RP Asia 98 a success

The future is bright NATURALLY

the economic

recession, and the possibility of recovery, topic

was the main

of discussion

event.

Speakers

session

at the

in the first

of the conference

took an optimistic

RI? Asia 98 a success DESPITE

Wayne PPG

Rutherford to support

optimism.

the continuing eco-

of

Fiber Glass presented

statistics

nomic recession in the Asia-

view of

the future of the region.

PPG

this

estimates

This year? show featured a bigger exhibition than ht year, with over 30 compa-

Japan

(1 .l%).

Japan

acc-

ounts for over half the total

ites demand

plastics

demand

is expected to fall to 52% by

of 2.8%.

2003.

region,

confident

in the

long term opportunities composites

for

in the region.

RI’

Asia

Singapore

98

was held

in

and organized by

Reinforced

Plastics,

main sponsor

with

FRP Services

This

markets

of North

(projected of 4%)

Europe than

America

annual

growth

and Western

(4.2%),

but more

that of the emerging

South/Central Middle

America,

East

and

Africa

region (1.4%). Annual

& co.

is less than

the larger, more established

rate

As with last year’s event,

a long

term view to grow compos-

around

share of 57%,

the

to adopt

in

work

reinforced

reach

343 000 tonnes by 2003 at a

attracted

together

must

in the region, with a current

will

projected annual growth rate

on 3-4 September,

industry

that RI’ demand in the Asia

ference and exhibition, visitors from throughout

the

Pacific

Pacific, the Rp Asia 98 conheld

that all the stakeholders

although

this

growth. This will enable the

Resin maker Dow agrees that

in the region,

ready for the next wave of

this is not a time

pessimism.

Despina

for

Anas-

tasiou, Dow Chemical,

Aus-

tralia, believes that decreased demand that

is temporary

this

should

time

of change

be viewed

opportunity

and as an

to regroup, plan

industry to remain competitive and grow, and it will put

Asia

world

Pacific

on

player. Other sions

conference

focussed

mould

processing,

compos-

ites in the chemical industry,

growth

rates for

and invest in the future, and

and new generation

over the

an opportunity

posite

1998-2003 from

period will vary

country

ranging

from

the highest followed

to country,

conducts improve

demand

by India

and Taiwan

(5.5%),

with (7%),

(6.4%) to, at

for the Asia Pacific compos-

it.

Short the

term

threats

to

include:

less domestic

industry

poor quality products;

and

finally

pro-

jects; cost cutting leading to lack

2.5%)

of investment

future.

final

its business and to

the lower end of the scale, (both

com-

The

session focused on strategies

Australia

and New Zealand

materials.

industry

how the composites

China

ses-

on closed

glass fibre demand

to examine

the

map as a dominant

Anastasiou

and a in the

believes

ites industry

and looked

at

how the industry must work together

to

develop

region’s potential report

the

(a detailed

of the session

appear

will

in a forthcoming

issue of Reinforced IYastics).

Next time A date and venue for the next RI’ Asia show will be announced

soon. To reg-

ister your interest, contact Jari

Valjakainen

Glassfibre

Smith,

of Ahlstrom

won this unique

RP

Asia surfboard to take back home to Finland. tion,

PO Box 150,

Kidlington,

Oxford

UK,

843825;

Aurora

fax: +44-1865-

843971;

guessing the exact weight of the

elsevier.co.uk

Reinforced Plastics October 1998

The conference and exhibition were heldat The Westin Stamford hotel.

OX5

tel: +44-1865-

Glass Fibre, Jari came closest to board.

Sydney

Elsevier Advanced

Technology, lAS,

To win the competi-

run by exhibitor

Sarah

please

e-mail:

RP@