Page 22 - Plastics News August - 2023

AIPMA'S AMTEC AT WORK

4 Conference on Growth of Plastic Industry – Import Substitution of Plastic
th
Goods, Bangalore

The conference on Growth of Plastic Industry- Import Substitution of Plastic Goods was organized by AIPMA’s AMTEC
on 10th August 2023 in Bangalore. The conference was attended by 550+ polymer industrialist including visionaries of
the industry, researchers and entrepreneurs.

This technology conference is part of AIPMA’s efforts to promote import substitution of plastic goods and support the
government’s Make in India initiative. This technology conference was supported by the Ministry of Micro Small and
Medium Enterprises, the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, and the Department of Commerce; the confer-
ence aims to facilitate the manufacturing of “Make in India – Make for the World” plastic products.

Speaking at the 4th technical conference, Mehta said according to recent survey conducted by the Plastic Manufacturers
Association, Plastic worth Rs 37,500 crores was imported in the year 2021 - 22 with 48 percent coming from China.
"We need to stop this dependence and focus now on indigenous manufacturing of plastic in the country. Towards this
end, AIPMA will create awareness among the people by holding seminars and workshops in six zones of the country,"
Mehta added. Stating that Skill India, Digital India and Make in India are a great fillip for the manufacturing of plastic, Me-
hta said the on-going conference is expected to throw light on the technical aspects and marketing potential of plastic.
"The exhibition, in fact, emphasizes the need to go indigenous in plastic manufacturing by using technology. There has
been exchange of technological know-how in this regard," Mehta explained.
AIPMA President Mayur D Shah, in his address, asserted that there is enormous scope in the plastic industry having a
potential to manufacture plastic worth Rs 7 lakh crore.

"India is playing a significant role in plastic production in the world, we are capable of reaching this potential through
50,000 entrepreneurs. This constitute 90 percent of the total industry," Mayur D Shah added.

Maintaining that the plastic industry has immense potential to contribute in taking the country towards a 5 trillion
economy, Mayur D Shah said the Ahmedabad conclave had brought together the manufacturers and consumers on the
same platform. "Such arrangement will enable the manufacturers to get an insight into the variety in products and latest
technology," he added.

In his address, The Guest of Honor for the conference C. A. Shashidhar Shetty, President of Small Scale Industries As-
sociation aid the manufacturers are facing lot of difficulties due to a number of misconceptions. "Single use plastic has
been banned but this has created a lot of confusion in the minds of consumers. “The state government must take steps
to bring in clarity on re-use and multiple-use of plastic. There is no reference to plastic industry in the Industrial Policy
announced by the government. It is also imperative cluster-based industrial units. This will also help other industries,"
he explained.

22 PLASTICS NEWS August 2023
22 PLASTICS NEWS
August 2023