NEWS


Chinaplas: dates for


2023 Adsale, the organiser of Chinaplas, says next year’s show will take place in Shenzhen on 17-20 April. It comes after this year’s event – scheduled to take place in Shanghai last month – was cancelled. Adsale said that the deci- sion to cancel this year’s event was taken “in view of the latest COVID develop- ment and further tightening of pandemic control measures in Shanghai and other provinces of China”. Despite Chinaplas 22 not going ahead in Shanghai, it will run as a ‘virtual’ show from 25 May to 14 June. Adsale says the online event will “facilitate business exchanges and cooperation between supplier and global buyers”. Features include an e-sourcing platform, technical videos and a series of webinars. � www.chinaplasonline.com


Double-digit growth for Italian machinery


Sales of Italian plastics and rubber processing machin- ery saw “double digit growth” in 2021. Amaplast, which repre- sents Italian machinery makers, says that production in 2021 grew by 14%, taking it beyond pre-pandemic levels – to a value of €4.45 billion (US$4.7bn). The main driver of


recovery was the domestic market, which grew by nearly 30% in value, accounting for €2.5 billion (US$2.6bn). Exports rose by more than 9% to nearly €3bn (US$3.2bn), which imports were up more than


Italian plastics machinery market (million €) 2020 3,900 2,730 770


Production Export Import


Domestic market Source: Amaplast


1,940


36% to exceed €1bn (US$1.1bn). Most of the top 10 Italian


export markets – together accounting for more than 56% of the total – expanded in 2021. The only exceptions were Poland (a drop of nearly 12%) and Spain (a fall of 28%). Overall, exports to these 10 countries grew by


+36.4 +29.9


2021 ∆%, 2020/2021 4,450 2,980 1,050 2,520


+14.1% +9.2


nearly 9%. The top perform- ers were the USA and India (both up by around 33%). However, Amaplast warned that rising produc- tion is offset by factors such as a lockdown in China and the Russia-Ukraine war – which has caused a huge rise in energy prices. � www.amaplast.org


Fiberon to build new facility


US-based WPC decking maker Fiberon has broken ground on a new manufac- turing facility in Columbia, Tennessee. It will make polyethylene (PE) decking


and composite cladding. An on-site recycling facility will convert baled plastic waste into the pellets used in Fiberon products. The facility – expected to cover


at least 500,000 sq ft – is being built on a 130-acre plot of land. Production is scheduled to begin at the new facility in late 2024. � www.fiberondecking.com


Polypipe results bounce back in 2021


UK-based Polypipe increased sales by almost 50% last year.


Sales swelled to just over £594 million (US$733m), while pre-tax profits tripled to around £91m (US$112m). Sales in the residential systems


market – which comes mainly from the UK – rose by 67% to £372m (US$459m).


Underlying profits in the division


were about 2.5 times higher, reaching around £73m (US90m). Growth here was helped by “buoy- ant” new build and RMI housing


8


segments, as well as market share gains and M&A activity, said Polypipe. Results in the commercial and


infrastructure sector also rose: revenue increased by almost 27% to £221m (US$272m) while underlying profit rose by 79% to reach £22m (US$27m). The company saw stronger results in its ventilations and civils businesses due to favourable market conditions. The company also boosted its


overall use of recyclate to 49.4% of its total output – up from 45.9% in 2020. This, it says, puts it on track to meet its target of 62% by 2025.


PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION | May/June 2022 “With polypropylene and polyethyl-


ene, these levels are now over 75% and we continue to increase our ability to use recycled PVC – including a £2.5m capex in a multi-layer extrusion line in our building services business,” said the company. Polypipe said the UK construction


market was “resilient” – up nearly 12% on 2020 but still around 7% down compared to 2019. Martin Payne, CEO, resigned from the company’s board in February, and will leave the company in May. � www.polypipe.com


www.pipeandprofile.com


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