Plastex 2026, held under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of the Arab Republic of Egypt, will return to Cairo from 9 to 12 January 2026 as a major regional meeting point for the plastics and rubber value chain. An important feature of this edition will be the dedicated technical conference, conceived as a specialist forum for plastics experts, researchers, technology developers and recycling professionals. According to the organiser, the programme will comprise more than 50 expert speakers presenting current technologies, applied case studies and technical advances that are influencing the development of global plastics and rubber markets.
Focus on recycling technologies and material performance
The conference agenda is structured around practical industrial applications and solutions to current technical challenges in polymer processing and product design. One of the announced contributions will be delivered by Khaled Raafat, chief technology officer at Tile Green. He will address an internationally patented machine-learning based thermomechanical technology for recycling. The presentation is expected to outline how data-driven optimisation can support the thermomechanical treatment of plastic waste and thus influence process efficiency and material properties in recycling operations.
Material performance under specific service conditions is another central topic in the programme. Ahmed Balbaa, sector manager at the polyethylene general department, will discuss the effect of UV stabilisers on the mechanical properties of polyethylene. The talk will concentrate on how UV protection packages influence durability and mechanical behaviour of PE grades exposed to outdoor conditions, an aspect that is relevant for applications such as film, pipe and packaging products in regions with high solar radiation.
Developments in packaging structures and foamed TPEs
Advances in packaging design and multilayer structures will be examined by Walter Pixeto, regional product design manager AMET at Alpla Middle East. His presentation, titled "Advancements in multi-layer plastics: Enhancing packaging performance, sustainability, and cost-efficiency", will cover how multilayer configurations can be used to balance mechanical strength, barrier properties and resource efficiency in plastic packaging. The contribution will also look at the role of material combinations and layer design in improving recyclability and reducing overall system costs.
Another area covered in the conference programme is the use of foamed thermoplastic elastomers. Robert Molteni, application development specialist at Allod Werkstoff GmbH & Co. KG, will present on "Foamed TPEs, a new old technology: From closure to high-performance parts for acoustic isolation". This session will focus on the processing and application spectrum of foamed TPEs, describing their use in conventional closure systems as well as in higher performance components where acoustic damping properties are required.
Global perspectives on circular economy and modern plastics
In addition to the named speakers, the Plastex technical conference is expected to host experts from various regions and disciplines. The organiser indicates that the programme will emphasise practical case studies, implementation examples and new viewpoints related to current industry issues. These include the adoption of circular economy models in plastics processing and recycling, as well as technical breakthroughs associated with modern polymer materials and elastomers.
The contributions are intended to provide attending processors, converters, product designers and recyclers with insight into how new technologies and process concepts are being applied in industrial environments. Topics such as enhanced recycling efficiency, stabilisation systems for extended product lifetimes and optimisation of multilayer packaging solutions are positioned within the broader context of global trends in plastics and rubber technology.
The technical conference will run alongside the main Plastex 2026 exhibition in Cairo. Participation is possible with a complimentary conference pass made available by the organiser. Interested industry representatives can register in advance to attend the sessions and engage with the speakers on site during the four-day event.
