The expo saw the inauguration of four exhibitions ‘Sri Lanka Plast’ with focus on plastics, ‘Rubexpo’ focusing on rubber, ‘Compack’ focusing for the first time this year on the fundamentals of packaging and ‘Enmach’ focusing on the manufacturing needs.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by Chief Guest Minister of Industry and Commerce Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, Deputy High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka Mr. Arindam Bagchi and the Director of National Small Industries Corporation Limited in India, Shri P. Udayakumar.
Chief Guest Minister of Industry and Commerce Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen said, “As everyone is well aware Sri Lanka has launched an epic era of nurturing National harmony and promoting cordial relationships with all countries in the World which would create a sound and stable platform for stability and sustainable growth in the economy of the country.
Expanding the value addition in product manufacturing and services, and increasing the market shares globally are of vital importance for rapid economic growth”.
He further added, “The rubber and plastics industries have to acquire new and emerging technologies in order to increase the value addition, and the urgent need for capacity building in manufacturing infrastructure and knowledge management has been identified as vital factors in the path to development.
It is in this backdrop that industrial exhibitions with international participation are of great importance to Sri Lanka”.
The exhibition displays over 175 stalls with representatives from 10 countries and visitors are able to experience a setting which attributes elements of plastics, packaging, rubber and manufacturing all under one roof.
B. Swaminathan President Enterprising Fairs India (Pvt) Ltd said, "Exhibitions are the drivers of any industry.
They play a catalytic role in the growth of the sector as they showcase current development both in machines and materials related to the sector.
They also facilitate the adoption of new and appropriate technologies at affordable cost.
They accelerate the growth of the sector and thereby create new entrepreneurs and new employment opportunities”.
The organizing of the event in Sri Lanka is being spearheaded by Enterprising Fairs India (Pvt) Ltd. with The Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka (PRISL) as co organizer.
With special emphasis on the aim of achieving the target of US $ 5 bn mark by the year 2023 for the rubber industry in Sri Lanka, this year’s exhibition has been deemed to be bigger and better.
Exhibitors from countries such as Germany, China and Taiwan have made it to this year’s expo and a wide range of processing machines, ancillary gadgets and new generation material can be witnessed here first hand.
Sri Lankan Plast 2016 also inaugurated the CEO Forum 2016 concurrently with the presence of speakers from Sri Lanka and Singapore.
High end topics on “Growth Opportunities in Rubber Industry” and “Polymers Scenario – Price and Availability Trends in South East Asia” will be featured during the expo.
The expos are taking place during the 5th-7th August 2016 and is co -organised by The Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka (PRISL), supported by Export Development Board (EDB), Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka (RRISL), Industrial Development Board (IDB) from Sri Lanka and The Plastic Export Promotion Council (PLEXCONCIL) of India.
