BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA — The eighth Argenplas trade show, held April 3-8 in Buenos Aires, encompassed 475 exhibitors, 229 of which were from Argentina and the remaining 246 from 23 other countries. According to the event's organizers, Argenplas 2000 registered a 14.4 percent increase in exhibitors from Argenplas '98. Among foreign exhibitors, 80 participated with their own booths, while the other 166 were present via representative firms.
Italy had the most booths of foreign exhibitors, followed by Germany, the United States and Brazil.
Of the plastics industry sectors represented at Argenplas 2000, 67.2 percent were machinery, tool and auxiliary equipment manufacturers; 14.7 percent were processors; 9.5 percent were raw-material producers; and 8.6 percent were services suppliers.
Argenplas 2000 occupied 152,000 square feet of the newly remodeled Predio Ferial de Palermo, which officially was reopened with the plastics industry event. The fair was organized by the Camara Argentina de la Industria Plastica (CAIP), Argentina's plastics industry association, which represents 800 plastics molders that account for 80 percent of the plastic items produced locally.
CAIP's general manager Oscar Sanchez said 71,830 people attended Argenplas 2000, however 10-15 percent entered with special invitations and may have been counted more than once.