What other fields are you active in?
An important element in the development of the sector is its innovation. Following the example of our German colleagues, who have corresponding units such as the Fraunhofer Institute or the IKV, we want to support the industry in terms of research and development projects or certification.
This is why we have decided to create the Plastics Centre of Excellence, a centre dedicated specifically to the plastics industry. It is a huge project, the entire complex consists of 11 buildings, which will house the various units involved in R&D activities, prototype production or certification or patent issues. The centre has been created next to one of our vocational schools, which will also allow students to benefit from this ecosystem.
Industry organisations sometimes have a problem identifying their objectives. How does this look in the case of the PAGEV association?
The answer is simple. PAGEV's main objective is to increase the added value of our industry. This is what all the activities I mentioned in our conversation serve. The last point I would like to make is that we need to create a market for our products. This is possible by organising an exhibition like Plast Eurasia. We organise it because we believe that if we create a market for our industry, people will be able to exchange ideas, present their raw materials, products technologies to a wide market.
This is, of course, a long-term activity, but we are also working on short-term projects, such as regulatory issues or rising raw material prices. At this point, I would like to thank representatives of the media, including your editorial team, because you publish information on this subject, which allows us to reach a larger audience with our problems.
Last year, we noticed that some polymer producers were taking advantage of market difficulties to inflate raw material prices. In our view, such a dramatic increase in the price of polymers, which are used to make everyday items, would eventually lead to inflation, the effects of which would ultimately be felt by consumers anyway, especially those on low incomes. We recognised that the problem therefore ceased to be an industry-specific one and became a threat to the economy as a whole. Our position reverberated around the world.
