'Start a plastic industry to encourage entrepreneurship'

Sri Lanka's first ever B2B international plastics exhibition - Sri Lanka Plast 2012 - will be held from August 10 to 12 at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre, Colombo.

Organised by Enterprising Fairs India (Pvt) Ltd, 'Sri Lanka Plast' is co-organised by the Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka. It is supported by the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering Technology (CIPET), India and the Central Environment Authority of Sri Lanka.

From left: President, Enterprising Fairs (India) (Pvt) Ltd, B. Swaminathan, Vice President, Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka, Anver Dole, President, Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka, Keerthi Wanasinghe and Project Director - NPCPWM Project, Central Environmental Authority, Bandula Sarath Kumara.

The objective of the exhibition is to encourage entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka which will help reduce the level of unemployment in the country, said President, Enterprising Fairs (India) Pvt Ltd, B. Swaminathan. The organisers said starting a plastic related industry was easy, while the start up cost is very low and every person needs plastic products.

Over 100 exhibitors from India, China, Taiwan, Korea and Italy will take part in the three-day exhibition which will showcase current advancement in machines, materials and auxiliaries together with live demonstration of machines. There will also be consultancy and guidance by the Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka for new entrepreneurs supported by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

A highlight of 'Sri Lanka Plast' will be the theme pavilion on plastics recycling. Set up by the Central Environment Authority for the benefit of the public, the theme pavilion will also showcase new technologies for recycling of plastics. It will create awareness on how plastics can be recycled and the need to segregate plastic refuse at home.

This section of the exhibition will be open to the public and school children of Grades 10 and above, while the exhibition side is for business visitors. He said this section was set up to encourage recycling.

The organisers said, "The current consumption of plastics in Sri Lanka is around 175,000 metric tons per annum with nearly 800 plastics processors predominantly in the small and medium sectors. With Sri Lanka's plastics industry expected to grow by 15-20 percent in the near future, the only way to meet this demand is to create new manufacturing facilities."

They also added that this can be achieved by the expansion of existing plastics processors and the entry of new entrepreneurs. "Plastics processing is one of the few industries where anyone can become an entrepreneur with different levels of investment. This sector can be the backbone of small and medium enterprises and can create new employment opportunities across the country".

"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. Plastics processing also offer great opportunities for the export of finished products to markets in the USA, Europe and African countries," the organisers said.

Parallel to the exhibition will also be a seminar on 'Opportunities and Advancements in Plastics Processing' which will focus on new technologies and advancements and the opportunities in this sector.

This seminar to be held on Saturday, August 11. It is jointly organised by the Plastics and Rubber Institute of Sri Lanka and the Indian Plastics Institute, Chennai chapter.

SG