On April 21 to 24, 2026, the industry’s acclaimed trade fair – CHINAPLAS 2026 will take place at National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Hongqiao, Shanghai, PR China. As one of the global leading plastics and rubber exhibitions, this edition is expected to span over 390,000 square meters across 16 exhibition halls, and bring together more than 4,600 exhibitors from around the world to showcase breakthroughs in new materials, intelligent innovations and green transformations. The trade fair aims to strengthen the industries’ upgrade towards high-end, intelligent, and green development, as well as the transition from “Made in China” to “Innovated in China”.
Evolving with Time: Empowering New Quality Productive Forces from 3 Core Dimensions
Amidst the accelerated revolution in technology, energy and industries worldwide, the new quality productive forces, particularly in innovation and green low-carbon, have become crucial drivers of high-quality development. CHINAPLAS 2026 precisely captures these industry trends by gathering top global exhibitors to present cutting-edge products and solutions, thereby constructing an ecosystem of industrial innovation.
Breakthroughs in New Materials: Meeting the Progression Needs of Downstream Industries. With rapid growth in downstream sectors including new energy vehicles, low-altitude economy, aerospace, rail transportation, humanoid robotics, wind power and photovoltaics, CHINAPLAS 2026 will focus on “driving application upgrades with material innovation” and feature the renewal of advanced frontier materials. Diversified modified plastics and special thermoplastic elastomers enhance the strength and electrical conductivity of plastics and rubber products, making them suitable for new energy vehicles’ batteries and aerospace seals; high-performance engineering plastics offer resistance to both high and low-temperatures, as well as corrosion for high-end equipment; light and durable thermoplastic composites materials have become critical supporting materials for the low-altitude economy and humanoid robot industries.
Intelligent Evolution: Opening the Door to “Smart Manufacturing Era”. Artificial intelligence and automation technologies are restructuring the manufacturing logic of the plastics and rubber industries, accelerating their transition into the “smart manufacturing era”. At CHINAPLAS 2026, comprehensive intelligent manufacturing solutions reshaping the entire production chain will be showcased – from automated injection molding, extrusion and blow molding production lines, to industrial IoT-driven digital management systems, intelligent inspection and quality control platforms. These advancements enable enterprises to improve production efficiency and optimize labor costs, further driving the manufacturing industry’s leap from automation to intelligence.
Green Transformation: Decoding the solutions to the “Dual Carbon” goals. In reaching the national carbon peaking and neutrality “Dual Carbon” goals in China, green and low-carbon solutions have become the crucial factors for high-quality growth. They have also laid the pivotal path for sustainable development of plastics and rubber industries. CHINAPLAS 2026 will introduce numerous innovative environmental and carbon reduction technologies and solutions, providing clear directions for enterprises to achieve green transformation. Efficacious boost with carbon reduction: additives produced with carbon capture technology can reduce carbon emissions during the plastic production process; Recycling: technologies in recycling oil and repurposing volatile organic compounds convert waste into valuable resources, fostering achievement of circular economy; Materials advancement: with key roles in enhancing the functionality of recycled plastics and bioplastics, the adoption of bio-based/ bio-degradable/ eco-compatible coupling and toughening agents into productions empower enterprises to expand their business into the green product markets, and achieve operational transformation to streamline their compliance with environmental standards.
Elevation in Scale and Quality, New Innovative Forces Ignite Sparks of Inspiration
CHINAPLAS 2026 not only achieves advancement in quantity, but also quality. As of now, number of booths reserved has far exceeded forecast, further expanding the exhibition area from the 2024 edition in Shanghai to a new record of over 390,000 square meters. The organizer has enriched the exhibitor spectrum by encompassing more pioneering technology companies and innovative plastics and rubber suppliers, delivering a unique experience to all visitors.
Two notable highlights of the trade fair are diversity and high quality of exhibitors. Renowned plastics and rubber enterprises from all over the world will gather to showcase cutting-edge technologies and exchange industry visions, connecting Chinese companies to international standards. With the emergence of the power in China’s innovation, more than 1,400 “Shining Niche” companies (enterprises recognized by the Chinese government in a comprehensive range of fields including economic benefits, degree of specialization and innovation, level of excellence in operation and management, production chain, etc.) will demonstrate the unparalleled capabilities of China’s plastics and rubber technologies.
Additionally, a series of concurrent events with experts are curated to unlock industry trends, promote multilateral interactions and forge high-quality development of the industries.
Global Buyers Converge, Leading to Exceptional Industry Growth
As the “Prime Platform” for plastics and rubber companies’ global expansion, CHINAPLAS has cultivated its roots in the international market for decades. It integrates industry resources, connects with the upstream and downstream sectors of the industries, and attracts premium buyers worldwide. CHINAPLAS 2025 drew 281,206 professional visitors from over 170 countries and regions, with 68,542 attendees from overseas and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan region of China, accounting for 24.37% of the total visitors, achieving a new milestone in internationalization.
CHINAPLAS 2026 will further demonstrate its capacity to incorporate with global resources. The organizer is actively engaging in international events to establish partnerships with overseas associations and buyers in the industry, strategically inviting top global buyers from sectors including automotive, electronics & electric, packaging, etc. By leveraging CPS+ eMarketplace, which is CHINAPLAS’s O2O strategy partner, the trade fair offers seamless “online and offline” journey – buyers can access exhibitor information and schedule on-site meetings year-round via the platform, in turn, the platform precisely matches suppliers with various sourcing requests, converting online traffic to offline business exchanges, creating infinite trade opportunities for exhibitors.
Amid ongoing uncertainties in global trade, China’s plastics and rubber industries are demonstrating competitive edge through “high-quality innovation”. In addition to seeking cost-effective products, international buyers are also sourcing advanced intelligent equipment and green materials from China, seizing global market opportunities fueled by the country’s robust manufacturing and innovation capabilities. By engaging with China’s innovation, CHINAPLAS 2026 will serve as the core gateway for the supply chain of the world’s plastics and rubber industries.
