If you thought Chinaplas 2016 in Shanghai was a massive show get ready for something even more impressive. Chinaplas 2018 will be held for the first time at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai, PR China, next April 24-27. The exhibition area is expected to exceed 320,000 square meters - 30% more exhibition space than that of the 2016 edition of the show in Shanghai.

Chinaplas will bring together 4000 exhibitors from around the world over its four-day duration, who will be located in dedicated theme zones based on their product offerings and solutions.

"From 2012 onwards, Chinaplas has faced the problem of space shortage," according to Adsale's General Manager, Ada Leung. "Previously, when we held the show at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in Pudong, we had used up all the indoor exhibition halls. We even built outdoor temporary exhibition halls, but still couldn't meet the huge demand from our exhibitors. By moving to the new venue, NECC, Adsale can fulfill the strong demand for exhibition space immediately. This relocation to the new venue is also good for the long-term development of Chinaplas," Ms. Leung continued.

With a total construction area of 1.47 million square meters, NECC is the largest single block building and exhibition complex in the world. It provides 400,000 square meters of indoor area spread over 13 large exhibition halls and three small exhibition halls, as well as conference rooms and a commercial plaza providing abundant catering services, something which is surely be welcomed by Chinaplas attendees.

Chinaplas 2018 will not only accommodate more exhibitors, but will also have better management in terms of the set-up of theme zones, country/region pavilions, and concurrent events according to the organizer. “We believe that visitors will [thereby] have a new, high-quality visiting experience," Leung said.

Relocating an exhibition is similar to "moving house" - but on an entirely different scale. The massive Chinaplas 2018 relocation project is equivalent to moving 4,000 houses to a new place at the same time. This is not a minor issue for any show, but is a particular challenge for the huge, technology-oriented Chinaplas. As organizer, Adsale is carefully considering the overall layout, the arrangement of on-site services, and the contracting of various, third-party service providers, among other issues. Some two years ago, Adsale formed a special team to prepare for this relocation project. This team has conducted numerous site visits, and conducted extensive assessments and analyses.

To deliver a positive and convenient experience to visitors, the show organizer is rearranging the overall theme zone layout. Extrusion-related technology will be located in the eastern part of the NECC, injection molding technology will be in the west, and blow molding technology will occupy the southern part of the complex. Adsale is also arranging exhibits of the same category in nearby locations, for example, "film technology and plastic packaging machinery" and "injection molding technology and smart manufacturing equipment." Further, multiple European country pavilions, which were scattered among different halls in the past, will be gathered in Hall 2H at Chinaplas 2018.

In response to rising market demands, Chinaplas 2018 will also introduce a 3D Technology Zone and a Thermoplastic Elastomers & Rubber Zone. The former will cater to the demands of customization and small-batch production, with the aim of shortening development cycle times and reducing costs arising from Industry 4.0. It will group together the vendors and providers of 3D printing (additive manufacturing) technologies. The new theme zone and the concurrent event, The 3rd Industry 4.0 Conference, will complement each other, providing a comprehensive experience for enterprises interested in 3D printing technology and "smart manufacturing". Exhibitors that have reserved their exhibit space include Autodesk, Ureal, Cang Ming, dMac, and ZWSOFT.

In recent years, the market for thermoplastic elastomers has been on an upward trend against a backdrop of energy-saving, environmentally friendly and lightweighting needs. These materials are widely used in the automotive, electronics and electrical, medical and footwear industries. The coming edition of Chinaplas will host the Thermoplastic Elastomers & Rubber Zone, which is expected to attract about 70 suppliers who will be showcasing their latest developments in this field. Exhibitors that have reserved their space include Huntsman, Momentive, Sibur, Top Polymer, Dawn, and Huafon.