Parma & its enterprises

RUBBER AND PLASTICS

Rubber and Plastics

P lastics and rubber are chemistry- generated materials, even if rubber latex was brought from the New World by Christopher Columbus himself. Its first industrial applications, and the related chemical processes, date back to the end of the XIXth Century. The first plastics arose in the same period; in the beginning, they were processed from natural materials; later they have more and more come from synthetic polymers. In Parma and its environs, the activities connected with the plastics and rubber sector began during the 1960s. This sector, which has enjoyed a period of growth in recent years, includes leading companies involved in the production of containers in fiberglass- reinforced plastics, polyvinyl laminates, foam

polystyrene containers and packaging, trucks body and refrigerator shells. Researching and developing new technologies and polymeric compounds is a staple for these companies. Very important in the plastics sector is a medium- sized company active in manufacturing disposable tableware, whose production amounts to several billion pieces distributed by its branch offices in leading countries in Europe and throughout the world. All companies involved in the plastics sector in the province are committed to aqualityapproach as seen in their production of non-toxic, 100% recyclable materials that respect the environment.

47