One in every two Spanish companies in the Top 50 by turnover across the main plastics processing and recycling sectors attended the event
84% of Equiplast 2026 visitors are involved in purchasing decisions
Held last June, Equiplast 2026 welcomed 6,250 industry professionals, of whom 10.5% were international visitors. The Fira de Barcelona exhibition predominantly attracted production, plant and engineering managers at a time when companies are adopting a more selective approach to investment, prioritising efficiency and productivity. The event achieved an average market penetration of close to 50% among Spanish leading companies in key plastics-processing sectors, particularly packaging, automotive and construction, as well as among major recycling businesses.
According to the visitor survey conducted by Fira de Barcelona’s research department, 84% of visitors to this year’s edition of Equiplast state that they are directly or indirectly involved in purchasing decisions related to equipment, materials and solutions for their companies.
At the same time, the attendee profile study carried out by consultancy firm MarketAAD highlights the event’s ability to attract professionals with technical, operational and managerial responsibilities. Specifically, the most represented profiles were middle managers, department heads and supervisors (24%), followed by CEOs and general managers (17.8%), technicians (17.6%) and engineers (13.4%).
This strong technical orientation was also reflected in visitors’ functional backgrounds. Production accounted for the largest share (21.1%), followed by commercial and sales functions (20%), factory and plant operations (9.7%), R&D and innovation (9.1%), and procurement (9.1%). The event also attracted professionals working in maintenance, product development, quality management and sustainability.
In terms of business activity, plastics processors represented the largest segment of visitors (61.3%), alongside technical engineering firms (12.9%), recycling companies (11.6%) and plastics end-users (9.1%). Technology centres, universities and trade associations were also represented. The sectors contributing the highest number of visitors were packaging, automotive and construction.
According to Xavier Pascual, Director of Equiplast, “Equiplast once again demonstrates that it is Spain’s most representative plastics industry exhibition because it accurately reflects the breadth and diversity of the market. The strong presence of production, engineering and corporate decision-makers, together with leading companies from across the sector, confirms that investment activity remains alive, although it is now more focused on upgrading existing equipment, automation, and improving efficiency and industrial competitiveness.”
A Commercial Business Platform
The survey results also underline Equiplast’s role as a business development and sourcing platform. Forty-six percent of visitors attended to discover new products and suppliers for future projects, while 14.2% came to meet existing suppliers. Another 13.8% sought to update their knowledge of industry trends, and 8.1% attended specifically to identify solutions that could support purchasing and investment decisions.
Regarding areas of interest, machinery, equipment and systems remained the main attraction, cited by 55% of visitors, followed closely by raw materials and additives at 53.5%. There was also a notable increase in interest in moulds and dies, peripherals, components, and measurement, control and automation technologies. This trend points to a more selective investment cycle, with companies prioritising operational efficiency, productivity improvements and process optimisation. Recycling and the circular economy also retained a significant profile, attracting interest from almost 25% of visitors.
These results come against a backdrop of increased investment caution and the scheduling overlap of Equiplast with other international trade fairs. While these factors influenced overall demand, they did not diminish the event’s appeal among highly specialised professionals and senior decision-makers.
Geographically, Catalonia accounted for 68.2% of domestic visitors, followed by the Valencian Community (10.6%), Madrid (4.6%), Aragon (4.5%) and the Basque Country (2.7%). International attendees represented 10.5% of the total, with Italy, Portugal and Germany emerging as the leading source markets.
Strong Presence of Market Leaders
Another key indicator of Equiplast’s market positioning is its penetration among Spain’s leading plastics companies. The study confirms strong representation across the country’s top processing and recycling groups.
The exhibition attracted 52% of the Top 50 packaging companies by turnover, while coverage reached 46% of the Top 50 automotive-sector companies, 58% of the Top 50 manufacturers of other plastic products, and 34% of the Top 50 construction-sector companies, improving on the figures achieved at the previous edition.
Equiplast also strengthened its reach within the recycling industry, attracting 52% of the country’s leading recycling companies, reinforcing its status as a key platform for advancing circularity across the sector.
The conference and knowledge-sharing programme also played a significant role at this year’s event. Activities within the Rethinking Plastic programme strengthened the exhibition’s content offering, focusing on circular economy strategies, recycling and technological innovation. The conference programme proved particularly attractive to engineering and consultancy professionals seeking insight into the sector’s emerging technological, regulatory and environmental challenges.
Equiplast 2026 was held alongside Expoquimia, the International Meeting of Chemistry and Process Industries. Together, the two events hosted 800 exhibitors and 20,794 visitors, representing a 10% increase compared with the previous edition. The co-location and synergies between the chemicals and plastics industries in areas such as materials, circular economy solutions and industrial transformation encouraged substantial cross-visitation between the two exhibitions.
The next edition of Equiplast will take place in May 2029 at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue, once again alongside Expoquimia.
Barcelona, July 2026.