After a six-year hiatus, CHINAPLAS 2024 made a glorious return to Shanghai and concluded successfully on April 26 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), Hongqiao, Shanghai, PR China. The grand comeback to Shanghai captured the attention of the global plastics and rubber industries with its immense scale and extraordinary appeal.
The exhibition not only achieved a record-breaking number of exhibitors, with 4,495 companies participating from 38 countries and regions, occupying total exhibition area of 380,000 sqm, but also set a new record for visitor attendance. A total of 321,879 visitors from over 170 countries and regions attended the mega event, representing a 29.67% increase compared to the 2023 Shenzhen exhibition. Among them, the number of overseas visitors reached 73,204, accounting for 22.74% of the total, marking a significant growth of 157.50% compared to the 2023 Shenzhen exhibition.
“We have broken records, surpassing the number of exhibitors, total visitor count, and overseas visitor count of any previous edition of CHINAPLAS. The outcome was expected but at the same time also unexpected. Various aspects such as the lively atmosphere, innovative technologies, the quantity and quality of visitors, and the proportion of overseas buyers have all significantly exceeded expectations”, said Ada Leung, General Manager of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., the organizer of CHINAPLAS. “As the plastics and rubber industries move towards high-quality, CHINAPLAS is also running on the path of high-quality growth. Renowned exhibitors from around the world showcased their innovative products, demonstrating the new productive forces, whereas local and international buyers with strong purchasing power come together in the two-way journey. Placing orders, signing contracts, engaging in face-to-face discussions on technological innovations, and unleashing industry opportunities have become the norm at the exhibition. The satisfaction of exhibitors and visitors with the effectiveness of the exhibition has substantially increased”.
Global plastics and rubber market trends highlighted at CHINAPLAS
Focusing on the four main themes of “Circular Economy,” “Innovative Materials,” “Digitalization” and “High-End Technologies from China,” the exhibition showcased innovative technologies presented by global exhibitors. It highlighted keywords such as carbon reduction, energy efficiency, cost reduction, efficiency and high quality, directly addressing customer pain points and demands, and getting a lot of attentions.
The wave of sustainability is sweeping across the globe. Many exhibitors dedicated their efforts to “Circular Economy” and “Sustainability.” They introduced various innovative achievements, including bio-based plastics and biodegradable plastics with exceptional performance, single-material solutions, post-consumer recycled polycarbonate, chemically recycled medical-grade ABS materials and additives to enhance the performance of recycled plastics, carbon capture technologies, 100% recyclable closed-loop production lines for bottle caps, and online granulating recycling technologies. These innovations related to the circular economy were richly presented at CHINAPLAS 2024, fostering deep exploration and collaboration within the industry.
Innovative materials were underlined at the exhibition: a wide range of materials for photovoltaic storage charging applications, such as ETFE films that enhance the power generation efficiency of photovoltaic modules, photovoltaic adhesives, photovoltaic back sheets, photovoltaic energy storage solutions, and fast-charging materials. The exhibition also witnessed a significant increase in solutions related to fuel cell stacks, hydrogen production, and hydrogen storage, providing strong support for the green transformation of energy. The application of lightweight, flame-retardant, and thermal management materials for new energy vehicles (NEV) continued to advance.
As visitors walked through the exhibition halls, the presence of robotic arms swinging and flipping, skillfully grasping components, caught the eyes. The booths showcasing automated and unmanned high-efficiency production became a focal point for visitors. Cutting-edge technologies take center stage: these demonstrations in the realm of “digitalization ” vividly embodied the innovation and excitement within the plastics and rubber industries.
“Looking at the world in China” is gradually evolving into “The world is looking at China”. The world not only observes China’s development but also looks at China’s solutions. Chinese chemical raw material companies continue to break new ground and innovate, while Chinese plastics machinery has further advanced in terms of processing precision, stability, and level of intelligence. Among the exhibitors this year, over 800 companies have been recognized as “Professionalization, Refinement, Specialization and Innovation (PRSI)” enterprises, with more than 250 of them awarded as a “Little Giant”. This highlights the strengths of China’s manufacturing industry in terms of transformation and upgrading, significantly reshaping overseas buyers’ perception of Chinese manufacturing. The combination of high-end technologies from China showcased at the exhibition gained widespread attentions and praises.
Industry insiders immersed themselves in the visually stunning experiences, but they were also treated to a series of captivating events. The exhibition featured a wide range of exciting concurrent events and activities, namely The World Trends and Plastics and Rubber Technology Summit, Plastics Recycling & Circular Economy Conference and Showcase, Tech Talk, Medical Plastics Connect, Application in Focus, The Innovation of Injection Molding Forum, Empowering Product Quality with Advanced Moulding & Innovative Technology Symposium 2024, Product Innovation Gallery, Market Insights Hub and others. These events have drawn large crowds, bringing a vibrant and engaging experience to all participants. With unique theme and highlights, each activity closely followed the trends and hot topics in the plastics and rubber industries, bringing together professionals from various fields to discuss the development of the industry. Additionally, several local and overseas business matching activities were organized at the fairground with overwhelming responses.
Unprecedented success and praise from exhibitors and visitors
Contracts were signed, and laughter filled the air. The meeting tables at the booth were fully occupied by new and old friends from all corners of the world. Industry elites were signing contracts, discussing collaborations, exploring new technologies and business opportunities, witnessing the thriving development of plastics and rubber technologies, broadening horizons, expanding networks and resources at the fairground. The satisfaction of exhibitors and visitors has soared to new heights at this year’s exhibition. This great event has come to a successful conclusion and for those who missed or wanted to replay any exciting moments of the exhibition, please scan the below QR codes of CHINAPLAS Live or the live photo album to have a virtual exhibition tour.
