Plast 2026, scheduled for 9 to 12 June 2026 at Fiera Milano, will run as part of MaTec, an exhibition project that brings together three manufacturing fairs: Plast, Xylexpo and Composites Future. The format unites technologies for plastics and rubber, wood and furniture processing, and composite materials under one umbrella to promote an integrated view of industry and to connect complementary supply chains.
Examples of cross-over use cases are already visible. Certain machining centres designed for wood also find application in plastics and other materials, while wood-plastic composites show strong performance in furniture and construction. The latter is among the strategic destination sectors for the plants typically on display at Plast. Across MaTec, eight pavilions will host the three fairs to encourage technological contamination and cross-sector synergies.
MaTec is positioned as a response to a European manufacturing context shaped by regulatory pressures, ecological transition and the need to innovate processes and materials. The exhibition model intentionally transcends traditional boundaries. According to the organisers, challenges such as sustainability, energy efficiency, digitalisation and compliance with new materials legislation are no longer contained within single sectors and increasingly require transversal approaches and new collaborations.
"The market demands flexibility and the ability to read trends more broadly," said Mario Maggiani, managing director of Promaplast, the company organising Plast. "MaTec responds to this requirement by creating a meeting point where suppliers of technologies and materials for application sectors that are also very different from each other - from packaging to construction, from aerospace to automotive and from marine to furniture - can dialogue, compare and find synergies. This is not just about expanding the exhibition offering, but about building an ecosystem in which innovation is generated precisely from the fusion of different competencies."
The underlying idea is that many technologies and materials developed for one sector can find, by a kind of osmosis, application in others. The resulting triple alliance is intended to act as a collector of contaminations, offering an environment where visitors can encounter different yet complementary solutions, and where comparison can stimulate future-oriented projects.
Plast's scope within MaTec
To date, more than 650 companies have confirmed registration for Plast. Together with its three satellite halls - Rubber, 3D Plast and PlastMat - the fair represents the entire supply chain of the plastics and rubber industry and will occupy six of the eight MaTec pavilions.
Rubber is dedicated to the rubber sector, covering materials, processing technologies and industrial applications. 3D Plast explores 3D printing and additive technologies applied to polymers. PlastMat focuses on innovations in materials, a central theme for the evolution of manufacturing.
Visitor and exhibitor outlook
The integration of Plast, Xylexpo and Composites Future is designed to give visitors a complete experience with opportunities to compare solutions, meet experts, assess suppliers and initiate partnerships. For exhibiting companies, MaTec offers access to a broad and qualified audience and a framework geared to cross-sector dialogue.
The event will take place in Milan from 9 to 12 June 2026, bringing together the three complementary fairs within a single appointment.
