Hyderabad, August 5, 2026: Telangana Minister for Information Technology, Electronics, Communications, Industries & Commerce D. Sridhar Babu will inaugurate HIPLEX 2026, South and Central India’s largest plastics exhibition and India’s third-largest plastics expo, at 11:30 am on August 7 at the HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad.
The four-day triennial event, organised by the Telangana and Andhra Plastics Manufacturers Association (TAAPMA), will run from August 7 to 10 across seven exhibition halls, spanning over 26,000 square metres. This edition is set to be the largest in HIPLEX’s history, with more than 550 exhibitors and over 55,000 business visitors expected from India and abroad.
Major participation and features
Exhibitors include around 160 companies from Gujarat, 110 from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and nearly 40 from China. The exhibition will feature live demonstrations of plastics processing machinery, moulds, raw materials, automation technologies, recycling systems, packaging innovations, specialty chemicals, and finished plastic products.
Entry to the expo is free for those registering online before August 7. From the inaugural day onwards, entry will require a ticket priced at ₹300 per person per day for on-site registrants.
Recycling Pavilion and sustainability focus
A key highlight of HIPLEX 2026 will be the Dedicated Recycling Pavilion, which will showcase the transformation of plastic waste into high-value products. Demonstrations will include converting 25 discarded PET bottles into a wearable T-shirt and displays of recycled plastic products such as roads, railway sleepers, bricks, benches, bus shelters, furniture, roofing materials, and houses. Global innovations like plastic houses, recycled plastic bridges, plastic boats, and bottle-to-fashion technologies will also be featured.
TAAPMA President Narendra Baldwa stated that the association, representing over 1,000 members for 55 years, has promoted technological advancement and sustainability in the plastics sector. Meela Jayadev, Convener of HIPLEX 2026, noted that India’s per capita plastic consumption is about 7 kg, compared to 24 kg in China, indicating significant growth potential. Jayadev also announced that school benches made from recycled plastic are expected to be introduced in Telangana soon.
Industry trends and advanced applications
Jayadev highlighted that India has constructed over one lakh kilometres of roads using waste plastic, utilising about one tonne of waste plastic per kilometre. He added that recycled plastic furniture can last 25 to 50 years and be recycled again, while advanced engineering plastics are increasingly replacing traditional materials in aerospace, defence, automobiles, electronics, and renewable energy. Modern medical-grade polymers are now used in artificial joints, cardiovascular devices, and next-generation artificial heart systems.
Other dignitaries expected at the inauguration include Krishna Aditya S., Special Secretary, Industries & Commerce, Government of Telangana; Arvind Mehta, Chairman, Governing Council, All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA); and Dr. Raju Desai, President, Plast India Foundation. Anil Reddy Vennam, Senior Vice President, AIPMA, welcomed the Government of India’s move to introduce ₹10 and ₹20 polymer banknotes, which are expected to enter circulation later this year, pending decisions by the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India.
Growth outlook and future technologies
Reddy said the first generation of polymer notes should be made from virgin polymer for quality and security, with future notes potentially incorporating recycled polymers. He also noted that India recycles nearly 40% of its plastics and that the industry is growing at 8–10% annually. The Government of India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework now mandates phased use of recycled plastic content in packaging, supporting a circular economy.
Reddy pointed to increased recycling of PET bottles into garments and furniture, with companies like Coca-Cola expanding collection and recycling initiatives. He said, “The future belongs to smart plastics, recyclable plastics and circular manufacturing.”
HIPLEX 2026 will also host technical conferences, knowledge sessions, and business networking events focused on new raw materials, emerging applications, sustainability, automation, and future technologies.
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