START PLAST has the objective of providing a seedbed for new projects in a venue where all the players necessary for launching a startup can be found and a very positive message can be sent out: it is still possible to do business in Italy. “Given the way the recession is dragging on and the serious difficulties that continue to plague all of Italian business, including the plastics and rubber industry,” stated Mario Maggiani, Managing Director of the organizer, Promaplast Srl, “we feel it is our duty to find a way to facilitate young entrepreneurs and the companies that represent our future

Italy's INglass Srl recently broke ground on its first facility in the US, which will be located in Byron Center, Michigan. INglass Srl, an Italian maker of molds for the plastics industry is investing $17.6 million in the West Michigan project and plans to employ 109 people over the next four years. Facility highlights The 45,000-square-foot facility, located at 920 74th St. SW in Byron Center, will house INglass’s HRSflow division, which manufactures hot runner systems for plastic injection molding. The facility will feature significant roof windows and natural daylight, and will also

ASSOCOMAPLAST, tthe Italian trade association belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups together some 165 makers of machinery, moulds and equipment for plastics and rubber, has produced its 2013 full-year forecast for the industry on the basis of foreign trade data for the first nine months of the year provided by ISTAT, Italy's National Institute of Statistics. The slight dip in exports (-2.8% with respect to January-September 2012) could be recovered in the fourth quarter thanks to the expected economic recovery, early signals of which have been noted recently by the CONFINDUSTRIA Research

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

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

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