September, 06, 2011 - In 2012, PLAST will be the largest European trade show comprehensively covering the machinery, equipment, moulds, raw materials, regenerated materials, composites, and semi-finished and finished products for the plastics and rubber industry, and is expected to match the records set by the preceding edition of March 2009: 1,478 exhibitors from
45 countries, occupying a total floor area of 59,714 m2, and 55,175 visitors of which over 31% (17,589) from 114 foreign countries.

PLAST 2012 will also see the return, after many years' absence, of the "RUBBER 2012" satellite event, organised by PROMAPLAST srl in conjunction with the publishers of the technical magazine "L'Industria della Gomma", under the aegis of ASSOGOMMA, the trade association of rubber manufacturers and processors, a member of the FEDERAZIONE GOMMA PLASTICA (Italian Plastics and Rubber Federation).

What's more, on 13 July 2011 the company organising PLAST 2012 and the POLI.DESign Consortium of Politecnico di Milano signed an agreement for a joint international ideas competition called the Plastic Technology Award. The competition topics relate to innovations and original applicative solutions connected with the main plastics processing technologies.

It is open to design professionals and students, from Italy and abroad. The jury comprises members from academia and industry, and is presided by a professor from Politecnico di Milano. The prize will be awarded during the course of the PLAST trade show.

There is also a rich programme of sideline events, technical-scientific conferences and company presentations, making PLAST not just an occasion of great commercial importance for exhibitors and visitors, but also an opportunity to explore the salient trends and latest developments of the industry.

The conferences already scheduled include one on biodegradable materials, and one on the applications of plastics in agriculture; both will feature Italian as well as international speakers.

The 2012 international trade show is held under the aegis of the Ministry of Economic Development, with the support of EUROMAP (European Association of Plastic and Rubber Machinery Manufacturers, www.euromap.org) and, for the first time, UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, www.ufi.org).

Source: Assocomaplast