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Interplast 2026 to be held in August; sustainability will be one of the main topics
December, 12, 2025 - The 13th edition of Interplast – Trade Fair and Congress for the Integration of Plastics Technology, organized by Messe Brasil, will be held from 25 to 28 August 2026 in Joinville, one of the main hubs of Brazil's plastics processing industry. The most populous city in the state of Santa Catarina is also home to the country's second largest tooling center, focusing on the production of plastic molds for injection molding and extrusion dies. Sustainability will be one of the main topics at the next Interplast, with emphasis on ESG practices, solutions for the circular economy and innovations in recyclable and biodegradable materials. "The fair will also have a space focused on sustainability that will be developed in partnership with organizations and exhibitors in order to highlight the importance of circularity," said Richard Spirandelli, director of Messe Brasil. Interplast has established itself as one of Brazil's leading events, bringing together the entire plastics supply chain under the same roof, with exhibitors encompassing mold suppliers, raw material producers, machinery and equipment manufacturers. The event will also comprise simultaneous activities focused on technical contents and business roundtables. The organizer's expectation is to surpass the success of the previous edition of the show, in 2024, which already occupied 100% of Expoville's three pavilions (25,000 m²). The event brought together 400 exhibitors and more than one thousand brands, receiving 32,000 visitors. Messe Brasil estimates that R$ 300 million in business deals were closed within 12 months after the fair. The event organizers expect a 20% increase in visitors, specially from other South American countries. "The increase in business delas during the fair and in the following 12 months should also be higher, and could exceed R$ 500 million," predicts Spirandelli. Interplast is a display of the strength of the state of Santa Catarina, which has high growth rates in the industry and concentrates some of the main plastics processing companies in Brazil, being recognized for the quality of their products worldwide. Santa Catarina ranks second in the country in terms of job creation and the number of plastic processing and recycling companies. There are approximately 1,300 companies employing around 48,400 people. An equal number of indirect jobs is also estimated. Among the companies in the state there are manufacturers of technical parts, packaging for food and medicine, transportation articles, construction products, auto parts, electronic parts, household appliances, household utilities and disposable products. Santa Catarina's plastics industry stands out in the national scene for its skilled workforce, as well as the presence of public and private educational institutions which provide professional training opportunities. Another striking feature is its well-defined segmentation of activityies among the diferente regions of the state: the south of Santa Catarina is strong in the production of disposables and the the north distinguishes itself for manufacturing construction products and technical parts while the West excels in the production of packaging. In addition, access to a variety of energy sources, including renewable ones such as solar energy, port services, quality of life and investments in technology and innovation are determining factors that highlight Santa Catarina´s relevance in the national industry scene. "Interplast brings together opportunities, innovations and various technologies to enable investment and the constant modernization of Santa Catarina's industry," says the director of Messe Brasil. For Joinville, the city hosting the event, Interplast boosts the local economy by attracting thousands of visitors and generating indirect jobs. Local hotel are normally fully booked during the show with visitors also staying in neighboring cities. Flight occupancy rates at the local airport and in the region increase , as well as sales in local shops, restaurants, shopping malls and tourist attractions. Sustainability, Knowledge and Business events In addition to the trade fair, Interplast's technical program will be strengthened by CINTEC Plastics 2026 Congress, which will address issues related to Sustainability, innovation and technologies for the plastics processing industry. Exhibitors will have the opportunity to present their solutions and technologies through workshops aimed at industry professionals. "We're going to focus on parallel events, seeking to present news and topics that bring competitiveness to the industry and partnerships with national and international organizations to broaden the scope of the fair, in order to increase the number of visitors from other countries, especially South America," says Spirandelli. The Business Roundtable is another consolidated space at the event which brings together buyers and suppliers at negotiating tables, encompassing segments such as Automotive, Packaging and Construction. "The plastics industry from all over the country has found in Messe Brasil's events the opportunity to develop suppliers with access to innovation and technologies, and the continuous renewal of the network of relationships, during our 27 years in the market," Spirandelli points out. Profile of the Plastics Processing and Recycling Industry The plastics sector is of strategic importance to the Brazilian industry, ranking among the country's five largest industrial segments. Data compiled by the Brazilian Plastics Industry Association in the Abiplast 2023 Profile show that the sector has a turnover of more than R$130 billion a year in Brazil and directly employs around 379,000 professionals in more than 14,200 processing and recycling companies. The volume of plastic products consumed annually in Brazil reaches 7.49 million tons, with 7.04 million tons of plastic products being locally manufactured. The survey also shows that the plastics industry's average annual investment forecast reaches R$10.5 billion, driven by factory expansions, the development of sustainable packaging to meet both legislation and international standards, new recycling technologies and improved reverse logistics. The total investment between 2025 and 2027 is expected to reach R$31.7 billion. In addition, waste recovery capacity is expected to grow by 36% by 2026 as well as the strengthening of reverse logistics systems. Interplast – Plastics Technology Integration Trade Fair and Congress
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