A little over a month before opening, Plast 2026 confirms itself as the leading European trade fair of the year for the plastics and rubber industry. The twentieth edition, scheduled from June 9 to 12 at Fiera Milano, is showing positive results despite a complex international geopolitical and economic landscape, marked by trade tensions and instability in global markets.
The Milan-based event demonstrates its resilience with the participation of over 1,000 exhibitors – 44% of which are international companies – including 200 that did not take part in the previous two editions, across an exhibition area of more than 40,000 square meters. This figure is even more significant in a context where strategic sectors such as automotive are undergoing profound transformation.
Attracting 200 new exhibiting companies in this scenario is a concrete sign of the industry’s confidence in Plast as a platform for showcasing innovation and developing business relationships.
The organizers are also aiming to significantly increase the presence of international visitors, with representatives from key countries for Italian exports, thanks to buyer delegations organized in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency and strategic agreements with major industry associations.
More than 300 hosted companies are expected, including around seventy participants from India and a similar number from Latin America.
Satellite shows
Plast, together with its three satellite shows – Rubber, 3D Plast and PlastMat – represents the entire supply chain of the plastics and rubber industry, occupying six of the eight halls of MaTec.
Rubber is dedicated to the rubber sector, from materials to processing technologies and industrial applications.
3D Plast explores the frontiers of 3D printing and additive technologies applied to polymers. PlastMat focuses on innovations in materials, a key theme for the evolution of the manufacturing industry.
A market with strong potential
The “Made in Europe” machinery sector is characterized by a strong export orientation, including toward emerging markets with a growing propensity for investment, and continues to play a strategic role on the global stage.
Access to these markets represents a crucial lever for consolidating the excellence of European companies, particularly manufacturers of machinery for plastics and rubber processing.
In this context, Plast 2026 offers companies in the sector a premier showcase for the most advanced solutions, with a strong focus on the challenges of technological innovation and sustainability.
Performance of Italian exports of plastics and rubber machinery
Data on Italian exports of machinery for plastics and rubber in 2025, processed by the Amaplast research office, show a mixed picture: significant contractions, given the complex period, across almost all geographical areas, with the sole exception of Asia/Oceania, driven mainly by China and India.
Destination areas for Italian exports of machinery, equipment and molds for plastics and rubber
| Geographical area | Share of total | Change 2024–2025 |
| Europe | 52.3% | -4.6% |
| Asia/Oceania | 19.0% | +4.1% |
| North America/USMCA | 17.1% | -5.7% |
| Africa | 6.2% | -12.3% |
| Central/South America | 5.4% | -25.4% |