Sri Lanka’s first international plastics expo opens in Colombo

Sri Lanka’s first ever international plastics exhibition - Sri Lanka Plast 2012, was inaugurated yesterday by Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Senior Minister for International Monetary Co-operation - Sri Lanka in the presence of Ashok K Kantha, High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka and Special Guest Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena - Minsiter of Agriculture. Organised by Enterprising Fairs India Pvt. Ltd, ‘Sri Lanka Plast’ is co-organised by the Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka (PRIL). It is supported by CIPET –Central institute of Plastics Engineering Technology, India, together with the Central Environment Authority of Sri Lanka.

The current consumption of plastics in Sri Lanka is around 175,000 metric tons per annum with nearly 800 plastics processors predominantly in the small and medium sectors. With Sri Lanka’s plastics industry expected to grow by 15%-20% in the near future, the only way to meet this demand is to create new manufacturing facilities and capacities.

A highlight of the expo is the special theme pavilion on plastics recycling, set up by National Post Consumer Plastics Waste Management, for the benefit of the general public. The theme pavilion showcases new technologies for recycling of plastics. It will create awareness on how plastics can be recycled and the need to segregate plastic refuse at home. This section of the exhibition will be open to the general public and school children of Grades 10 and above, while the exhibition side is purely for business visitors.

B. Swaminathan, President and CEO of Enterprising Fairs India Pvt Ltd, the organisers of Sri Lanka Plast detailed on the benefits of the expo: "There are 120 exhibitors from countries like India, Taiwan, China, Korea, Italy of which 90 of them are from India". He added that he was happy at such an overwhelming response for the maiden edition itself. "This only reflects the potential Sri Lanka holds for the growth of plastics industry in the years to come," he said.

Parallel to the exhibition will also be a seminar on ‘Opportunities and Advancements in Plastics Processing’ which will focus on new technologies and advancements and the opportunities in this sector. To be held on Saturday 11 August, this seminar is being jointly organised by the Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka and the Indian Plastics Institute, Chennai chapter.

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