A triumphant return awaits

The industry is facing unprecedented challenges on several fronts. And yet, Interplas is set to be bigger (in terms of exhibitors in attendance) than any edition since 2002. What’s that saying? Necessity is the mother of invention! And here we are, dealing with absurd energy costs, inflation and interest rates, supply chain disruption, conflict abroad, climate change and ever-tightening regulations and policy impacting our design/manufacturing choices. That’s a perfect storm of necessity, crying out for some major invention – and fast.

So it’s no surprise, in some ways, that the industry is ready to come together on such a large scale in the UK. I may be biased, since British Plastics & Rubber is owned by the same company that organises Interplas, but I genuinely don’t know of a better platform for anyone facing any of the above challenges.

My colleague Charlotte Chambers, group conference and marketing manager, has put together a stellar conference on the brand new Interplas Insights stage. We’ve tried to address all of the aforementioned challenges with our roundtable-style panel discussions. Some of the leading names in injection moulding machinery will discuss big and small steps processors can take to save energy. It’s not a pitch for new machines, although we will discuss the advances in tech over the last 20 years. 

It’s a chance for the machinery pros to talk through the various parameters and setups that have proven most effective for their customers. And in another session, we’ll be hearing from those very customers. Some of Britain’s leading contract moulders will be taking to the stage for the first time ever, to discuss the challenges of the last few years, the resurgence in reshoring, and the current state of the market.

I’m particularly excited for the first day, when we will be announcing the 75 most influential individuals in UK plastics, as voted for by the industry. Interplas is 75 this year, and so what better way to celebrate than to honour the people who keep the UK industry competitive on the global stage?

 I’ve seen the final list, and I can confidently say, the industry have put forward an impressive cross-section, covering product designers, process engineers, polymer scientists, and much more. All of them, champions for the responsible use of the material of the future. Finally, if you’re planning to join us at the NEC, and I hope you are, make sure you spend some time in our all-new Recycling Zone. 

We’ve designed this to try and ensure the market gets its collective genius together in one place to solve the problem of the shortage of useable recyclate, so that people can stop paying the PPT. We’re an ambitious bunch at Rapid News Group, and we understand the true value of face-to-face events. Interplas 2023 is so much more than a trade show: it’s your chance to solve your problems, kickstart your ideas, and meet the people who’ll help you achieve your competitive potential