Cautious optimism in the wake of Interplas

As I sit and write this column, I am suddenly aware that this will be the first one of my second year as Chairman of the PMMDA - the last twelve months have flown by, and I have to say what a year it's been.

Since late 2022, we've seen the election of our first non-male committee member in the PMMDA, our first female speaker at the annual SPRA dinner, a complete re-vamp of the PMMDA website, and our first post-Covid Interplas. Whilst none of these in isolation should be seen as either ground-breaking, or even unusual in current times, I for one am very proud to have been a small part of these, and believe these are the little changes and continuous improvements we can make to build upon and keep the change momentum up.

Reflecting on Interplas 2023, there seems to be a sense of optimism, albeit cautious, about opportunities, and I believe this in no small part is a result of the excellent work Rapid News Group as organisers (and Mouldshop for their usual unparalleled contribution to the post show event). The atmosphere in and around the hall on Tuesday evening was terrific, and I believe helped to create a positive vibe about the event and the industry as a whole.

In addition to the above, I personally felt very privileged to have been nominated for the 75 at 75 wall, and I know many others who felt the same way - it was an honour to be named and selected, and be in the company of some real industry giants.

2024 is clearly going to be a challenge, and the associations will, I feel, be more important than ever in helping and guiding companies through difficult times. However, one thing is very clear to me - there are many dedicated individuals in the industry who are equally, if not more passionate than me, and our aim must be to ensure this enthusiasm, coupled with the positivity created by Interplas, is not allowed to wane - we must keep the momentum going, and investment in training and education, both from a skills and also from a plastics image point of view, is essential if were to secure the long term future of the industry.

I for one am fully committed to this.