According to estimates by the local trade association PAGEV, in 2024 the production volume of the Turkish plastics processing industry exceeded 10 million tons, with a value of close to 53 billion US$, of which 7 billion was destined for exports. The growth rate of the sector over the last ten years has exceeded that of the national GDP.
Packaging accounts for 40% of production, with domestic demand up six points in the first half of 2025. The second largest application sector for plastics is construction, which is also expected to grow this year at a rate of around +4%.
 |
According to calculations by the Amaplast Study Center - a trade association affiliated with CONFINDUSTRIA that brings together over 170 manufacturers - based on foreign trade data published by ISTAT, in the five-year period 2020-2024, the average growth in Italian exports of machinery, equipment, and molds for plastics and rubber to Turkey was +11%.
This excellent trend confirmed the country's position in the “top ten” destinations for Italian manufacturers' foreign sales, even though the first half of this year saw a sharp slowdown in flows compared to the same period in 2024.
It is worth noting that the majority of Italian supplies to Turkish converters consist of extrusion lines and related downstream equipment, as well as blow molding machines, i.e., high value-added systems, often customized to specific customer requirements.
However, despite the presence of a fairly significant Turkish manufacturing industry, less than a third of local technology demand is met internally and dependence on imports, at least as far as the most sophisticated machinery is concerned (primarily from Germany and Italy), remains high.
In this context, a dozen Italian companies are participating in the national pavilion coordinated for the first time by the trade association, covering an area of over 200 square meters. Numerous other Italian companies will participate independently or, above all, through the stands of their local agents or branches.
Once again, the Turkish exhibition will therefore be a showcase for Italian-made products in the sector, which ranks at the top of the world rankings of the leading countries manufacturing and exporting technology for plastics and rubber.
Furthermore, the Istanbul trade fair will also be an opportunity to present the 20th edition of PLAST-International Triennial Exhibition for the Plastics and Rubber Industry, the historic exhibition organized by Promaplast srl, the service company of Amaplast, which will take place in Milan from June 9 to 12, 2026, to the local and neighboring markets. Information on PLAST will be available at the relevant stand (n. 708B), also in hall 7.
