Once again, the plastic sector has gathered in Barcelona at the Equiplast fair. MachinePoint, a Spanish company renowned in the global market for the buying and selling of used machinery, traditionally attends this event.
In this edition, our colleagues Marco Marchiorello, Héctor Sánchez, and Melissa Mahdjoub have been the ambassadors at the MachinePoint booth. These experienced professionals have showcased MachinePoint’s extensive catalog of machines and services to visitors while also exploring market trends.
For Héctor, it has been “a first-time experience full of expectations” in his Equiplast debut. Regarding the fair’s attendance, he comments that there is some similarity to other industry events in terms of professional visitors, although he also observed the presence of educators, discrete numbers of tourists, and brokers and dealers without booths.
When it comes to the visitor profile, Héctor reveals that a majority of them were local attendees, representing a strong Spanish business presence at Equiplast.
Melissa, on the other hand, highlights the variety of visitors who approached the MachinePoint booth. “Primarily, we encountered manufacturers. Many were already familiar with us and showed great interest, generating offers and multiple machinery requests that promise business opportunities.”
However, the overall market outlook does not appear as encouraging. “The market is on pause in Europe,” warns Héctor. Geopolitical uncertainty has left many companies in a state of waiting, delaying their investment and equipment renewal plans. Despite this, some companies are pushing forward with their equipment renewal and expansion plans.
Marco also shares his perspective. “Manufacturers see that the market has slowed down after years of growth, but overall, they are satisfied with the fair.”
As for the opinion of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), delivery times for new machinery still remain long. However, there has been a slight improvement compared to previous years. Timelines that used to range between 12 and 15 months have now been reduced to 9 and 12 months.
Regarding demand and supply trends, recycling and extrusion machinery took the spotlight during Equiplast. Visitors were seeking sustainable and efficient solutions to drive their operations in the plastic sector. On the other hand, exhibitors mainly offered mold injection machines, demonstrating the diversity of the offerings present at the fair.
“The fair, in general, is not as large as it was a few years ago; the Equiplast section only occupies half of a pavilion,” comments Marco. However, when assessing whether MachinePoint’s participation in the fair has been a good investment, all three are clear that it is worthwhile. It remains a fundamental meeting point for the plastic and rubber industry in Spain. Additionally, Marco highlights the importance of networking at this fair, which allows you to reconnect with former clients, establish new connections, and strengthen business relationships.
MachinePoint will continue to support Equiplast, a fair that must continue to grow and consolidate its position in the prosperous and dynamic market of the plastic industry.
