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CHINAPLAS 2018 will be held for the first time at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai, PR China, next April 24-27. The exhibition area is expected to exceed 320,000 square meters – 30% more exhibition space than that of the 2016 edition of the show in Shanghai. CHINAPLAS will bring together 4,000 exhibitors from around the world, who will be allocated over a series of meticulously well-organized theme zones. The plastics and rubber industries can anticipate an international, professional and distinctly high-tech platform at CHINAPLAS next April.
A New Leap – To Expand & Reorganize the Show Floor
Since China has implemented reforms and a more open policy, its economic and technological sectors have developed and changed rapidly. The country's plastics and rubber industries, which are fundamental sectors, are growing significantly. New materials and processing technologies continue to emerge, and propel the expansion of upstream and downstream industries. Exhibitors and visitors alike have been demanding more and better exhibition services at CHINAPLAS, the leading plastics and rubber trade fair. This has driven Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., the show's organizer, to continuously expand the event's scale and upgrade its quality.
"From 2012 onwards, CHINAPLAS has faced the problem of space shortage," according to Adsale's General Manager, Ms. Ada Leung. "Previously, when we held the show at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in Pudong, we had used up all the indoor exhibition halls. We even built outdoor temporary exhibition halls, but still couldn't meet the huge demand from our exhibitors. By moving to the new venue, NECC, Adsale can fulfill the strong demand for exhibition space immediately. This relocation to the new venue is also good for the long-term development of CHINAPLAS," Ms. Leung continued.
The shape of the NECC is like a blooming "four-leaf clover". With a total construction area of 1.47 million square meters, it is the largest single block building and exhibition complex in the world. There are 400,000 square meters of indoor area, which consists of 13 large exhibition halls and three small exhibition halls. There are conference rooms with different specifications and settings among the halls. The central area is a commercial plaza providing abundant catering services.
"CHINAPLAS 2018 will not only accommodate more exhibitors, but will also have better management in the set-up of theme zones, country/region pavilions, and concurrent events. We believe that visitors will have a new, high-quality visiting experience," Ms. Leung said.
A New Challenge – Massive Relocation Project
Relocating an exhibition is similar to "moving house" – but on a whole other scale. The massive CHINAPLAS 2018 relocation project is equivalent to moving 4,000 houses to a new place at the same time. This is not a minor issue for any show, but is a particular challenge for the huge, technology-oriented CHINAPLAS. As organizer, Adsale is carefully considering the overall layout, the arrangement of on-site services, the contracting of various, third-party service providers, etc.
"We're lucky to have a very experienced team," said Ms. Leung. "Starting in 1978, Adsale has organized trade shows and become a leader in the trade show industry. We hold about 20 trade shows each year." Some two years ago, Adsale formed a special team to prepare for this relocation project. This team has done a lot of site visits, and conducted extensive assessments and analyses. The CHINAPLAS team is in full swing, preparing for the huge transition.
New Theme Zones – Enhancing Visitor Convenience
To bring visitors a good and convenient experience, the show organizer is rearranging the overall theme zone layout. Extrusion-related technology will be in the eastern part of the NECC, injection molding technology will be in the west, and blow molding technology will occupy the southern part of the complex. Adsale is also arranging exhibits of the same category in nearby locations, for example, "film technology and plastic packaging machinery" and "injection molding technology and smart manufacturing equipment" etc. And different European pavilions, which were scattered among different halls in the past, will be gathered in Hall 2H at CHINAPLAS 2018.
3D Technology Zone
In response to rising market demands, CHINAPLAS 2018 will also introduce a "3D Technology Zone" and a "Thermoplastic Elastomers & Rubber Zone". To cater for the demands of customization and small-batch production, with the aim of shortening development cycle time and reducing costs arising from Industry 4.0, CHINAPLAS will set up a "3D Technology Zone" to group together the vendors and providers of 3D printing (additive manufacturing) technologies. The new theme zone and the concurrent event "The 3rd Industry 4.0 Conference" will complement each other, providing a comprehensive experience for the enterprises interested in 3D printing technology and "smart manufacturing". Exhibitors that have reserved their exhibit space include Autodesk, Ureal, Cang Ming, dMac, ZWSOFT, and more.
Thermoplastic Elastomers & Rubber Zone
In recent years, the market is accelerating for energy-saving, environmentally friendly and lightweight thermoplastic elastomers. They are widely used in the automotive, electronics and electrical, medical and footwear industries. The coming edition of CHINAPLAS is introducing the "Thermoplastic Elastomers & Rubber Zone" to the "Chemicals & Raw Materials Zone", and is expected to attract about 70 suppliers to showcase the latest development in this field. Exhibitors that have reserved their space include Huntsman, Momentive, SIBUR, Top Polymer, Dawn, Huafon, and so on.
A New Experience – NECC in a Prime Location
NECC enjoys a unique geographical advantage. Located in the west of the core business district of Hongqiao, the linear distance from NECC to the Hongqiao traffic hub is only 1.5km. It is closely linked with the Hongqiao International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station. Flights take only two to three hours to reach major cities in the Asia-Pacific region, while it takes one hour by rail to arrive to the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomerations and it takes just 30 minutes by subway to the Shanghai business districts.
NECC opened its doors in 2015, and has been in full operation since 2016. Supporting facilities have also been gradually improving in the area near the fairgrounds. In terms of public transport, Metro Line 2 directly links to the NECC; Metro Line 17, which is connected to the northwest corner of NECC, is expected to be operating by year's end. Many restaurants will operate in the "four-leaf clover" to provide a wide range of food and beverage options. Some hotels near NECC are already open, and several more hotels along the Metro Line 17 will be open soon.
A New Vision – Strong Demand for Exhibit Space
The global economy is gradually recovering, and the plastics and rubber industries are growing strongly. This positive trend has been clearly visible since the beginning of 2017, with a record-breaking number of visitors attending CHINAPLAS 2017 and strong business being generated during that show. Many exhibitors said the orders they received during CHINAPLAS 2017 in Guangzhou enabled them to meet their entire year's business target. Exhibitors also said that many visitors came with a clear purchasing plan, and those visitors were particularly interested in new technologies and total solutions.
So far, Adsale has received more than 4,000 exhibitor applications for the coming show. Compared to previous years, exhibitors are more enthusiastic. They are quicker to confirm their booking, and many intended to expand their booth area. Furthermore, visitors can expect more from the country/region pavilions, as there will be greater numbers of high-tech, innovative materials, equipment, and even entire production lines. All these indicators reflect that exhibitors are strongly confident about the relocation of CHINAPLAS to the NECC.
"New Venue • New Breakthroughs • New Experience" – the relocation of CHINAPLAS is a starting point for transformation. "Our team has always upheld the spirit of continuous innovation, which is very important for the plastics and rubber industries," said Ms. Leung. "We believe that our exhibitors and their advanced technologies, combined with the show's concurrent events and on-site services etc., will bring an extraordinary new experience to visitors. We urge you not to miss the show next year."
About CHINAPLAS 2018
CHINAPLAS 2018 will be relocated to National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai, PR China, and run from April 24-27, 2018. To further enhance the exhibition's service level and quality, attendees will be charged RMB 50 for a one-day pass and RMB 80 for a four-day pass. Visitors can enjoy admission discount through online pre-registration from now till April 18, 2018, at an early-bird rate of RMB 50 for a four-day pass.
