China Plastics and Rubber Exhibition (Chinaplas)

The 38th China International Plastics and Rubber Industry Exhibition (CHINAPLAS 2026) was successfully held from April 21 to 24 at the Shanghai National Exhibition and Convention Center (Hongqiao). With the theme “Transformation, Collaboration, Co‑Creating Sustainability,” this edition focused on four core pillars—“circular economy,” “digitalization,” “innovative materials,” and “high‑end technology, Made in China”—making it the most significant annual event for technological exchange and business matchmaking in the global plastics and rubber industries.

Exhibition space and exhibitor numbers reach new highs. The total exhibition area exceeded 390,000 square meters, spanning 16 halls and fully operational. The show brought together 5,104 high‑quality domestic and international exhibitors from 45 countries and regions, a 10.57% increase compared with the 2025 Shenzhen edition. Total visitor attendance reached 350,189, representing 188 countries and regions—a 24.53% rise over the 2025 Shenzhen show. Among them, visitors from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas numbered 86,440, accounting for 24.68% of the total, up 26.11%. Over the four-day event, attendance was distributed as follows: 107,792 on the first day, 125,448 on the second, 86,504 on the third, and 30,445 on the fourth.

A rich array of highlights, with smart technologies and sustainability at the forefront. The exhibition featured 17 thematic zones, showcasing more than 3,800 pieces of machinery in live demonstrations, covering injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, packaging, rubber processing equipment, molds, auxiliary systems, and testing instruments across all product categories. Additionally, over 1,900 raw material suppliers exhibited, presenting tens of thousands of cutting‑edge material solutions—from general‑purpose and engineering plastics, colorants and masterbatches, and additives, to composites, specialty materials, elastomers, bioplastics, and recycled plastics.More than 350 exhibitors unveiled world‑ or Asia‑first technologies, vividly painting a comprehensive picture of industry trends.

A concentrated showcase of specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative enterprises highlights China’s innovation prowess.The exhibition drew leading companies from the Global Fortune 500 and China’s Top 500, alongside over 1,000 “specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative” enterprises, including nearly 200 national-level “Little Giant” firms—marking the largest-ever collective appearance of such enterprises at CHINAPLAS, continuously unleashing dynamic innovation.

Strong International Pavilion and Buyer Delegations. The exhibition features national pavilions from European countries and from Asian nations and regions, including Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and others. Over 430 domestic and international buyer delegations are expected to attend for procurement, with more than 70 overseas delegations—new additions include Egypt, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Poland, and other countries and regions. Arburg’s newly developed electric injection molding machine, the Allrounder Trend, will make its Asian debut at the show.

A Rich Array of Concurrent Events. The “Power of Plastics Forum” makes its Asian debut, bringing together leading suppliers and technical experts from Germany and across Europe. Covering breakthrough recycling technologies, high-value processing of recycled materials, and industry transformations driven by digitalization and AI, the forum presents a comprehensive roadmap—from cutting-edge R&D to industrial implementation. Concurrent events include the Medical Plastics Summit, an Additives Symposium, Tech Talks, the Intelligent Molding Forum, and application-focused workshops spanning automotive, medical, packaging, and environmental sectors.