Setting new record in size and relevance

The importance of one of Asia's and Taiwan's premier trade shows for plastics was emphasized in this year's Taipei Plas which opened on September 18 at the ultra modern and new Nangang Exhibition Center. The general consensus among exhibitors and visitors alike was that the new venue was impressive - despite some frustrations by those who felt that the venue is quite far flung from Taipei City Center. But impressive, they agreed, for the 144,000 square meters of exhibition space that were occupied by 429 domestic and international exhibitors - some 96 of the latter - nested in 2,466 booths. Both the numbers of exhibitors and booths have risen by 14% and 22% respectively since the last show in the downtown Taipei World trade Center in 2006 - setting at least a new record 詉n scale?according to organizers Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI). The show誷 organizers estimated that more than 2,500 international visitors and 15,000 local trade and industrial professionals attended the five-day event. In the 20 years and 10 exhibitions since Taipei Plas (it takes place biennially) first entered the international trade show scene, it has joined the ranks of other popular trade shows and carved a niche all of its own as a hallmark event for the plastics machinery sector in Asia. Plastics machinery, from components like potentiometers, air/water-cooling units, gearboxes and optical dust removers to the loftiest injection molding, extrusion/co extrusion, plastic blow molding/thin film blowing machines, showed their best features. Some new attractions have been added while more improved versions, such as the multi-color and all-electric injection molding machines not to mention leaner, cleaner precision micro injection molding machines were shown. Some new products made their brash debut - like the two tone mastodons on the stands of companies like Creator and Continental. Fu Chun Shin, Vicor Taichung, Multiplas and Chumpower also presented their latest all-electric plastic molding control and additional equipment developed in cooperation with the Mechanical and Systems Research Laboratories of the Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan (ITRI). The past year alone, the industry recorded total output of NT$40.2 billion and this year is expected to beat that. With the latest wave of machinery, Taiwan is now recognized as belonging to the upper stratosphere of high-end plastic and rubber machinery production. Stressing the international character of the show with exhibitors from more than 20 countries - among them major players in machinery manufacturing like Germany, Italy and the United States - Taiwan誷 Vice President Vincent Siew summed up milestones in the development of the industry during the past 35 years in his speech at the show's opening day on September 18. 襎hrough this event the excellent quality of Taiwan made plastics and rubber machinery and their competitive prices are made known to the international market which hopefully translates to more purchase orders from local and international buyers,?he said. He mentioned that there are currently 250 plastics and rubber machinery makers in Taiwan that are known for their quality and price competitiveness, thus attracting many local and international buyers. Among the top export markets for Taiwan products, he pointed out were China and Hong Kong, while other major importers are Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey the US, Iran, Brazil, Finland, Mexico, Germany and Russia. In the first part of the year, Taiwan exports of plastics and rubber machinery amounted to US$5.0 billion, or 12.6% higher than that of the same period last year. Vice President Siew added that many years of R&D and aggressive promotion and marketing efforts abroad had made Taiwan the world' s fifth largesAir Jordan Shoes Men