Interplas: The boys are back in town

2014 is set to be an exciting year. Not only is it the year of the horse, the World Cup in Brazil and Glasgow’s turn to host the Commonwealth Games, crucially, it is an Interplas year. What that means for the plastics industry is the opportunity to do big business. Thanks to the recent resurgence in fortune of the UK’s manufacturing industry, some of the world’s biggest companies in plastics are choosing Interplas as the perfect platform to target a growing and lucrative market.

Testament to this, over 75 percent of the show floor has already been sold and allocated to exhibitors, with some of the biggest names in the industry signed up for what is predicted to be a sell-out event.

“I am delighted that ARBURG are returning to the Interplas show. After some years, we felt it was the right time to be included in the exhibition,” Colin Tirel, Managing Director of ARBURG UK, commented. “As a leading supplier of moulding technology it is important for us to demonstrate innovative and relevant technology to our market. The UK and Irish markets have been key markets for us for many years and so we believe we are supporting the market by being there.”

ARBURG will be one of over 400 exhibitors taking their place in the hall at the event, which will run from September 30th to October 2nd 2014 at the NEC in Birmingham. Exhibiting alongside them will be a whole host of companies in the machinery and equipment sector, including Engel, Sumitomo Demag, Summit Systems, Romi Sandretto, Ferromatik and Milacron Extrusion.

Graeme Herlihy, Managing Director of Engel UK, reinforced the message that the UK is an important market. “The UK proved to be very strong for Engel in 2013,” he commented. “The market size for injection moulding machines last year was the biggest since 1999, with the value coming close to £80 million. This figure is the best in years and shows how well the UK has recovered. So well in fact, that it has become a key focus for Engel again. Exhibiting at Interplas provides us with a great platform to reach this market and therefore we are planning some interesting and exciting features to demonstrate on our stand at the show.”

The materials sector will be equally well represented, with confirmed exhibitors including Gabriel-Chemie, Distrupol, Plastribution, Resin Trade, Ultrapolymers and Albis, amongst others.

The show, which was revived to industry acclaim after being taken over by current organisers, Rapid News Communications Group, in 2009, is expecting a steady increase in visitor numbers, with the total number attending likely to exceed 12,000 over the course of the three-day event.  

"We are delighted by the progress we have made since taking the event over,” commented Duncan Wood, Interplas COO and Event Director. “An extremely encouraging 2011 – which saw Interplas back in growth across the key metrics of space sold, number of exhibitors and of course visitors  – is set to be exceeded spectacularly by the 2014 edition. The momentum and appetite for the show is palpable across the industry and we are welcoming back major companies every day who can see we are steering Interplas in the right direction for the industry and, accordingly, they wish to be part of the success.”

The 2014 outing will see some of the industry’s top figures lined up to present on some of the most thought-provoking and relevant topics in the seminar sessions, meaning that the show will be a hive of both business activity on the stands as well as knowledge sharing in the auditoriums. This platform will be complimented with a range of invaluable technology sessions for both newcomers and experienced attendees.

As the headline magazine for the triennial show, British Plastics & Rubber (BP&R) will once again be covering Interplas in its entirety over the coming months, from pre-show build-up to last day stand breakdowns, capturing the buzz that surrounded the revitalised event in 2011.

“Integration with the UK’s largest plastics industry exhibition means BP&R is seamlessly involved with the only event to cover all of the manufacturing processes, technologies and services within the plastics industry,” commented Leanne Taylor, Editor. “Stand sales so far indicate that Interplas 2014 is building on the heady success of the show in 2011, with repeat bookings and some impressive new sign-ups on board testament to both the strength of the show and the high esteem in which some of the industry’s major players hold the UK market.”

Interplas will co-locate in 2014 with a range of complementary design and manufacturing events including the TCT Show + Personalize, Sensing & Instrumentation, Micro Nano Mems and the PPMA Show. These shows make up an essential visit for anyone interested in the latest design and manufacturing technology, and every visitor will have access to all the shows on one ticket, enabling them to move seamlessly between the events. Added to this, visitors and exhibitors will benefit from free Wi-Fi in the NEC show halls, as well as free car parking for those who stay after 3pm.

For more information about the show, visit the website www.interplasuk.com or to submit a conference paper for consideration, email leanne@rapidnews.com