Extrusion International 2-2023

33 Extrusion International 2/2023 since the beginning of the pandemic and it was a great achievement con- sidering the circumstances at that time. With regard to the event we are preparing for this year, I think we are doing a great job, supported by the companies and organisations on the organising committee, by the new team at Fira de Barcelona and by the good response we are seeing from the sector. The forecasts are good, as we ex- pect 220 exhibitors from 12 coun - tries to participate and more than 19,000 professionals to attend. Alongside this commercial offer, at- tendees will also find Expoquimia and Eurosurfas, events with which we will once again coincide and with which we have important syn - ergies. All in all, there will be more than 450 companies with stands and more than 800 brands repre - sented in 21,000 m2 net area, which means that Hall 3 of the Gran Via exhibition centre will be at 100% capacity. A success! You have been at the head of the Equiplast organising committee for eleven years now. What is your assessment of this period? Roegele: Eleven years already? That's right, I remember that May 2012 when I was offered the presi - dency of the organising committee. It was an honour! If I have to take stock, I have to say that they have been intense years, complex years, years of excitement, of nerves, years of making difficult decisions and years of satisfaction, above all for the support received by the other mem - bers of the committee and by the Fira de Barcelona team. The truth is that I have had to deal with compli - cated editions (2014, the end of the economic crisis, 2017 the Catalan Procés, 2020/21 Covid-19), but here we are and we continue to fight for Equiplast, as the benchmark event for our sector in Spain. Do you think the plastics industry is very different now than it was then? Roegele: The plastics sector is constantly evolving to provide in- dustry with solutions to new needs and, in this sense, it is developing applications for more sustainable production adapted to the times. To answer the question directly, the plastics sector is not very different now than it was 12 years ago, but it is moving, researching and devel- oping new processes in which raw materials and transformation ma - chinery coexist, always focused on the circular economy, and we will see this at Equiplast. Despite all the efforts made by the plastics sector to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly, one of the biggest difficulties is to deal with the demonised public image of plastics, which is also reflected in the regulatory framework. What more can companies in the sector do to turn this situation around? Roegele: Companies in the sector have been working for years to re- verse this situation. Together with the chemical industry, more sustain- able plastics are being developed and machine manufacturers are adapting their production processes to these materials. There are more and more applications for producing plastic parts with a higher content of recycled material. We are an ac - tive part of the circular economy and many companies collaborate with institutions such as the Ellen MacAr - thur Foundation, which was estab- lished in 2010. We also incorporate Industry 4.0 technologies to optimise processes, generating less waste and increasing energy efficiency. As a complement to the commercial offer, what other activities will there be at Equiplast? Roegele: We will have the Re - thinking Plastics exhibition where attendees can see and touch differ - ent articles made from recycled, bio- degradable or renewable plastics. With this exhibition we are showing our industry's commitment to the environment. We have been work - ing for years to ensure that plastic never becomes waste, but rather a new raw material for different uses. Also, in the knowledge section, to- gether with Expoquimia, we are in- augurating the "Best in class" pro- gramme through which we will give voice to the success stories of dif - ferent industries that use plastic or chemical solutions, equipment and technology that have implemented innovative projects in the field of the circular economy, digitalisation or technology transfer. We will also be holding the Eurocar Conference, together with Eurosurfas, specifi- cally for the automotive sector. What can this year of the fair bring to companies and professionals in the plastics sector? Roegele: Equiplast is the bench - mark trade fair event for the Span - ish plastics industry. It is our meeting place, to promote sales and busi- ness, to make commercial contacts, but also to discuss issues of sector debate and generate shared knowl- edge. The current situation, which is complex due to different factors affecting our industry, whether due to technological, regulatory, energy or economic changes, requires an Equiplast with a very practical fo - cus that allows our attendees to explore, select and acquire the best solutions in plastic materials, as well as machinery and process and transformation technology to suc- cessfully face the challenges ahead, especially environmental ones. I am convinced that Equiplast 2023 will bring a new impetus to our sector. Finally, how do you see the future of the plastics industry? Roegele: Optimistically. We can - not imagine a world without plastic. There is no substitute today. But we have to be environmentally friendly, reduce the quantity as much as pos - sible, and above all take back and recycle it, and go for its circularity. Thank you for this interview. Fira de Barcelona www.equiplast.com Maria Dolors Herranz, mdherranz@firabarcelona.com Edu Pérez Moya, eperezm@firabarcelona.com