Expoquimia: The International Chemistry Event showcase the commitment to sustainability and innovation
With more than 350 exhibitors representing around 600 brands Expoquimia displayed the innovations in chemical sector with the aim of contributing to sustainable development.
The 19th Expoquimia, the International Chemistry Event, took place from 14th to 17th September in Barcelona and brought together a significant number of representatives from the Spanish and European Chemical Industry. With the support of FEIQUE, the Business Federation of the Spanish Chemical Industry, the fair presented the sector’s contribution to the United Nations’ SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
The event gave particular prominence to new materials such as innovative materials such as flame retardants, green chemistry and biotechnology where solutions for a more sustainable and safer chemistry were displayed.
Carles Navarro, the president of Expoquimia, pointed out that “the pandemic has demonstrated that the chemical sector is vital” and added that “it will be essential for guaranteeing the development of key technologies to achieve the goals of decarbonisation and the circular economy”. Navarro also declared that “chemistry is essential if we want to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure their fulfilment by 2030”.
According to FEIQUE, the chemical sector ended 2020 with the best performance of the entire Spanish productive economy, with a slight 0.4% downturn in production, and it expects to register 7.1% growth in 2021 and achieve a result totalling 69.1 billion euros. With nearly 210,000 direct jobs and 711,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs, the 3,000-plus companies in the national chemical sector employ 3.7% of the working population in Spain.
A recycling plant to scale
In addition to the multiple conferences the 19th Equiplast, the International Plastics and Rubber Event, showcased the solutions developed by the sector to promote the circular economy with the aim of minimising its environmental impact. In this regard, for the first time Equiplast recreated a recycling plant to scale called Reciplast to demonstrate how there are currently reliable systems for the recovery of plastics. It will also feature Rethinking Plastics, a unique exhibition of products made from 100% recycled plastic from renewable and biodegradable sources.
Equiplast president Bernd Roegele believes that “recycling and the circular economy are demonstrating the opportunities and the path towards sustainability of a material such as plastic, which is really important in basic sectors for society such as health, industry and technology”.
The event offered professional visitors the chance to find out more about the exhibitors’ new products by guided tours based on their sectoral interests and common thematic axes, namely the circular economy, technology transfer and the digital transformation.