Thai plastic and rubber industries prepare for green transformation at exhibition

The theme of the exhibit – "Development towards Sustainability" – underscored its goal of motivating Thai businesses to advance in line with the global trend towards sustainability, said Sanchai Noombunnam, general manager of exhibit organiser Informa Markets Thailand.

Informa Markets is a leading global event and exhibition organiser.

The plastic and rubber produced in Thailand is vital in the global market, Sanchai said.
Thailand is one of the world's leading manufacturers and exporters of plastic and rubber, and its top export markets are China, Japan, India, and Asean, he said.

Thailand is also a manufacturing base for products made from plastic and rubber. These products are sold domestically and exported globally, with the United States, Japan, and Asean being the top three export markets.

As a result, it is critical for the country's industries to adapt to global green and clean standards in order to increase their competitiveness and maintain their leading position in the global market.

"Thailand must strengthen its ability to fulfill global market demand while responding to current developments," Sanchai said.

As consumer behaviour shifts towards products manufactured sustainability and in environmentally friendly ways and the first-ever carbon tax is being introduced, sustainability is becoming a requirement, Sanchai explained.

Low-carbon production is a global issue, particularly in Thailand’s top export markets: Europe, the United States, and Japan. As a result, Thai manufacturers must be prepared for new rules being imposed in these markets.

"Plastic & Rubber Thailand 2023 promotes collaboration between producers and the government by having them sign memorandums of understanding for the decarbonisation of plastic products in Thailand," Sanchair said.

Mitsubishi Electric launched a new product at the exhibition: Its Scada Genesis64 software, which calculates carbon tax in real time.

Wichiene Ngamsukkasemsri, managing director of Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation (Thailand), said Mitsubishi Electric will recover energy-use data from equipment and facilities.

The carbon footprint for each product will be calculated in real-time and delivered via the Scada GENESIS64 platform. The manufacturer will subsequently be able to compile reports without having to manually record data, Wichiene explained.

"The data can also be used to assess and allocate energy usage so that it becomes more efficient," he said.

The exhibition is a good opportunity for Thai plastic and rubber manufacturers to explore suitable and affordable ways to become eco-friendly producers, said Paweena Panichayapichet, a senior official at Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation, a unit of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Thailand has joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, so it must contribute to tackling climate change by encouraging sustainable development, Paweena said.

Veera Kwanlertchit, president of the Plastics Institute of Thailand, said carbon emissions are a problem for every industry, including the plastic industry.

It is the institute's mission to encourage the private sector to reduce its carbon emissions by using tools to improve production processes, resulting in less loss in production, he said.

The institute also encourages the use of post-consumer resin, which emits less carbon in the manufacturing process than newly manufactured plastic and provides an alternate use for bioplastic.

Visitors to Plastic & Rubber Thailand 2023 discovered helpful software, functions, and types of equipment for sustainability in the plastics industry.

The event was held in conjunction with INTERMACH, an exhibition of manufacturing technology and machines, and SUBCON Thailand 2023 at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre.

It was held from May 10 to 13.