BRASILPLAST - International Plastics Industry Trade Fair
Edition: 13th
Date: 9th to 13th May 2011
Venue: Pavilhão de Exposições do Anhembi - São Paulo - Brazil - Avenida Olavo Fontoura, 1.209 - São Paulo - SP
Total Area of Exhibition: 78,000 m2
Exhibitors: some 1,300 exhibitors from 30 countries
Public: around about 65,000 visitors/buyers from 60 countries Frequency: Biennial
Entrance: a specialised fair with entry by presentation of a special invitation.
History
The principal fair for the plastics sector in South America, Brasilplast was born big. Its first edition brought in its baggage the experience of what had been the “baby” of one of the most traditional fairs for machinery, equipment and accessories in the country, the International Machinery Fair, from which it separated in 1986. The sector had grown in a dizzying manner and required a special event.
A congress for the plastics industry was held in 1983, with the participation of about ten companies. Two years later Alcantara Machado (today Reed Exhibitions Alcantara Machado) organised the second event under the name of Brasilplast. Once more however, the event was restricted to a congress, at which around 20 companies showed their wares.
The first official edition in 1987 already indicated the fair’s magnetism. In a space of little more than 20,000 square meters, 300 companies got together to receive a public of about 50,000 people. In its second year in 1989, the fair brought together more than 450 exhibitors and repeated the success of the previous year. In1991, however, it could not withstand the confiscation of financial assets decreed by first Color Plan and drew little attention. The fourth edition in 1993 had more backbone and established itself as the greatest national happening for the plastics sector. As a platform for the discussion of problems being confronted at that time by the industry the fair presented stands from 20 countries, representing around about 140 foreign companies. Two years later the international character of the fair was confirmed: Brasilplast´95 brought together 712 exhibitors, of whom more than 60 were foreign, and attained the status of the fourth most important worldwide event of the sector, behind K (Germany), NPE (United States) and Plast (Italy).
The following edition in 1997 received 856 exhibitors, spread over more than 400 stands. A rare fact marked the 6th Brasilplast: the majority of exhibitors were foreign, numbering 430, compared to 426 Brazilians. Despite changes in the foreign exchange rate policy in 1999 the event managed to bring together more than 900 exhibitors and in relation the previous year grew by 10% with regard to the number of companies. In 2001 there were more than one thousand exhibitors. Due to an open air climate-controlled area at the Anhembi site the fair was able to accommodate 1,059 exhibitors. Brasilplast '01 took place in a stable environment, especially with regard to the currency. Growth of the fair did not stop there. In 2003, despite the political uncertainties of the period caused by the 1st year of Lula’s government the event brought in 1200 exhibitors to host almost 50,000 visitors. According to estimates from the Brazilian Machinery and Equipment Association (Abimaq), the fair generated deals of the order of R$ 120 million for the sector.
This biography once more reinforces the international character of the event in 2005. Among the 1300 exhibitors of this edition around 600 were foreigners. In all, 35 countries took part in the fair, and apart from Brazil, the most relevant participation came from Germany, the United States and Italy. According to Nascimento, the strong adherence of these countries is already a tradition of Brasilplast. The programming of the congresses also underwent alterations. "The fair became too big to hold one congress", explains Nascimento. The fair came with three halls (in all there were 400 places) for the use and explanations of the actual exhibitors. The 10th Brasilplast came with a novelty because of the date; the show took place in April. In previous years the fair had taken place in March.
Brasilplast '07 had 1,294 exhibitors, 762 of which were Brazlian, and 532 foreigners from 30 countries, in an area of 76,000 m2. In its 11th edition, from 7th to 11th May the fair took in 62,787 visitors/buyers – 60,795 nationals and 1,992 foreigners from 62 countries. In the year that was marked by the visit of Pope Bento XVI to the São Paulo capital, the national market showed itself prepared for a phase of growth.
"The fair exceeded our expectations, which were already high, principally because of the quality of the public. Visitors and buyers from the whole world passed by the stands of the fair. I consider the fair to be exceptional", declared Merheg Cachum, president of Abiplast – Brazilian Plastics Industry Association.