The rise in traffic in Pudong on the morning of 18 April 2012 can only mean one thing: Chinaplas has returned to the mega-city. The annual event - held alternately in China's leading metropolis and its huge trade hub in Guangzhou (the latter's next turn will be from 20-23 May 2013) - continues to amaze and impress. All were there - from the throngs of visitors to the world's leading plastics players. Even the slight rain towards the afternoon did not put a stop to the crowds rushing from hall to hall in the huge exhibition complex in the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

Speaking at the press briefing, Stanley Chu, chairman of organizer Adsale (Hong Kong / China; www.adsale.com.hk) emphasized what he called the "very remarkable expansion" in exhibition size over the past 7 years. The 2012 edition measures some 210,000 m²- almost tripling against 2005. Chu said he expects more than 100,000 visitors at this year's fair, of which more than 20% are predicted to come from abroad, from some 100 different countries. On the first day, 33,287 visitors came to the Chinaplas, more than 25% of them are from abroad.

About 50% of the 2,700 exhibitors hail from foreign countries, and more than 500 exhibitors made their debut at this year's event. Comparing Chinaplas to the world's leading plastics fair "K", held every three years in Düsseldorf / Germany, Chu said the Chinese event was not aiming in any way to catch up to K in terms of size, but more with regard to the technological innovation and product quality on display. One of the ways in which the organizer embodies this focus on innovations is the new Chinaplas app for smart devices, of which Chu was particularly proud.

Plasteurope.com spoke to numerous exhibitors, all of whom testified to the growing importance of China, and the overwhelmingly positive response from visitors. Handshakes and negotiations galore, as the fairgrounds reverberated with a plethora of different languages.