics Application in Consumer
Electronics Industry", "Seminar on Systematic Injection Moulding
Solutions for the Automotive Industry", and "Seminar on Plastics
Application Solutions for New Energy Vehicles", are just some of the
sessions scheduled.
Also not to be missed are 50+ technical seminars, as well as
the "Plastic Beverage Bottles Recycle & Reward Activity,"
co-organized by CHINAPLAS and INCOM TOMRA Recycling Technology (Beijing) Co.,
Ltd.
Admission is not only free on the last day, but comes with a
gift upon entry. The organizer will give out more than a hundred drones, VR
spectacles and smart bracelets to lucky visitors.