International Plastics News for Asia

Manufacturing Expo -- where Interplas Thailand is one of the concurrent shows –is ASEAN's biggest industrial trade exhibition. An annual event, the Expo gathers 1,500 exhibitors divided into several main sectors. Over the years, the show has gained a huge following and serves as an appropriate platform for companies wanting to enter the lucrative ASEAN markets. This issue carries a Special Supplement on this major event and its highlights plus information on the exhibitors and their products.
For over 50 years , plastics have been used in food production through agriculture. Agricultural films'demand has been on the rise with Asia being the largest market followed by Europe. With food security now a global issue, plastics can very well help in developing sustainable, high levels of production.
Global bioplastics production capacity is projected to surpass the one million tonne mark by this year, according to a study presented by European Bioplastics at the recently-concluded interpack 2011 in Dusseldorf. This is a favourable development as we can expect to see more new materials and technologies that will answer the call for high quality environment-friendly products.