Guangdong Province, a leader in supplying plastic products in China, will witness a sustained development in the plastic industry in the coming years, with its growth rate estimated at 8 percent year-on-year, a market insider said.

"Taking into account all the unfavorable factors including the price fluctuations of the imported raw materials, we are confident that the province's plastic industry will continue its bullish momentum," noted Fu An, chairman of Guangdong Plastics Industry Association.

According to his estimate, the sector is expected to yield plastic products of 9.3 millions and industrial output of 200 billion yuan; and the annual yield is expected to reach 13.6 million tons and industrial output of over 300 billion yuan by 2015.

The province's yield of plastic products was 6.8 million tons in 2006, accounting for about 25 percent of the nation's total and topping other provinces on the mainland.

"Guangdong occupies No. 1 position in plastics supplier on the mainland for 13 years. I don't think there is any possibility that the position will be challenged," he said.

He also added that the province's hefty investments in the petrochemical projects in the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010) will bring about many more opportunities for a sustained development of the plastic industry, while the related logistics system will also boost its development.

A total of 13 massive petrochemical projects are either under construction or will be constructed in the province in the 11th Five-Year Plan, involving a total investment of 358 billion yuan, he said, which will logically enhance enormously the production capacity of plastics in the province.

And the logistics system for the very industry will make the supply of raw materials and supplementary materials easily accessible to the plastic manufacturers in the province, he said.

The nation's grand events of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the World Expo in Shanghai and the Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010 will also mean enormous business opportunities for the province's plastic suppliers, he said.

Fu suggested the plastics manufacturers should take the initiative to join international trade fairs for more market channels, for timely market information as well as for the latest information about the technological solutions and manufacturing equipment, mentioning the annual event of Chinaplas that can benefit them.

Organized by Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, Chinaplas has become the leading plastics and rubber trade fair in Asia in terms of the exhibition scale and influence.

Stanley Chu, chairman of Adsale, said more than 1,700 exhibitors from about 40 countries and regions and more than 63,000 professional buyers worldwide will attend the Chinaplas 2008. The event will be held from April 17 to 20 in Shanghai, and the total exhibition area will surpass 120,000 sqm.

"Chinaplas has become an effective channel for global suppliers to promote their plastic and rubber machines and raw materials," Chu said. "The active participation of both exhibitors and buyers can speak for its industrial importance."

Editor: Yan