Record-Breaking 21^st Edition of Automechanika Dubai Opens Today With a 15% Increase in Exhibiting Companies

Automechanika Dubai 2024 was officially opened by H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Commissioner General for Infrastructure, Urban Planning and Well-Being Pillar and Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Dubai

The event features 2,228 exhibitors, an increase of 15% compared to the previous year, and an 18% year-on-year increase in floor space to facilitate demand during the three-day showcase

Automechanika is the largest international automotive aftermarket trade exhibition in the wider Middle East

Dubai, UAE: Automechanika Dubai, the largest automotive aftermarket trade exhibition in the wider Middle East, was officially opened by H.E. Mattar Al Tayer, Commissioner General for Infrastructure, Urban Planning and Well-Being Pillar and Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Dubai and takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from 10-12 December.

Celebrating the 21^st edition of the showcase, Automechanika Dubai welcomes 62 participating countries and features 21 international pavilions, highlighting its position as a central trading link for connecting markets from the wider Middle East, Africa, Asia and key CIS countries.

This year’s edition will be the largest to date, with a record 2,228 exhibitors – a 15% increase year-on-year – and over 83,000 square metres of exhibition space, an 18% increase on the 2023 edition, spanning an impressive 17 halls. The event showcases the latest trends and innovations driving the regional and international automotive

aftermarket industry forward.

Several first-time UAE exhibitors will be participating this year, among them are Autohub Conexus, Nissens, and Polarix, while returning exhibitors include AMAP, Central Motors and HAPCO Group. Saudi Arabia also has strong presence with companies such as Middle East Battery Company Minerets Tech, and Tadawol Trading Company,

amongst others.

Elsewhere on the opening day, Khaled Al Awadhi, Director – Transportation Systems Department Roads and Transport Authority highlighted Collaboration as key in accelerating future mobility as part of the Innovation4Mobility main feature. This dedicated space spotlights alternative fuel vehicles, advanced driving technologies, digitalisation, connectivity, and smart infrastructure.

Other highlights from the opening day of the Innovation4Mobility feature included thought-provoking sessions from industry leaders addressing key aspects of mobility transformation. Maxwell Stanley, a Behavioural Change Expert from the UAE Department of Energy, explored how behavioural science can foster sustainable mobility practices. Heiko Seitz, Global eMobility Leader & Partner at PwC, provided a global perspective on electrification trends, highlighting innovations shaping the industry’s future, and renowned mobility expert Dr. Maya Ben Dror presented a session titled ‘Promoting a Greener, Cleaner Community’, focusing on actionable strategies to create sustainableurban environments.

Additionally, the Automechanika Academy launched today under the theme “Collaboration and Innovation in the Automotive Industry’, with regional and international speakers from organisations including the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, SGS Gulf Limited, ZF Services Middle East LLC, and OWS Automotive Solutions discussing regulatory compliance, trends in automotive technology, circular economy in automotive production and the automotive aftermarket in KSA, among other topics.

Meanwhile, the Lubricants & Base Oils Conference also debuted today, adding a deep dive into the evolving lubricants landscape. Sessions included Mohammad El Sadek, Director of Lubricants at ENOC from ENOC delivering a keynote on shaping the future of lubricants, Haytham Yehia, General Manager – Middle East and Central Asia at Shell Lubricants Middle East, examining sustainability in the lubricants market and Vrinda S. Nair, Regional Manager – Certification from SGS Gulf Limited examining regulatory changes impacting lubricant technology.

Mahmut Gazi Bilikozen, Portfolio Director, Mobility & Logistics at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “Automechanika Dubai 2024 is a testament to the incredible growth of the automotive aftermarket industry. With a record-breaking number of exhibitors, expanded exhibition space, and an array of insightful conferences and features, the event has solidified its reputation as the region’s most important platform for networking and knowledge-sharing. We are proud to offer a space where industry professionals can explore new opportunities, build meaningful connections, and drive innovation in this fast-evolving sector.”

Other returning highlights include an exploration of opportunities in Africa through AfriConnections and the Modern Workshop, showcasing cutting-edge technology, tools, and solutions in the automotive repair and maintenance industry.

Exciting new additions this year include the PowerTread Workshop, focusing on innovations in tyres and batteries, and the Future Fleet & Telematics Workshop, featuring pioneers discussing the latest trends in telematics. Meanwhile, the new Southeast Asia Regional Focus will spotlight the region’s contribution to the UAE’s automotive aftermarket growth.

www.messefrankfurt.com

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ENVALIOR HONORED AS HITACHI ASTEMO’S LEADING GLOBAL MECHANICAL SUPPLIER

• Envalior wins Hitachi Astemo’s Global Supplier of the Year award for outstanding quality and service.
• Envalior supplied key raw materials to Hitachi Astemo North America, including Akulon PA6 in 2023.
• This award showcases Envalior’s dedication to innovation and strengthening partnerships in the global mobility sector.

  

Envalior is honored to be named Global Supplier of the Year in the mechanical category by Hitachi Astemo, Ltd, Tokyo. This prestigious award was presented during Hitachi Astemo’s Global Partner Day 2024, held at their headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.

Selected from 18 exceptional nominees, Envalior earned this distinction for its outstanding customer service, superior product quality, responsiveness to requests and necessary actions, commercial commitments, support of program development, and its pivotal role and growth potential as a key global raw material supply chain partner to Hitachi Astemo. Envalior’s contributions include supporting the production of air intake manifolds supplied to Honda, further solidifying its reputation for excellence in the automotive industry.

“Congratulations to our incredible team for their hard work and unwavering commitment to excellence, which made this remarkable achievement possible,” said Grace Showalter, Regional Commercial Director for the Americas. “A special acknowledgment goes to Eric Sheppard, Global Key Account Manager, Dr. Davide Preti, Automotive Sales Director, and Lisa Noyes, Customer Service Representative, whose exceptional leadership and contributions were instrumental in earning this award. Together, this team has set a new benchmark for quality and service in our industry.”

Hitachi Astemo, a global leader in advanced mobility solutions, specializes in automotive components, transportation technologies, and industrial systems. As a top-tier supplier to the automotive and motorcycle industries, Hitachi Astemo’s recognition of Envalior underscores the strength of their ongoing collaboration. In 2023, the Envalior North America team supplied Akulon PA6 material, establishing Envalior as the largest supplier of nylon compounds to Hitachi Astemo in North America. Other distributed compounds include Stanyl PA46, Pocan PBT, EcoPaXX PA410, and beginning in 2025, Arnitel TPC.

This recognition reflects Envalior’s unwavering commitment to deliver innovative, high-performance solutions to its partners and to advance excellence in the global mobility sector.

www.envalior.com.

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SPE NAMES DONALD (DON) HYLTON THERMOFORMER OF THE YEAR

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) Thermoforming Division has named Donald (Don) Hylton Thermoformer of the Year.

The award will be presented during SPE’s Thermoforming Awards Dinner, held in conjunction with the 30 th  SPE Thermoforming Conference.  The conference will take place May 19-21, 2025 in Atlanta, GA, at Cobb Galleria Centre and the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel. The Awards Dinner will be held on Tuesday, May 20, at the Hotel.

Don received his BS in chemistry and biology from Kentucky State University and pursued graduate studies in physical chemistry at the University of Louisville. Don began his career in GE’s Plastics Application Center. He was tasked with developing test procedures on a new commercial instrument called a Rheometrics Mechanical Spectrometer (now part of TA Instruments). Don developed the first dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) test on this instrument which is now a standard ASTM test method: D7028.

GE developed a program to replace metal refrigerator liners with a thermoformed plastic liner. The new inflation instrument Don developed showed the differences in the materials, reducing the need to conduct expensive and time-consuming trials. The test proved useful in other thermoforming applications and blow molding. GE’s trade secret was eventually published in the Journal of Polymer Engineering and Science in 1980 and was later revered by Chemical Week magazine as the most significant contribution of the year.

In 1980, Don joined ExxonMobil’s Polymers Division and received two assignments: 1) to determine the cause of premature failure of a fiber-grade polypropylene. 2) to develop a thermoformable grade of polypropylene. Polypropylene was not used in thermoforming at the time.

Don’s experience with GE’s ABS liner program became useful for this effort. Don quantified the viscoelastic properties a material needed to be successfully and consistently thermoformed.

The task was to create these same properties with PP. The product became known as “High Melt Strength (HMS PP), a term used today to describe thermoformable PP. Several commercial trials were conducted with the new melt phase forming PP. This was the first time PP was thermoformed on conventional vacuum forming equipment.

Don was also a pioneer in the development of co-extruded multilayer food packaging in collaboration with Campbell Soup, Hormel, and Ball Plastics. These were the first thermoformed shelf-stable plastic food packages commonly seen today. He also worked with Millikin Company to develop the first clear PP for food packaging. Today it is known as clarified PP.

Don attended one of Bill McConnell’s thermoforming workshops and met Stan Rosen, Charlie Hovesapien, Jim Throne, John Griep, and numerous other thermoforming pioneers. They encouraged Don to join the SPE Thermoforming Division and become a member of its board of directors. Bill soon invited Don to present at his next workshop- an invitation that led to Don’s employment with McConnell Company to this day.

In 1995, Don joined Clark Atlanta University as Associate Director of the New Science and Technology Center where he conducted research and pursued new ways of characterizing materials for thermoforming. He also mentored students and influenced their decisions to pursue careers in plastics. Over the years, Don has advised more than 20 PhD chemistry and chemical engineering students at Clark Atlanta, University of Louisville, and Georgia Tech.

At Clark Atlanta, Don developed a new technology and testing equipment for evaluating materials for thermoformability called the Thermoforming Index. Don was able to isolate critical material properties that give a material its “melt strength.” This technology has been used to solve many material-related problems in thermoforming production and is used as a quality control tool.

A member of the Society of Plastics Engineers since 1985, Don was named an Emeritus Member in 2018, and in 1997, one of just three thermoforming Fellows of the Society. An active SPE Thermoforming Division Board Member, Don served as the Division’s ANTEC Technical Program Chair from 2000-2010 and was the first chair of the Division’s Student Affairs Scholarship Program. Don was presented with the Division’s Outstanding Achievement Award in 2000 and its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 when he was also named an Emeritus Member of the Division. Don also served as ASTM Plastics Sheeting and Films Subcommittee Chair and reviewed and updated all ASTM standards and test methods for sheeting and films. Don received the ASTM Outstanding Achievement Award for his work in sheeting and films. He is the author of numerous technical papers and the book, Understanding Plastics Testing.

“Each of Don Hylton’s achievements is more impressive than the last,” said Paul Uphaus, SPE Thermoforming Division Chair.  “The SPE Thermoforming Division Board is honored to name Don Hylton as the 2025 SPE Thermoformer of the Year.”

https://thermoformingdivision.com

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Car Users’ Concerns to Define Interior of Fully Autonomous Cars, Citing 5th Global Automotive Consumer Survey by Asahi Kasei

Fully autonomous cars will become mobile living rooms, allowing car manufacturers to reimagine the future of car interiors. In its fifth annual survey, the Japanese technology company Asahi Kasei asked car users in the four major automotive markets about their expectations and concerns regarding fully autonomous vehicles and their perception of sustainability. Customer preferences for interior design, features, and usage scenarios offer the automotive industry valuable hints about what the car of the future should look like.

The results of Asahi Kasei’s fifth global Automotive Consumer Survey present meaningful information about what customers in the four major automotive markets (Japan, China, Germany, and the United States) expect from autonomous vehicles and how they would spend their time in one.

Distrust in technology

Car users are still conservative regarding the operation of a fully autonomous car; a retractable steering wheel and pedals are not considered valuable to most respondents. This confirms the results of the last survey from 2022, which found that even in fully autonomous vehicles, a large proportion of users in Germany, the USA, and China prefer to have a steering wheel and brake pedal for optional manual control. In Japan, one in two share this outlook. In Germany and the USA, providing a manual control option could help increase acceptance of fully autonomous cars.

In addition, two out of three car users in Germany, the USA, and China stated they would still observe traffic while in autonomous mode—activities while in the car, such as watching movies or playing games, are at the bottom of the list (see Figure 1). This is another indication that car users today have safety and trust concerns about fully autonomous cars. These sentiments will profoundly define the interior design of the first generations of fully autonomous vehicles.

Silent cabin for communication and listening to music

When asked about the most valued interior aspect of an autonomous car, one out of two respondents mentioned “silent cabin” (see Figure 2). This speaks to the woes of many battery electric vehicle (BEV) users; almost every fourth user of a BEV mentioned “too much noise while driving” as the most annoying aspect of the driving experience. While the BEV itself is quieter than a car with an internal combustion engine (ICE), the noise of wind, tires, gears, and motors—sounds that are typically suppressed by the engine noise—becomes more prevalent. In fully autonomous electric vehicles, and with the ability to engage with other activities while commuting, silence will even become more important for customers.

Looking at activities while riding in an autonomous vehicle, listening to music and podcasts is the primary activity of car users worldwide while driving, with 66% in the USA, 61% each in China and Japan, and 56% in Germany. Talking with other passengers is equally high in ranking, with sleeping or working as less important, highlighting the need for tables or lie-flat seats.

Perception of sustainability differs among regions

Car users no longer define a “sustainable vehicle” only by its drivetrain technology but also by its carbon footprint in production, easily recyclable materials, and overall sustainable production along the entire value chain. Buyers’ understanding of sustainability is growing, and the relevance of this topic in the purchasing process has increased in recent years.

Respondents in the Western markets define a sustainable car by its use of recyclable materials and sustainable production along the value chain. Meanwhile, for car users in China and Japan, the drivetrain technology primarily defines a sustainable car (see Figure 3). This topic is becoming more relevant for the purchase decision process, particularly in Western countries, with 35% of all respondents in Germany and the USA indicating they would switch their car brand to a more sustainable manufacturer to support greener mobility.

https://www.asahi-kasei.com/.

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XSYS Launches Nyloflex XSN For Superior Performance And Flexibility In narrow Web Printing

• Ideal for narrow web applications using UV, water-based, and solvent-based inks
• Inherent flat-top dot plate compatible with both thermal and solvent processing
• Enhanced formulation with CleanRelease Technology for reduced downtime and plate cleaning

XSYS is proud to announce the launch of nyloflex  XSN, the newest innovation in flexographic plates designed for narrow web printing. This plate combines unparalleled performance with maximum flexibility, catering to the diverse needs of narrow web printers who require efficiency and versatility without compromising on quality.

“With the nyloflex  XSN, we’ve introduced a plate that empowers narrow web printers to meet rapidly changing market demands with confidence,” said Florian Hoelzle, Product Manager for nyloflex  plates at XSYS. “It’s unique flat-top dot structure and new CleanRelease Technology ensure cleaner plates, longer print runs, and minimal press downtime, making it a game-changer in the narrow web segment.”

Key Features and Benefits

Performance & Flexibility for Narrow Web

The nyloflex  XSN is a flat-top dot plate compatible with both thermal and solvent processing methods, providing printers with unmatched versatility. This dual compatibility allows seamless adaptation to evolving customer demands without the need for additional equipment or process changes.

Clean Release Technology for Clean and Consistent Print jobs

Featuring the new CleanRelease Technology, the plate’s formulation prevents ink buildup on the plate surface. This innovation reduces the need for frequent cleanings and press stops, significantly improving Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE).

Outstanding Compatibility with Various Ink types

The nyloflex  XSN is designed to perform exceptionally well with UV inks, as well as water-based and solvent-based inks. This compatibility ensures outstanding print quality across paper and film substrates.

Plug-and-Play with Existing Equipment

Engineered as an inherent flat-top dot plate, the nyloflex  XSN eliminates the need for additional exposure units or consumables. Printers can achieve superior results right out of the box, simplifying production workflows and reducing costs.

Fast Turnaround for High-Pressure Environments

Thanks to its compatibility with both thermal and solvent processing, the nyloflex XSN offers unparalleled flexibility for integrated printers needing quick design changes and efficient plate turnaround times.

Enabling Printers to be Brilliant

“At XSYS, our goal is to help customers achieve brilliance through innovative solutions that simplify production and enhance productivity,” said Florian. “The nyloflex  XSN embodies this vision by combining cutting-edge technology with practical usability, setting a new standard for narrow web printing.”

www.xsysglobal.com

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Swop 2024 Concludes With Success, Paving The Way For Future Innovation In The Packaging Industry

Shanghai World of Packaging (swop) came to a successful close on November 20, 2024 in Shanghai, China, marking a remarkable conclusion to the annual grand show for the packaging industry in Asia. This year’s event stood out as a premier annual exhibition, highlighting a fresh vision and a deep alignment with the dynamic needs of the market. With a focus on globalization, swop has firmly established itself as an essential platform for exhibition, communication, and collaboration across the entire packaging value chain.

Covering more than 65,000 square meters, swop 2024 attracted 903 distinguished companies from across the globe, including those from China, Germany, Spain, Finland, the United States, and many other countries and regions. The event drew 33,192 trade visitors from around the world, offering a vibrant space for exhibitors and buyers to engage in fruitful discussions and explore opportunities for collaboration in response to the evolving landscape of global supply chains.

Ms. Evian Gu, General Manager of Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., said: “As an essential bridge connecting production and consumption, the demand for the packaging industry continues to grow.This surge not only highlights the vitality of global trade but also reflects the ongoing drive across industries to innovate and elevate the quality of product packaging. As a member of the interpack alliance, swop benefits from extensive support that boosts its international reach and influence. ”

Ms. Rita Chu, Vice Chairman of The Adsale Group, said, swop has always been a bellwether for industry hotspots and trends, and this year is no exception, delivering an impressive array of highlights. “Sustainability” can be said to be a consensus within the global packaging industry, while “going overseas” represents a new blue ocean for numerous enterprises to expand into. This year, swop participants from all walks of life can not only gain insights into the latest dynamics and technological trends in the packaging industry but also find ideal solutions tailored to their own development needs.

Highlights of swop 2024: Showcasing Cutting-Edge Packaging Industry Technologies and Development Trends

– Spotlight on digitalization, intelligence, and automation in packaging equipment and new technologies

In response to the growing demands of the packaging market, swop 2024 featured a range of innovative solutions for trade buyers and visitors, covering product production, transportation, and supply chain traceability. On-site demonstrations included advanced digital factory models and comprehensive strategies designed to enhance competitiveness, with a particular focus on product traceability and food safety. Leading companies such as Youngsun, Hualian, Wuhan Renpak, Zhongya, Eiahe, Brother, GURKI, SDW, Soontrue, RESURE, Acepack, WANERX, Warsonco, FULLTECH, Songben, Litai, BOHUI, Haomingda, Ruiji Jinhong, Jerry, JOSO, Vixdetect, Techik, and BHI presented their star products and breakthrough technologies, making significant contributions to driving progress within the packaging industry.

– Focus on packaging containers and tableware production lines, showcasing innovative technologies and eco-friendly materials

This year’s swop brought together an impressive lineup of renowned exhibitors, including Haitian, Chen Hsong, FCS, Lisong, Jwell, Liuzhou Jingye, Huayan, ONGO, Yuto, Malex, Fangbang, HOME-LINK, Huawei, Royal New Materials, ZHONGKE PRECISION MACHINERY, MAIWEI, LITAI, RuiDa, DISCOVER, Mingguo, SINI MACHINERY, Chengda, and SABIC. Featured exhibits included flexible case opening, sealing, and palletizing integrated machines, fully automatic one-stage plastic injection blow molding machines, intelligent multi-component food packaging solutions, fully automatic intelligent production lines, and other innovative solutions focused on automation, environmental sustainability, and functionality.

– Leading the green revolution in packaging: Showcasing innovative eco-friendly materials

As environmental compliance and green packaging continue to take center stage, swop 2024 embraced this transformative trend by focusing on the green revolution in raw packaging materials. The event attracted a wide range of innovative material suppliers, providing a premier platform for showcasing cutting-edge materials to the exhibitors.  swop 2024 highlighted advanced packaging materials, including MDO-PE and EVOH, demonstrating their applications in sectors such as food and daily chemicals. These materials stood out for their eco-friendly, sustainable, and high-performance qualities. Additionally, bio-based and biodegradable materials were prominently featured, offering innovative solutions for food packaging and driving the industry toward a greener future.

– FMCG Packaging Pavilion at swop 2024: Empowering brands to shine

The FMCG Packaging Pavilion placed consumer needs at the forefront, emphasizing key factors such as user experience, visual appeal, and sustainability. The pavilion showcased popular FMCG products that not only provide effective product protection but also elevate brand value and foster consumer engagement, breathing new vitality into the brands. The pavilion also highlighted “E-commerce Express and Logistics Packaging”, presenting innovative, eco-conscious packaging solutions designed for both convenience and sustainability. Highlights included luxury gift boxes, packaging products for chemicals used in daily life, high-temperature sterilization aluminum foil boxes, fully biodegradable courier packaging bags, and customized packaging for food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, chemicals used in daily life, and e-commerce.

Mr. Thomas Dohse, Director interpack of Messe Düsseldorf, Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, noted that Shanghai, as a crucial business hub for China and Asia, serves as an exceptional platform for showcasing innovations in the packaging industry. The processing and packaging industry is evolving rapidly, driven by an ongoing pursuit of innovation and excellence. swop 2024 provided an ideal platform for visitors to explore the latest industry trends and gain insights into the key factors driving its development.

A Series of Concurrent Events Creates a Premier Platform for Industry Exchange

In its pursuit of establishing a world-class communication platform and reinforcing its role as an industry trendsetter, swop 2024 hosted a diverse range of expert-led forums and technology exchange sessions. These events brought together industry leaders, scholars, and corporate representatives to deliver comprehensive insights into the latest trends in packaging. Key highlights included: E-commerce Packaging green results display and Packaging digital intelligence development trend seminar, Industry-University-Research Cooperation Conference on Packaging Industry and Training Course for Green Packaging Engineers, Raw Materials Innovations, Collaborations on Green Packaging —— Advanced Plastic Packaging Materials Release Conference, Save Food Forum and Awarding Ceremony for Save Food Design Award & Sustainability Design Award China, Customer Acquisition: A Forum on New Opportunities for Cross-border E-commerce Development in the B-end Market, Machine for Food Production & Smart Manufacturing (Shanghai) Forum, Sustainable Future, a journey through the life cycle of sustainable packaging, Overseas Business Matching Meeting, and other engaging activities.

This year, swop collaborated for the fourth time with the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations Representation in China to host the Save Food Forum. Reducing food loss and waste is a critical global issue, and packaging plays a vital role in minimizing these losses across the stages of food production, storage, transportation, processing, and consumption. During the forum, experts shared insights and engaged in discussions on three key topics: Packaging Industry for Reducing Food Loss and Waste, Impacts of Climate Change and Consumption Habits on Urban Agri-food Systems, and Women in Packaging.

Ms. Han Yan, Assistant FAO Representative, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Representation in China, noted that reducing food loss and waste is an important issue faced by all parties today, while packaging plays an important role in reducing food loss and waste in food production, storage, transportation, processing, and consumption. She also emphasized the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing food loss and waste. Over the years, FAO has worked closely with government agencies, international organizations, the food packaging industry, and private-sector partners to pool ideas and tackle this challenge, with the goal of contributing to global food conservation efforts.

swop 2024 Introduces Customized Visiting Routes to Optimize Buyer-Exhibitor Connections

To enhance the efficiency of buyers’ visits and foster seamless collaboration between exhibitors and buyers, swop 2024 introduced an innovative “Buyer’s Perspective” visiting and procurement model. Throughout the exhibition, swop provided attendees with a detailed packaging route navigation map and introduced three thoughtfully curated thematic routes, comprising 12 specific visiting pathways. These thematic routes were designed to address the core needs of trade buyers, targeting key packaging challenges such as product traceability, operational efficiency, accuracy, and yield improvement. By offering precise matching, swop enabled industry buyers to discover tailored solutions, including Intelligent Packaging Solutions for Industry Pain Points, Container Production Routes, and Specialty Packaging Material Routes. This initiative ensured that buyers could efficiently explore packaging solutions aligned with their needs throughout the three-day event.

Positive Response and Widespread Praise for the Exhibition

swop 2024 provided a comprehensive platform for collaboration and exchange between exhibitors and trade buyers, receiving strong support from nearly 60 industry associations spanning sectors such as food, daily chemicals, e-commerce, plastics, printing, and packaging, both domestically and internationally. The event attracted over 300 visitor groups from China, along with participants from various countries and regions from across Asia, particularly Southeast Asia.

Exhibitor Testimonials

Ms. Jiang Jing, the Marketing Director of Hualian Machinery Group commented, “The packaging industry is increasingly focusing on efficiency, intelligence, and personalized customization. At swop, we showcased our cutting-edge packaging solutions and connected with numerous buyers with relevant needs. We look forward to returning next year!”

Mr. Lai Jisheng, the Sales Manager from Guangdong Yuedong Machinery Industry Co., Ltd. expressed, “By participating in swop 2024, we have conducted in-depth exchanges with numerous professional buyers and visitors from all around the world, gaining abundant insights. We are extremely satisfied with the high quality and professionalism of swop.”

Visitor Testimonials

Mr. Udomsuk Limwongthong, the Managing Director of The One Point from Thailand, attending as a visitor, stated: “This year’s exhibition was impressive in scale, with numerous exhibiting companies. I came to discover innovative technologies and trends in the packaging industry, and I gained a wealth of knowledge. I’ll definitely attend the next swop and look forward to seeing even more groundbreaking innovations.”

Ms. Virginia Marte, the COO of CAFÉCUATROPH COFFEE STORE, a food manufacturer from the Philippines and a member of Alipop, shared, “I attended swop to find packaging machines and materials. It was my first time at such a large-scale exhibition, and I was pleased to find a wide range of suppliers offering excellent value for money. I’ll be back next year.”

swop 2025 will be held from November 25 to 27, 2025, at SNIEC (Shanghai New International Expo Centre) in Shanghai, China. We are confident that the shift to an annual event will create even greater opportunities for exhibitors, trade buyers, and the packaging industry as a whole. We look forward to welcoming you once again to swop, the premier global platform for the packaging industry, where you can discover cutting-edge concepts and technologies, exchange insights on packaging trends and opportunities, and collaborate in shaping a brighter future for the industry.

www.swop-online.com

www.messe-duesseldorf.de

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ORAC Selects Styrolution PS ECO Grades For Its 3D Duropolymer Wall Panels

Belgian company Orac, a leading innovator in decorative interior design, has selected INEOS Styrolution’s sustainable bio-attributed materials for its new line of 3D Duropolymer wall panels, marking a significant step towards a more sustainable future. The new panels will be produced using Styrolution PS ECO 485N BC90, which contains 90% bio-attributed feedstock, and Styrolution PS ECO 158N BC100, made from 100% bio-attributed feedstock. Both polystyrene grades are made using renewable feedstock, based on a mass balance process certified under ISCC PLUS by a third party.

This collaboration highlights Orac’s commitment to sustainability with the 2024 launch of its 100% bio-circular Duropolymer panels. While Duropolymer has long been part of Orac’s product range, the company’s innovative approach now redefines its lifecycle. By combining bio-attributed feedstocks with recycled post- consumer and post-industrial waste, Orac achieves a fully bio-circular product. The ISCC PLUS certification for Orac’s bio-circular panels further underscores the integrity of its environmental efforts, setting a new benchmark for responsible decorative solutions.

“We are fully committed to leveraging our resources as a company to address climate change. Our goals of achieving carbon positivity by 2050 and bio-circularity by 2045 are both ambitious and essential. These targets demand large-scale innovation, and our partnership with INEOS Styrolution is a major step in driving us toward these objectives,” says Miguel Knockaert, R&D Director at Orac.

With INEOS Styrolution’s high-performance sustainable materials, Orac is able to meet the growing demand for eco-friendly products while maintaining the design flexibility and quality for which they are known. This collaboration not only emphasises the environmental benefits of mass-balanced, bio-attributed materials but also reflects both companies’ commitment to driving innovation in sustainable interior design.

“Orac’s selection of our sustainable bio-attributed materials for their 3D Duropolymer wall panels showcases our commitment to eco-friendly solutions. Made from renewable feedstocks and recycled materials, our ISCC– certified polystyrene grades support Orac’s sustainability goals. We look forward to further collaboration on additional sustainable options,” comments Ute Braunewell, Account Manager North & East Europe.

www.ineos-styrolution.com

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