20 April 2016 - 12:25
  • News ID: 258605
Iran Plast 10

TEHRAN, April 20 (Shana) -- As sanctions ease on Iran, different sectors of industry in the country are making efforts to regain their status in the world. To that end, these industrial entities spare no efforts. One of these sectors is plastic industry. By Shiva Saeedi

In the pre-sanctions era, Iran was one of the largest producers of plastics in the world. Now removal of sanctions provides the country with an appropriate opportunity to retrieve its status in the world market. In this regard, Iran Plast exhibition is a key step. In Iran Plast 10, scheduled to be held April 13 to 17, around 900 companies will showcase their achievements at the Tehran International Permanent Fairgrounds.
Mohammad Moqareh, the secretary of Iran Plast 10, the outstanding feature of this round of exhibition would be the significant number of foreign companies planning to attend. Foreign companies will be more numerous than domestic companies in Iran Plast 10. Therefore, Iran Plast may be described as the most international exhibition in Iran. 
Iran Petroleum has conducted an interview with Mohammad Moqareh. The full text of the interview is as follows:

Q: Would you please give us the latest statistical data about Iranian and foreign participants at Iran Plast 10? 
A: Currently, 25,000 square meters of land at the exhibition has been allotted to domestic and foreign companies attending the event. Iranian companies will be occupying 17,000 square meters and foreign companies 8,000 square meters. A total of 900 companies, 500 foreign and 400 domestic, will be present. This is the first time that foreign companies are more numerous than domestic companies. The composition of foreign companies includes 13 companies from Europe continent, 10 companies from Asia, Australia on behalf of the continent and a South African company on behalf of the African continent. European companies include companies from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, etc. I mentioned the name of these countries because of their prominent position in the plastic industry.
Regarding the positioning, halls 38 and 41 in the first floor, 40 and a large segment of 27 are allotted to foreign companies. Iranian companies will be present in 44, 6 &7, 8&9,31 and 35. Halls 7, 8 and 9 are allotted to raw materials and techno-engineering services, 6 for machinery, 31, 35 and 44 for semi-fabricated and fabricated products. Another important feature of this exhibition is the massive presence of China. Hall 41 has been allotted to Chinese companies and the first floor of Hall 40 is also occupied by Chinese companies.
The composition of participating countries is also interesting. Thirteen European countries are Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, Italy, Spain, England, Russia, Belgium, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Denmark and Poland. The Asian companies are from China, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Turkey, Iraq and Pakistan will be present. Add to them South Africa and Australia.

Q: How do you think Iran Plast 10 differs from previous exhibitions?
A: The prominent characteristic of this exhibition is the massive presence of foreign companies. In the previous rounds, around 3,300 square meters was allotted to foreign companies, but this time it has been enlarged 2.5 times. That means that 33% of the exhibition’s space has been allotted to foreign companies. Therefore, in terms of percentage presence, Iran Plast is the most international exhibition in Iran. However, in terms of area, Iran Oil Show is more spacious. We will grow from a domestic and local exhibition to a really international exhibition. Germany is a leading country in the plastic industry, but in its main plastic exhibition, 20% of companies are from Germany and the remaining 80% are from abroad. We have to move in such a direction so that our exhibition would become more international. Of course, it does not mean that we will give our market to foreign companies. We mean that we prepare the ground for global trade and for cooperation with foreign companies. In this regard, the motto chosen for Iran Plast 10 is “Global Trade” so that this exhibition will prepare the ground for the prosperity of plastic business and the globalization of Iran’s plastic industry. We have taken new initiatives for this exhibition and we have moved towards electronic system. We have developed a mobile App for this exhibition and by clicking on the halls one can find the map and the companies present there. Clicking on the name of companies will provide information about them, including contact numbers, CEO’s phone number and the relevant email. This App is also equipped with GPS and one can locate himself in the exhibition in order to have access to different halls more easily. 
Another service provided by this App is the detection system of visiting the exhibition. Visitors receive a card and their visits to different booths are registered. The booths and the halls which are visited the most will be specified. Visitors’ data are also registered and the booth holders can then see how many people with which level of education have visited their booths. This software will help participants save the contact data of their desired companies and be in contact with each other. Even when two experts are face to face they will be able to scan one another’s business card and save them in their favorite. This initiative is being developed for the first time in Iran and in the Middle East. The same system is applicable in Germany, which means that efforts are being made for holding an exhibition in compliance with international standards. Another specific activity envisaged in this exhibition is the printing of posters specifying the date of the next exhibition. The companies willing to preserve their booths for the next exhibition will be pre-registered. Such a measure is taken in other big companies and this year it is to be done in Iran Plast. We are also cooperating with Iranian Students Polling Agency (ISPA) in order to conduct a poll between booth holders and visitors and to be able to hear people’s views about the exhibition and remove problems.

Q: Would you please shed some more light on the inauguration of the exhibition?
A: For inauguration day, we have invited ministers and relevant officials. We are following up on our invitation to HE Bijan Zangeneh, the Iranian minister of petroleum, and Mohammad-Reza Nematzadeh, the Iranian minister of industry, mine and trade. These two ministers are involved with this industry. Meantime, we are planning to invite the minister of economy and the provincial governor of Tehran to visit the exhibition. Representatives from the energy, industry and mining committees of parliament are also to visit the exhibition. Mr. Mohammad Javad Zarif, the minister of foreign affairs, is also being invited to attend the inauguration or attend the exhibition. Ambassadors of 25 countries will be also invited to attend.


Q: Would you please outline the presence of foreign business delegates at Iran Plast 10?
A: One of the important aspects of international exhibitions pertains to foreign visitors and it would also help domestic companies find foreign customers. Since the motto of the exhibition is “Global Trade” we have sought to provide this opportunity in the real sense of the word. We have had negotiations and correspondence with Iraq, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. All these four countries which are cooperating with us are among buyers of our plastic products and machinery. We are also making plans in order to persuade businesspeople from these countries to visit Iran Plast. The presence of business delegations in the exhibition will be instrumental in the prosperity of business.

Q: How many foreign visitors do you expect to visit Iran Plast 10?
A: We have received lots of requests for visa and we are dealing with them. It should be noted that the 500 companies participating in Iran Plast are also among visitors. Apart from that, we are ready to welcome 200 visitors and pay for their stay in Iran for two days. There will be also other visitors. I think that something like 800 to 1,000 foreign visitors would be registered at Iran Plast 10. Meantime, associations from Turkey will be visiting the exhibition. Turkey has been allotted 300 to 400 square meters of land. Different associations from Turkey will travel to Iran in order to visit the exhibition and hold talks with associations from Iran’s plastic industry.

Q: What secondary programs are predicted for Iran Plast 10?
A: We plan to hold seminars on the sidelines of Iran Plast 10. A German company plans to hold a seminar. Iran’s Petrochemical Research and Technology Company (PRTC) is also to hold seminars. We have received other requests for holding exhibition. We do not insist on the number of seminars, but we want the exhibitions not to be just for publicity and business. 

Q: What have been the criteria for attracting booth owners and visitors?
A: We have recruited 6 marketers to invite foreign companies. For that purpose, we divided the globe between them and assign them markets. We signed a memorandum of understanding with Düsseldorf copper company that holds 10 exhibitions in the world. Based on this MOU, this company agreed to invite companies in Africa, Europe and Russia. It has fared well. We did not assign China and India to any specific marketer because of their vastness. We had two marketers in India and three in China. We assigned Pakistan, Persian Gulf littoral states and part of China to Beauty Sky Company. Turkey was assigned exclusively to Pug and Taiwan to Aircomes. Inside our country, we did the marketing. In total, we had 6 international marketers. We provided required information to associations. Companies have registered online and they have paid for the booths they have selected online again. The whole registration process was online, but representatives of companies had to walk in for the endorsement of their map.

Q: Where does Iran Plast stand in terms of promotional publicity abroad?
A: The promotional activities we envisaged were target-oriented. Given restrictions we face, we can do our promotional activities for overseas only through IRIB-run channels. But it costs too much and the result would not be effective enough. Therefore, we shifted the publicities to marketers themselves and the result shows that they have done their job properly. The publicity has been target-oriented and the marketers have long lists showing the companies they have contacted. Meantime, Iran Plast has attended several foreign companies including Milan, Thailand and Turkey. 

Q: How much does the exhibition cost in total?
A:  It’s not clear yet. The exhibition’s turnover is between IRR 70 and 80 billion, the bulk of which is going to the establishment of booths and which should be deposited into the account of the Exhibitions Public Stock Company. We have to pay for their costs from the remainder. Therefore, we gain no profits from holding exhibitions. That is why we have been soliciting sponsors. Moreover, since we are a state-owned company we are legally barred from benefiting from government budget for holding exhibition. This exhibition must rely on its own. We do not seek to gain profits from the exhibition and whatever we gain belongs to the exhibition.

Q: How do you assess the outcome of Iran Plast for Iran’s petrochemical industry?
A: We cannot speak out precisely about contracts because many private companies in Iran do not provide any precise figure about their activities and the value of their contracts in this exhibition. However, once one of participants at Iran Plast claimed that it had sold at least 10 machines after the exhibition had been held. That was just for a single participant. Now if on average 350 companies attend and each company signs three contracts for cooperation, the final result will be 900 to 1,000 business contracts. I think that more than 2,000 contracts or memoranda would be signed at Iran Plast. Otherwise, holding such an exhibition would not make sense.

Q: What do you think of cooperation on the part of foreign companies?
A: Since top companies from Europe and China are attending this exhibition, major cooperation will also take place. At present, there is tight competition between Chinese companies and German, French and Italian companies regarding the sale of technology, equipment and machinery. In return, we are supplier of high-quality raw materials. Our products are also in line with European standards. However, our priority for cooperation is our next-door neighbors due to lower transportation costs.

Q: What are your projections for Iran Plast 11?
A: The conditions will get better in the future. So far, Iran Plast has been held biannually but the next one will be held next year in October. This date is more appropriate for Iranian companies and they will be occupying 22,000 to 23,000 square meters. Regarding foreign companies we have held preliminary talks and the promotes have announced that they could guarantee 10,000 square meters of allotment for foreign participants.
In total, I think that Iran Plast 11 will be sprawling on more than 30,000 square meters and the number of participants will stand at more than 1,000. The exhibition’s ranking will go from A to A+. 

Courtesy to Iran Petroleum Magazine

News ID 258605

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