During a recent exclusive interview with Dr. Giorgio Colombo, President of Italy's ASSOCOMAPLAST, the national association for plastics and rubber processing machinery and mold manufacturers' association, he shared his thoughts and insights on the industry's transitional period experienced in 2013, current and future challenges faced by manufacturers and a clear outlook for 2014. President, do you feel that 2013 may be considered a year with more light or more shadow for the Italian plastics and rubber machinery industry? I think that 2013 is a year of transition after strong growth in 2011

CECIMO, the European Association of the Machine Tool Industry and EMO exhibition brand owner, has signed an agreement with the German machine tool builders' association (VDW) and Fondazione UCIMU (the operating structure of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, the association of Italian manufacturers of machine tools, robots, and automation systems) to agree the schedule and location for the next six editions of the EMO trade show. The EMO fair program to 2017 is: 2017: Hanover – Germany 2019: Hanover – Germany 2021: Milan – Italy 2023: Hanover – Germany 2025: Hanover – Germany 2027: Milan – Italy In

Italy's ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, has realized the " Sustainable Technologies" project. It is an effort to promote growth within the textile industry with a focus on new production models and efficient processes from an energy standpoint. Reducing the industry's environmental impact, the Italian textile machinery sector is working to provide technology solutions that place reduced consumption in energy, water and chemical products at the center of the production process - allowing for a manufacturing cycle that is more responsible and mindful of

The performance of the Italian industry of printing and converting machinery shows overall stability. This was revealed by the quarterly qualitative survey carried out by ACIMGA, the Confindustria association of companies operating in the industry. The analysis registered members’ sentiment in the third quarter of 2013 and outlines forecasts for the year’s end. On the domestic revenues front 50% of companies sampled for the survey stated that the quarter under analysis closed off with a generally stable performance, in line with the expectations produced by the previous quarterly study. The

The first edition of MECHA-TRONIKA, the fair of intelligence for the industrial production recently completed its successful run October 23-26 at the Fiera Milano trade show center in Milan, Italy. MECHA-TRONIKA is a premier show dedicated to the systems and technologies able to optimize the machines, processes and systems management. Organised by EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE and FIERA MILANO, MECHA-TRONIKA is promoted by the official representatives of the sectors on display: AIDAM, Italian association of automation and mechatronics; ASSODEL, national association of electronic suppliers

The analysis by Assocomaplast, the Italian trade association, belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups together some 160 manufacturers of plastics and rubber processing machinery) of the latest ISTAT, the Italian National Institute of Statistics, figures for Italian foreign trade shows that, in the first half of 2013, imports in the sector were somewhat weak compared to the same period in 2012 whereas exports held relatively firm, as summarized in Table 1. The downturn in imports is a symptom of a domestic market that still struggles to recover. However, a potentially promising sign, on this

After a still-positive trend in January and February (in the wake of the +5.9% result at the end of 2012), the first quarter of 2013 instead closed with a downturn for Italian exports of plastics and rubber processing machinery, according the Italian National Institute of Statistics - ISTAT figures processed by Assocomaplast (the Italian trade association belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups together some 165 manufacturers). In fact, foreign sales in this sector fell 4% compared to January-March 2012, set against a 9-point drop in imports. The result is on the whole not surprising, given

Milan, June 18th 2013 – Marco Calcagni (Omet) is the new President of ACIMGA for the two-year period 2013-2014. Elected during the General Member Assembly that took place today in Milan, Calcagni will be flanked by Vice-President Aldo Peretti (Uteco Converting) and by the following offices: Board of Directors Ugo Barzanò, past president (IMS Deltamatic), Silvana Canette past president (Flexotecnica), Felice Rossini past president (Rossini), Daniele Barbui (ACE di Barbui Davide&Figli), Alberto Brivio (BP Agnati), Giovanni Cama (Cason), Alfredo Cerciello (Nordmeccanica), Costanza Cerutti

On 6 June 2013, at Verdellino-Zingonia, CESAP hosted the annual meeting of Assocomaplast (the Italian trade association belonging to Confindustria, which groups together some 160 manufacturers of machinery, moulds and equipment for plastics and rubber). The association's president, Giorgio Colombo, opened his presentation by confirming the dates of the upcoming PLAST trade show, which is organised by Promaplast srl, Assocomaplast's commercial company, and will be held in Milan May 5-9 2015. This means that the three-yearly international plastics and rubber industry event will be opening its

Machines Italia NAFTA will be one of the presenters during the June 11th Conference / Seminar entitled Business in the US: Do Right, Do It Now held onsite during the Italian Packaging Machinery Show: Packology 2013 in Rimini (June 11-14, 2013). Machines Italia representatives from the Chicago Office of the Italian Trade Commission (ITC) will present the numerous and beneficial tools available to Italian packaging machinery manufacturers, offered by the ITC to Italian companies looking to enter or reinforce their presence in the US market. Scheduled attendence number is to be over 100