After three action-packed days at Interplas 2017, the UK’s largest and leading plastics industry event is being hailed as a resounding success by exhibitors who took part in the triennial showcase for the British plastics industry.
Almost 12,000 attendees (audit pending) visited the event at the NEC, Birmingham and they were provided with the opportunity to see a multitude of product launches and demonstrations from almost 500 exhibiting companies, more than 40 inspiring presentations across two conference stages and a host of exciting show features.
Interplas main stage
Interplas was opened on day one by Alison Gill, Current Master of the Horners Livery Company and Bruce Margetts, Managing Director of Bericap and the recently appointed President of the British Plastics Federation (BPF). Margetts said: "We are honoured to be asked to open Interplas 2017…the BPF has had a long association with Interplas ever since its origins. It is great to see the resurgence of this as the premier show in UK plastics.”
Feedback from exhibitors on the show floor was extremely positive, “Interplas 2017 was awesome,” said Graeme Herlihy, Managing Director of ENGEL UK. “Interplas feels like it's on top again and pretty much every major player in plastics is here. It's important to be seen here and it's important to have a great stand. I'm happy to say we have had a good show.”
Mike Jordan, Managing Director of Summit Systems, also commented: “Yesterday was absolutely full up from the beginning right to the end. Both existing customers and fringe customers. We have had three companies we have never heard of before.”
Carl Reeve, Managing Director of Data Plastics, added: “Interplas has been brilliant for us. I think now is a positive time for the industry. Having the show every three years is ideal because exhibitors make a real effort when the event comes around. Interplas 2017 is the best UK plastics show I've been to in 10 years and this is definitely the most positive show I've been to,” he said. “The quality of leads has far exceeded what we expected.”
For the first time, the conference programme was delivered across two stages. The Main Stage, in association with British Plastics and Rubber Magazine, hosted world-class presentations from Jaguar LandRover, Nissan, KPMG, P&G and the BPF, while Stäubli, Plastribution and NetComposites presented to full houses on the brand new Interplas Introducing Stage.
In addition to the conference programme, exciting features such as the Knowledge Pavilion gave attendees the chance to meet industry trade bodies, consultants and service providers to get expert advice on research and development, skills and education, regulation and materials selection, whilst Mediplas@Interplas and Inspex provided specific technology advice on medical and inspection issues. The new PlastikCity Pavilion presented 20 first time exhibitors to the audience, further enhancing the opportunities on the show floor, and the Women in Plastics initiative returned with a hugely successful and well attended networking evening.
Duncan Wood, CEO of Rapid News Communications Group, owner of Interplas, commented: “We are delighted to be hearing such great feedback about the show. When we took over management of the show in 2011 our aims were to return Interplas to form, and I think we can safely say the 2017 edition has done this, we are delighted to be able to serve the British plastics industry with a world class platform from which it can project itself to the global market.
“As organisers we pull it all together but Interplas is the success it has become because of the support the industry puts in, in particular our exhibitors who have invested in their stands and make it a show worth attending. Special thanks must go to British Plastics and Rubber, as well as the British Plastics Federation (BPF) and the PMMDA, three pillars in the continued growth of the UK plastics industry and in the growth of Interplas.
“We will continue to strive to be the perfect showcase for the British Plastics industry. A celebration of the best of the sector, a gathering of the brightest people, best technology and most innovative developments - Roll on 2020!”