The special report in this issue includes the highlights of the third edition of the “ASEAN Manufacturing Summit: Creating a Circular Economy for Plastics” which was held on May 20, 2021 and organised by Ringier Events. This summit was first launched in Kuala Lumpur in 2019 and generated interests due to the diverse issues we covered – from recycling to waste management, production processes and new material solutions.  The following year, it was transformed into a virtual summit and this year, the virtual event has been expanded to include an exhibition and business matching and networking. 

An interview with India’s leading masterbatch producer, Alok Masterbatches, brings into focus the opportunities for expansion and how these are being made fruitful with the addition of an advanced R&D set up alongside a world-class manufacturing plant.  Mr. Vikram Singh Bhadauria, Managing Director talks about how this has been made possible and what this could mean for India’s plastics industry. 

As the first post-pandemic major exhibition in China, Chinaplas proved again that China remains a vast market that continues to attract leading industry players. This issue carries a post-event report with feedback from the exhibitors.