Notice Crumb Rubber Machinery Manufacturers India & User's Guide Manuals

REPORT ON RUBBER BOARD’S PARTICIPATION IN THE TRADE
FAIR ‘EQUIPLAST 2011’

BARCELONA, SPAIN.
From 14th to 18th November 2011.

By
Sheela Thomas, IAS
Chairman
&
E.A. Mathew
Deputy Director (Excise)

REPORT ON RUBBER BOARD’S PARTICIPATION IN THE 16THE
EDITION OF EQUIPLAST 2011- THE INTERNATIONAL PLASTICS
AND RUBBER EXHIBITION - HELD AT BARCELONA, SPAIN
FROM 14TH TO 18TH NOVEMBER 2011
Introduction
Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, had approved
Rubber Board’s participation in the trade fair ‘Equiplast 2011’ at Barcelona,
Spain.


Barcelona, capital of Catalonia, Spain has a long trading tradition. It is
a dynamic, welcoming city and one of the major economic and business
centers of Mediterranean Europe. About 45 lakh people live in metropolitan
area.

Major events, such as the world’s Fair of 1888, the International

Exhibition of 1929, the Olympic Games 1992 and the Forum of Cultures 2004
have contributed to the development and modernization of the city.

Equiplast aimed to help reactivate the plastics and rubber industry in
Spain through the concept of Reverse trade missions.

The reverse trade

missions involve groups of business people from foreign countries who are
interested in exploring opportunities for doing business in Spain through
meetings or by attending trade fairs. The Spanish Institute of Foreign Trade
(ICEX), the Latin American Plastics Industry Association (ALIPLAST), the

Moroccan Plastics Federation and other trade missions from countries such as
Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Morocco had participated in
reverse trade missions

The fair, venue & Organisers

Expoquimia, along with Equiplast and Eurosurfas, is part of the biggest
applied chemistry trade show in the Mediterranean.

The fair is held every

three years and professionally organized by Fira de Barcelona.

The venue

was Gran Via Exhibition Centre, Plaza Europa, Hospitalet de Hobregat,

Barcelona. It had about 1,100 direct exhibitors. The fair drew about 60,000
trade visitors.


These include visitors from most of the countries of Europe

and Latin America and China.
The exhibition was held for 5 days from 14th to 18th November 2011.
The Stall was at Gran Via, Hall P4, Level O, Street A, Stand 165. Timing of
the exhibition was 10 am to 7 pm and for 18th November, from 10 am to 5
pm.

Deputation of Officers

Department

of

Commerce,

Ministry

of


Commerce

&

Industry,

Government of India had approved Board’s participation in the Equiplast
2011 vide communication F. No.11/17/2006-Plant – C dated 3rd March 2011.
Apart from Board’s officials, three exporters of Natural Rubber nominated by
the Rubber Board participated in the fair. The composition of the team are:-

1.

Smt. Sheela Thomas, IAS,

TEAM LEADER

Chairman, Rubber Board, Kottayam

2.


Sri. E.A. Mathew,

TEAM MEMBER

Deputy Director (Excise), Rubber Board, Chennai

Exporter’s representations:-

Prof. K K Abraham, President,
3.

TEAM MEMBER

M/S Pala Marketing Co-operative Society Ltd, Pala

(Exporter Representative)

4.


Sri. Shiyas Ali, Director,
M/S Edathala Polymers (P) Ltd, North Edathala Kochi

(Exporter Representative)

TEAM MEMBER

5.

Sri. Mathew Joseph, Manager,
Hevea Crumb Rubber (P) Ltd, Poovarani, Pala

TEAM MEMBER

(Exporter Representative)

Sri. E.A. Mathew, Prof. K.K. Abraham, Sri. Shiyas Ali and Sri. Mathew
Joseph had joined at Nedumbassery International Airport on 13th November
2011 and proceeded to Barcelona at 04.25 hrs via Doha.


They reached

Barcelona at 13.30 hrs on the same day and reached their camp one hour
later. Smt. Sheela Thomas had departed on 14th November 2011 – the same
route with the same timing and reached the camp in Barcelona on 14th
Afternoon.

We proceeded to Gran Via Exhibition Centre on the same day of our
arrival ie., 13th November 2011 and met the organizers.

After completing

necessary formalities of our registration, we proceeded to our stall and took
possession of it. The stall consisted of 16 sq. Mtr. Size of area. We displayed
various vinyl posters of Rubber Board and of three exporter representatives
on processing of Natural Rubber. We also displayed in the stall specimens of
various grades of RSS Sheets, Technically Specified Rubber (ISNR) and
Centrifuged Latex.

Various broachers of Rubber Board and exporter firms


were also displayed in the stall. We completed the stall arrangements and
placed the tables, chairs etc in position by evening itself.

Summary of the Exhibition
The Exhibition commenced as scheduled on 14th November 2011 at
10.00 hrs. The visiting time was from 10 am to 7 pm and on the closing day,
it was from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Exhibition had about 1,100 direct exhibitors. The fair drew about
60,000 trade visitors.

These include visitors from most of the countries of

Europe and Latin America.

All other stalls in Equiplast showcased exhibits

from plastic products manufacturing industry with advanced machinery like
injection moulding machines and plastic raw materials. Our stall drew huge


crowds each day, as if they were expecting the stall from the Rubber Board in
Equiplast.

Feed Back

We would like to classify the visitors to the Rubber Board stall into (1)
manufacturers of rubber products interested in import of rubber from India,
(2) Agents and dealers in rubber, chemicals and other addictives to import
rubber from India and supply to industry, (3) businessmen exploring
possibility of starting rubber business importing rubber from India and
market in European and Latin American countries, (4) Academicians,
Scientists, Students in polymer studies related to academic and research
institutions, (5) Corporate officials and (6) curios visitors to get first hand
information about natural rubber.

It is worthwhile to note here that the

visitors consist of nationals not only from Spain but also from other European
countries and Latin America.


Price of natural rubber showed declining trend at an alarming rate
during the week and the week prior to exhibition.
branding

of

natural

rubber

by

the

Rubber

However, the idea of

Board encouraged


many

industrialists and businessmen to focus on India for sourcing rubber.
Traditional importers of rubber from other rubber growing regions had
reservations on quality aspects, but we could ally their fears citing stringent
measures formulated to ensure the quality of the products marketed under
the brand.

We stressed further that brand certification procedure is

meticulously framed to conform the quality of each and every bale/bundle
inspected. We have supplied samples of RSS sheets and INSR blocks packed
in cover with Rubber Board logo to those who had shown keen interests in
importing rubber from India. Some business deals were struck at the venue
itself. Many prospective importers initiated their process for import of rubber
from India. The Board’s participation in the exhibition was a huge success,
as it helped us to popularize natural rubber from India among the industrialist
/ entrepreneurs of many European and Latin American countries.

A selected list of business cards, photographs etc are attached along
with this report.

Enquiries from visitors extended to other aspects as well.

Some

visitors from Columbia and Brazil showed interest in planting rubber in their
countries with the technical support from the Rubber Board or other
plantation experts from India. Many visitors from Latin American countries
wanted technical support for setting up of factories in rubber sector and
diversification to other rubber products. Other enquiries included import of
machinery for rubber product manufacturing, import of rubber products and
to explore possibility of setting up manufacturing facility in India.

These

enquiries were diverted to the respective departments of the Rubber Board
and to other associations operating in Rubber Products Manufacturing sector.

Acknowledgement

We place on record our sincere thanks to the Ministry of Commerce &
Industry, Government of India for giving us an opportunity to participate in
the exhibition.

We also place on record our sincere thanks to the three

exporter representatives who had participated in the exhibition for their cooperation and assistance.

Sheela Thomas,
Chairman,
Rubber Board

E.A. Mathew,
Dy. Director (Excise)
Rubber Board.