National Plastics Exposition -NPE 2003, the second largest plastics
exhibition in the World with about 2000 exhibitors displaying their
products on about 1 million square foot of area was held at Chicago
from 23rd June 2003 to 27th June 2003. It had more exhibitors as
well as larger area compared to NPE 2000. The attendance however
was lower - the NPE organizing committee reported almost 25-30%
lower attendance compared to 2000. Even some of the major raw material
producers like Dow, Exxon Mobil or Eastman were conspicuously absent.
The World's leading additive supplier Ciba also stayed away from
the exhibition.
Apparently, the weaker industrial climate took its toll. However,
all the machinery suppliers not only from North America but also
from Europe as well as from Asia were very enthusiastically displaying
their products. In fact, all of them seemed to be very happy that
they participated in the show because the latest tax benefits given
by US government towards higher depreciation up to about 15% would
help the US processors to encourage for further investments. What
was interesting that some of the small suppliers of primary equipments
as well as moulds and accessories from the countries like India
not only came to NPE 2003 again but also generated some business.
Some primary equipment suppliers like Rajoo Engineering targeted
the South American plastics markets while the ancilliary equipment
suppliers like Laxmi Moulds, Sridevi tools and Pratik Heaters could
seek business opportunities in the World's largest plastics market
of North America by participation in the exposition. Irwin Research
had highlighted the thermoforming equipment made at Nasik plant
in India by its joint venture.
While Reliance Industries and Sabic were conspicuously absent,
the specialty suppliers like Mitsui Chemicals, Kuraray, and Ashai
from Japan and Gharda Chemicals from India displayed their specialty
products including EVOH and PEEK etc. Mitsui Chemicals emphasised
the newer production of PET made from non-Cadmium catalysts like
Germanium and Titanium. Interestingly these products had excellent
whiteness. Mitsui also claimed to sell these products almost at
the same price as that of the conventional PET products.
The most glaring exhibit of GE Plastics illustrated the focus of
GE on the use of Lexan PC for newer applications for automotives.
GE along with its partner Bayer and the equipment supplier Battenfeld
also demonstrated the newer development of PC based windshield after
treatment of plasma to achieve excellent resistance to scratches
as a replacement of glass. In fact, the GE Plastics pavilion was
the most outstanding one at the NPE 2003. Another interesting feature
of NPE 2003 was that Thermoplastic Elastomers was presented very
extensively by almost all the leading global players. It seems that
NPE organizers are planning to expand the role of the exposition
in the area of elastomers similar to Kunstoff Fair in Germany.
The leading North American compounders /M/B suppliers like Polyone,
Teknor, L&P and Ampacet demonstrated their wide range of products.
On the other hand, RTP concentrated on metal compounding/mouldings.
Among the equipment suppliers more emphasis was seen on several
different types of mouldings compared to the extrusion techniques.
Almost all the leading European equipment suppliers had highlighted
their equipments/technologies. In fact, the North American processors
seemed to concentrate on these pavilions possibly to assess whether
they could gainfully invest in them before the business environment
improves their present average capacity utilization of about 75%
to more respectable levels.
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