International Plastics News for Asia

This issue carries reviews of two major shows in Asia – CHINAPLAS and Manufacturing Expo. Both shows recorded large exhibitor and visitor attendance this year. They also succeeded in presenting the most advanced equipment, technologies and raw materials available in the market today – all for the benefits of the various industries dependent on plastics and rubber.
The exhibitors interviewed this year by our editorial team in these two shows agreed that the global economy is on its way to recovery. There may be some glitches along the way but these are not enough to discourage further investments. They also believe that the trends towards "green" technology and cost-saving solutions are pushing the industry to a higher level in terms of production efficiency and sustainability.
The medical sector benefits from recent R&D efforts to enhance high-performance materials. One development is the use of a compound to replace PVC in the production of medical tubing. Another is the launch of the first fully-adjustable plastic positioning support for orthopaedic trauma surgery.