Italian machinery firms prepare for Plastimagen 2026

Thirty-two companies will participate in the Italian pavilion at Plastimagen 2026, scheduled to take place in Mexico City from 10 to 13 November 2026. Coordinated by the trade association Amaplast, the pavilion will cover more than 700 square metres in the centre of Pavilion D at the Banamex Exhibition Center. Exhibitors will include Amut, Bausano & Figli, BDL, BG Plast Impianti, BMB, Borghi, Colines, Frigosystem, Gavo Meccanica, Gefit, Giurgola Stampi, HT-Cooling, IPM, Itib Machinery International, Magic MP, Moretto, Moss, OMG srl, Omipa, Pegaso Industries, Plas Mec, Plastiblow, Previero-Sorema, Sica, Syncro, Tecnowerk Plast and Tria. Pegaso Industries will present Blauwer, Ergomec, PET Solutions and Plastic Systems. Numerous other Italian companies will attend through the stands of local agents or subsidiaries.

Mexico's economic landscape showed both positive and negative developments during 2026. Following a decline in the first quarter, the trend reversed, and the latest forecasts estimate gross domestic product growth of 1.5% in 2026 and 1.8% in 2027. The outlook for the plastics industry varies by application. Food packaging, medical products, electronics and selected industrial products continue to show relatively solid prospects. The automotive sector, however, is more exposed to trade tensions with the United States and the revision of the USMCA, known in Mexico as T-MEC. Mexico produced 3.95 million light-duty vehicles in 2025, 0.9% fewer than in 2024. During 2026, exports from this sector were affected by new US tariff measures and discussions concerning rules of origin.

Plastics industry and circular economy legislation

According to the trade association ANIPAC, Mexico's plastics industry comprises more than 6,000 companies and provides over one million direct and indirect jobs. Its output represents more than 3% of manufacturing GDP. ANIPAC estimates that the industry could grow by 2.5% in 2026, although this will depend on the outcome of the USMCA negotiations and the country's ability to strengthen its domestic market.

Another important factor is the new Ley General de Economía Circular, introduced on 19 January 2026. The legislation is intended to extend product service life, recover and reuse materials, and reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill through the development of products based on circular design principles.

The new rules are expected to gradually increase demand for recycling technologies, efficiency improvements, automation and recycled material processing. They may also support the production of goods that use less material. Investment is therefore expected to focus not only on expanding production capacity, but also on modernising facilities and advancing the circular economy.

Mexico remains a major machinery market

In 2025, Mexico remained the world's fourth-largest importer of plastics and rubber machinery, with imports valued at more than EUR 2.44 billion. Domestic raw material consumption reached nearly 7.6 million metric tonnes, while forecasts indicate that demand could exceed 8.2 million metric tonnes by 2029.

Mexico has been one of the more promising markets for Italian-made plastics and rubber machinery, equipment and moulds for several years. In 2024, at the end of four years of strong growth, Italian machinery exports reached a record value of approximately EUR 230 million, with a significant proportion accounted for by high-value-added core machinery.

In 2025, Mexico represented 4.55% of total Italian sector exports, with a value of EUR 155 million, and ranked sixth among export destinations. In the Americas, it was the second-largest trading partner for Italian manufacturers after the United States.

Support for entry into the Mexican market

In 2025, Amaplast launched a market outreach project to support member companies seeking to enter or strengthen their presence in Mexico. The initiative was developed with UCIMU-Sistemi per Produrre, the association of machine tool manufacturers.

The project includes a desk named "Oficina de Promoción México, Amaplast-UCIMU". Its role is to assist companies interested in expanding their activities in Mexico, connect them with local businesses and support the association's promotional activities.