Innovation Alliance, Multiple Showcase to be Presented together with PLAST at Fiera Milano, May 29 to June 1st, 2018.

The Innovation Alliance, at Fiera Milano, 29th of May to the 1st of June 2018, will in fact bring together five specialised exhibitions that each represent leading events in their relative sectors. The project is promoted by Fiera Milano, which is committed to supporting the development of system events and industry trade fairs, understood as business tools, as well as growth opportunities for the individual sectors involved.

For the very first time, the following trade shows will be taking place simultaneously:

• PLAST, the main event of reference for the plastic and rubber industry;
• IPACK-IMA, the leading event for technologies in the processing and packaging industry;
• MEAT-TECH, the event specialised in processing and packaging for the meat industry;
• Print4All, the new format dedicated to the commercial and industrial printing industry;
• INTRALOGISTICA ITALIA, the event that combines innovative solutions and integrated systems destined for industrial handling, warehouse management, material storage and picking operations.

PLAST, the Main Event at Fiera Milano

PLAST, one of the world's top Trade Shows for the plastics industry, will be gathering leading providers of solutions for the plastics sector from May 29th to June 1st, 2018. 

Almost 800 exhibitors and 250 represented companies have confirmed their participation at PLAST 2018, covering around 95% of the available space, where visitors will have the opportunity to contact raw materials manufacturers, machinery manufacturers and technology and services providers  from more than 50 countries.

Industrial machinery in fact has a central role in many different yet complementary sectors and represents an important industry in Italy, which, according to the preliminary data for 2017, is worth 23.6 billion euros in terms of overall turnover and employs over 70,000 individuals. This said, industrial machinery constitutes, above all, a powerful driving force for ‘Made in Italy’ exports - i.e. created in Italy to be sold abroad - considering that an average of 70% of the technologies produced in these sectors is exported (sources: Italian Associations ACIMGA, AMAPLAST, ANIMA, ARGI and UCIMA). An essential industrial community that - owing to the offer provided by national and international leading brands - will be systematically on display for the first time at an event dedicated to the production chain as a whole.

To round out the technology and materials on display for the plastics and rubber sector (core and secondary machinery, equipment, auxiliary, moulds, virgin and recycled raw materials, semi-finish and finish products, services), PLAST 2018 will also feature three satellite fairs: RUBBER 2018 (in collaboration with ASSOGOMMA), 3D PLAST (3D printing and associated technologies), and PLAST-MAT (innovative materials). PLAST will thus represent the most important European date in 2018 for the plastics and rubber industry.

Innovation Alliance 

The Innovation Alliance will be an opportunity to share knowledge and strategies and confirm the cross-cutting nature of an innovative production chain that is increasingly looking towards the opportunities provided by Industry 4.0, so as to offer more added value for both the production sector that it serves and the end customer, the unknowing beneficiary of these organisations. A project that the Italian and international markets have welcomed with great enthusiasm, considering the significant numbers already achieved with over six months still to go until opening day: a total of 112,800 square metres and 1,662 direct exhibitors from 42 countries, with good prospects for growth in the coming months.

The Innovation Alliance will essentially occupy the entire area that constitutes the Fiera Milano exhibition district, representing the largest event dedicated to industrial machinery in Italy and one of the leading sector events in Europe. A highly interesting opportunity for industrial sector operators from all over the world. The specialised offering provided by the five events will be the focus of the exhibition project; however, there will of course also be opportunities for cross-cutting reflection as regards new materials, novel technologies and indispensable Research&Development opportunities to enable companies to continue to be competitive in today’s market.

The importance of these production sectors for Italy is demonstrated by the overwhelmingly positive forecasts for the year 2017. In fact, of the sectors represented by The Innovation Alliance, the industrial printing and converting machinery segment has seen growth of 13% and a turnover equivalent to 3.2 billion euros (source: Acimga and ARGI). The rubber and plastic processing machinery sector is worth 4.45 billion euros, representing a 5% increase in terms of turnover (source: AMAPLAST). The packaging and processing sector, with an overall value amounting to 10.8 billion euros, has seen a 5.9% increase in turnover (source: IPACK-IMA Research Centre derived from Ucima and ANIMA data). Even the internal logistics segment has seen growth of 4%, with an overall turnover equating to 5.2 billion euros (source: ANIMA)

For more information about PLAST 2018, please visit https://www.plastonline.org/en.