The Four Day, HIPLEX 2023, the international Plastic Expo, which is the 3rd largest expo in the country concluded on Monday evening at HITEX
The exhibition was organised in the city after 8 years in a new avatar as HIPLEX in place of the previous version IPLEX.
As anticipated more than 50,000 business visitors from across India visited the exhibition during the four days. 400 exhibitors showcased their products and services. It was spread over 20,000 sq. meters. Unlike many exhibitions, the organisers, TAAPMA, Telangana and Andhra Plastics Manufacturers Association, provided free power, air, and water to exhibitors who showcased live machines. We have incurred well over Rs 1 crore on this initiative, informed TAAPMA Chairman Vimalesh Gupta
No machine displayed went back. All the machines were sold, Vimalesh Gupta added.
Anil Reddy Vennum, National President of Indian Plastics Institute added that all the exhibitors put together surpassed firm business orders worth Rs 500 crore. Deals worth INR 1000 crore are under finalisation.
According to Srinivas Battula, Founder and Director, of Plastic Injection Moulding Machinery manufacturing, they sold 19 machines worth 4 crore. The biggest ever business we made in any of the plastic exhibitions in India we participated in, he said. One of the buyers was India’s biggest Toys manufacturer. Toys manufacturing will emerge as the biggest in India as there are restrictions on imports from China, he added.
The show was supported by the Telangana government. CIPET, Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET), a Government of India establishment; All India Plastic Manufacturers Association (AIPMA); Organisation of Plastics Processors of India (OPP) that works for the healthy growth of the plastics processing Industry in India; Material Recycling Association of India, an apex organisation representing rapidly growing recycling industry said Arun Lahoti, Secretary of TAAPMA.
The other supporting bodies include BL Bhandari, Chairman Organising Committee says were the Plastindia Foundation, the apex body of the major associations, organisations and institutions connected with plastics, with common objectives to promote the development of the plastics industry; Indian Plastics Institution, a strong Professional Body of Industrialists, Plastic Technologists, Academicians, Economists and Students; Indian Plastics Federation, the torch-bearer of plastics industry and trade and Plastic Manufacturers Associations of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala.
The exhibition was formally inaugurated by Mr E. Venkat Narsimha Reddy, IAS - VC & MD, TSIIC, Govt of Telangana. Mr. D Chandra Sekhar, Addl. Development Commissioner, MSME Development and Facilitation Office, (MSME-DFO) Govt. of India, Ministry of MSME; Mr Prabh Das, MD & CEO, HMEL; Mr H.K. Srivastava, Executive Director (Marketing-Petrochemicals). GAIL; Mr Anil Reddy Vennam, National President, Indian Plastics Institute, Vice President-South, AIPMA (All India Plastics Manufacturers Association); Mr Meela Jayadev, President, FTCCI graced as guests of honour.
Alternative materials to plastics come at higher environmental costs, observed Rajesh Gauba Senior Vice President, Reliance Industries Ltd while speaking on Mission Impossible at a day-long technical seminar on Plastic Packaging Sustainability said Prem Kankaria, Chairman, Seminar Committee.
Ashish Saxena, Joint President of Packaging Films, UFLEX Group speaking in the seminar said a Rag Picker has to walk 3000 steps and bend 400 times to collect 1 kg of Plastic. India's system of recycling is one of the best in the world.
The speakers who spoke highlighted that Plastics actually save lives. Fight pollution, not plastics, they added. Through this conference, we could create confidence in the public that plastics are not all that bad. The real problem is about single-use plastics, he said.
The exclusive Recycling Pavillion was a super success. It featured EcoNiture, eco furniture, and several goods made out of plastic waste. EcoLine Clothing which showcased jackets made out of PET bottles sold well over 100 pieces.
The per capita consumption of plastic is far lower in India than the Chinese. At 11 Kg we are way behind China's per capita consumption of 46/Kg and the USA 170/ Kg and the world Average of 28 Kg/Person, said Anil Reddy Vennum.
He on behalf of AIPMA and TAAPMA urged the government to lower the GST, of 18% imposed on plastics. The GST Council should at least consider reducing GST imposed on plastics used in the food packaging industry and Plastic Waste Management Industry.