With free-trade agreements with much of Europe, the United States, Canada and Turkey, the Israeli plastics industry hopes Plasto-Ispack '97 will bring in a variety of people.
The show, held every three years in Tel Aviv, drew 600 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors in 1994. Show officials expect some 55,000 visitors this year, many of them from outside Israel. The show will be held Sept. 15-18.
Some companies are hoping to get a good return on the show. Plasto-Sac Ltd. of Yavne, Israel, for example, is looking for an agent to sell products in Spain from its Iberta plant.
``We are well-known in Spain,'' said Yaron Koren, assistant general manager.
The company makes pallet wrap and other products.
Kafrit Industries (1993) Ltd. of Kfar-Aza, Israel, plans to unveil its new nonhalogen flame-retardant materials, said Yehuda Cohen, international managing marketer.
``I hope the Chinese come over here,'' said Cohen, whose firm has joint ventures there. ``They are in a period of their life where they realize they can't do [it] all.''
Kafrit, which sells a lot of products under generic names, specializes in dioxide-free materials and flame-retardant materials.
``We hope that Israel will become the center of the plastics world,'' said Cohen.
Raviv Precision Injection Molding of Revivim, Israel, has been exhibiting at the past three shows.
``We find that the show is a way to present to our customers and prospective customers what we are doing,'' said Yair Levy, marketing manager. ``We have special interest in customers that come from the [outside] world.''
Raviv exports about 70 percent of its products. The company serves the automotive, electronics and communications markets.
Raviv claims to be growing at a 20 percent-per-year pace, with customers including General Motors and Renault.
Raviv will show its central wire connecting unit, which will be in the ``smart car,'' a joint product developed by Mercedes-Benz and Swatch.
The valve prevents gasoline from flowing when vehicles roll over.
