In a few weeks, some of my colleagues and I will head to Orlando for NPE 2018, The Plastics Show. The triennial exhibition already is reportedly the largest ever, according to the show producer, The Plastics Industries Association. The technical conference encompasses a broad swath of topics, including 3D printing, plastics recycling, molding technologies and sustainability. Two tracks - those on plastics industry insights and a plastics leadership summit - will attempt to divine how the forces affecting the plastics industry may shape it in the future. Certainly, by looking at what we already know, taking cues from related industry sectors and consumer trends, and after reflecting on any historical insights, one can draw educated predictions. I am'particularly looking forward to an industry panel with speakers from Boeing, Abbott Laboratories, PepsiCo and John Deere, which will share what leaders at those at industry front-runners expect from the plastics industry in the coming years.
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