The uncertainty that came with the Covid-19 pandemic seems to be lifting its spell for certain plastics industry events, but others continue to take the digital route. Here’s a look at some events taking place with attendees and online this year and in 2022:

After being postponed once already – from 4-7 May to 22-25 June 2021 – the “Plast” Italian trade fair for plastics and rubber industry is now taking place from 5-8 September 2023 at the Fiera Milano fairgrounds in Rho-Pero, Milan / Italy. Applications for new exhibitors for the event will officially open in June 2022.

The previous edition of Plast took place in Milan from 29 May to 1 June 2018 (see Plasteurope.com of 30.05.2018). Organisers say it featured 1,510 exhibitors from 55 countries, occupied 55,000 m² over six halls of Fiera Milano, and drew 63,000 visitors from 117 countries.

Organiser Promaplast (Milan) has also announced a new event called “GreenPlast” (www.greenplast.org) – set for 3-6 May 2022 at the same location – which will be dedicated to innovative solutions to boost environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, options for reducing-reusing-recycling, and progress towards a circular economy.

Catering particularly to plastics manufacturers, the annual trade fair “Plastics Live” (www.plasticslive.co.uk) is being launched in the UK, with the first edition scheduled for 5-6 July 2022 at Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry / UK.

Under its “Plastics Sustainability Live” banner, the event plans to focus on the “plastics-in-the-environment” theme, while 3D printing and additive manufacturing will be discussed under the banner of “AMPLAS”, and the “Industry 4.0 in Plastics” banner seeks to demonstrate “smart” operations for the industry. Registration for speakers and attendees for the event is now open. Event partners and sponsors of the are Engel, HiTech, Plastribution, Plastech, and Invotec Solutions.

Scott Colman, director of Plastics Live, says, “Our conference and workshop sessions will offer our visitors advice on how to future-proof business, how to use technology to improve output, save energy and the environment, and create the factories of the future.”

After being postponed twice (see Plasteurope.com of 12.01.2021), British triennial plastics industry event, “Interplas” (www.interplasuk.com) is slatted for 28-30 September 2021, thanks to the UK government’s plans to lift most coronavirus-related restrictions, says organiser Rapid News Group (Chester / UK; www.rapidnews.com).

This year, the fair is expected to feature more than 400 exhibitors presenting solutions, products, machines, and ideas from across the spectrum of moulding and forming machines and materials, automation, contract manufacturing and supporting technologies, including software, testing, inspection and surface treatments.

The organisers of Taiwan’s plastics and rubber industry international trade show, “TaipeiPLAS” (www.taipeiplas.com.tw), and “ShoeTech Taipei” (www.shoetech.com.tw) – Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, www.taitra.com.tw) and Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry (TAMI; www.tami.org) – have cancelled attendance this year, which was originally scheduled for 28 September to 2 October 2021. Instead, the two events will now be held digitally on the same date, under the title, “TaipeiPLAS & ShoeTech Taipei DigitalGo”.

According to the organisers, TaipeiPLAS, which takes place every two years, hosts nearly 500 exhibitors and attracts more than 20,000 visitors each year. The next editions of the TaipeiPLAS and ShoeTech Taipei with attendees are expected to take place from 27 September to 1 October 2022.