IPACK-IMA and MEAT-TECH 2018: Innovation, specialisation, excellence

• 1,503 exhibitor companies hosted in 9 halls, one extra hall with respect to the previous edition of the show, will display the latest technology in the field of processing and packaging;
• A showcase of innovation and excellence extending over a net exhibition space of 62,300 sqm (11% more than in 2015);
• Greater international scope with 37% foreign exhibitors and selected buyers from 45 countries;
• An aggregate turnover of 10.8 billion euros (generated by the packaging and processing machinery sectors).

From today until 1 June, the exhibitions IPACK-IMA and MEAT-TECH held in the Fiera Milano exhibition centre will be showcasing the latest innovations in the packaging and processing sectors, key areas of the Italian mechanical industry and world leaders in their respective fields. The aggregate turnover generated by sales of Italian food processing and packaging machinery amounts to 10.8 billion euros, 5.9% up on the previous year (final 2017 figures; source: IPACK-IMA based on ANIMA and UCIMA data).
With 1,503 exhibitors (9.6% more than at the previous show), including 37% foreign companies from 45 different countries (+17%), and a net exhibition space of 62,300 sqm (+11%) extending across nine halls, this year’s editions of IPACK-IMA and MEAT-TECH are the largest in their history. Professional visitors will have the opportunity to discover highly innovative and increasingly interconnected machinery and technologies developed as part of an Industry 4.0 vision with a focus on energy savings and efficiency, capable of producing packaging solutions with an original design that combine practicality with eco-sustainability and cost-effectiveness.
Thanks to the presence of top international brands and the leading Italian manufacturers who have returned to the event in its new form as a joint venture between Ucima (Italian Automatic Packaging Machinery Manufacturers’ Association) and Fiera Milano, the show will feature a wide range of offerings capable of giving participants a detailed picture of the represented industries.

THE INTERNATIONAL SCALE OF THE SHOW
This year’s event is expected to see an unprecedented level of international attendance. Alongside the thousands of international visitors arriving in Milan there will also be official delegations of top hosted buyers as part of the hosting programme organised by the Italian Trade Agency ITA. In recognition of the value, technological quality and international interest of the offerings on display, IPACK-IMA and MEAT-TECH along with the other exhibitions in The Innovation Alliance have been included in the special Italian trade fair promotion plan financed by the Italian Ministry for Economic Development through ITA.
The delegations come from a total of 45 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Central and South America, as well as the United States, China and India.
The largest delegation will consist of Indian buyers led by a senior official from the Indian Ministry of Food Processing with the aim of giving Indian buyers an overview of the latest technological innovations capable of driving the country’s industrial growth.

INNOVATIVE LAYOUT
One of the most distinctive new features of IPACK-IMA and MEAT-TECH is the exhibition layout consisting of halls predominately divided up according to the target markets and not just the type of technology on display, as is normally the case in trade fairs in the sector.
The aim is to facilitate the attendance of professional buyers keen to optimise the time they spend at trade fairs and to provide them with a wealth of targeted content. With this in mind, the visitor experience is further enhanced by the colour scheme chosen for the exhibition sections. Each business community is identified by a specific colour, guiding visitors from the exhibition centre entrance through the halls by means of signs, infographics and coordinated exhibits.
The leading Italian and international suppliers of technologies, materials and accessories for the pasta, bakery, milling and confectionary industries are hosted in halls 1 and 3.
In the adjacent halls (5 and 7), visitors can discover the latest new products for food processing and packaging, with particular emphasis on fresh & convenience food.
The offerings for non-food sectors, particularly cosmetics and industrial goods, are located in hall 4 along with the liquid filling segment, which is also well represented in the halls devoted to food industry technologies.
The showcased offerings include machinery, equipment and devices for a range of different product sectors. Technologies for labelling, coding & tracking are hosted in hall 14 while companies operating in the end-of-line stage are accommodated in halls 6 and 10, complemented by the products showcased at Intralogistica Italia, the event devoted to internal logistics organised by Deutsche Messe and Ipack-Ima.
IPACK-Mat, the new satellite show focusing on innovative materials and premium packaging, is making its debut at IPACK-IMA 2018 in hall 14 along with further thematic spaces and content devoted to smart packaging, eco-packaging and premium packaging.
Technologies, auxiliary equipment and ingredients for meat processing are on display at MEAT-TECH, the pre-eminent exhibition for the sector hosted in hall 2.
The range of exhibits is rounded off by numerous automation and robotic solutions showcased in the various halls by industry-leading companies capable of acting as digital partners in the transition towards the Smart Factory, a concept in which all elements in the line are interconnected so as to optimise and control every step in the production process.

THE CONFERENCES AND SIDE EVENTS
Alongside the wide range of exhibits, the show also has a packed programme of events and meetings.
Key topics explored in the IPACK-IMA and MEAT-TECH 2018 educational programme include the circular economy, sustainability, increasingly ergonomic and distinctive product design, anticounterfeiting and food safety. There will also be a focus on digitisation and issues relating to e-commerce.
In particular, IPACK-IMA will host an international conference at 10:00 am on 30 May discussing ways of fighting food waste in the context of the SAVE FOOD project organised by FAO and Messe Düsseldorf.
Another key event will be the 2nd PACKAGING & E-COMMERCE FORUM organised by IPACK-IMA and the Italian Electronic Commerce Consortium NETCOMM to present the results of the Netcomm & IPACK-IMA Monitor.
IPACK-IMA will once again host the presentation ceremony for the Best Packaging Awards, a contest organised by the Italian Packaging Institute for the best packaging solution designed or sold in Italy and exhibited during the recent Milan Design Week. The topics in the spotlight in 2018 are innovation and design.
Further initiatives will explore the ways in which packaging and processing technology meets manufacturers’ expectations, discuss new standards and bring together ideas and experiences in order to offer a comprehensive overview of the sector.
Numerous associations are contributing their expertise to the conference programme and have chosen IPACK-IMA and MEAT-TECH as the venues for their general meetings. These include AIDEPI (Italian Association of Confectionery and Pasta Industries), APPAFRE (Association of Italian fresh pasta producers), ANIMA (Federation of Italian Associations of Mechanical Engineering and Allied Industries), ASSOFOODTEC (Italian Association of Machinery and Plant Manufacturers for Food Production, Processing and Preservation), ASSICA (Association of Industrial Meat and Cold Cut Producers), and ITALMOPA (Italian Industrial Millers’ Association).
A FOCUS ON PREMIUM PACKAGING INNOVATION AT IPACK-Mat
A space devoted to premium packaging for cosmetics, food&beverage, confectionery, wine&liquor, nutraceuticals, decoration, smart packaging, protective packaging for special goods and eco-packaging solutions will be hosted in IPACK-Mat, a special section at IPACK-IMA 2018 devoted to innovative solutions for premium raw materials, components and packaging. The aim of this space is to offer a fresh, unconventional perspective on the consumption and use of products that customers are familiar with thanks to their protective packaging.
Hosted in hall 14, the IPACK-Mat section is organised in partnership with CONAI, a consortium of more than 850,000 packaging producers and users, and will serve as a meeting point for companies offering and searching for advanced solutions for packaging design and production. It is an area where visitors can gain an even more comprehensive and synergistic experience of the various production sectors making up the supply chain, presented here in an experimental form through highly innovative products.

THE INNOVATION ALLIANCE: THE POWER OF SYNERGY
IPACK-IMA and MEAT-TECH are part of The Innovation Alliance, which for the first time ever brings together IPACK-IMA, MEAT-TECH, PLAST, PRINT4ALL and INTRALOGISTICA ITALIA at the same time. Visitors from the various food and non-food sectors interested in the exhibited solutions will find a showcase of Italian and international technological excellence brought together at a single venue in keeping with a supply chain-oriented vision. Hosted sectors will include processing and packaging, plastics and rubber, industrial and commercial printing and customised packaging and labels, as well as the handling and warehousing of consumer goods. The project will extend across 17 exhibition halls, almost the entire Fiera Milano Rho exhibition centre.
The transversal nature of The Innovation Alliance has also inspired the opening event, which is common to all five exhibitions. It will see the participation of the institutions (management of Fiera Milano and representatives of local authorities, economic associations and the Italian employers’ federation Confindustria), but above all it will promote an open discussion between entrepreneurs on the changes to industrial activities brought about by the new Industry 4.0 model. The title “Driving The Change” is based on the assumption that the competitiveness and future of companies will depend on their ability to adapt to the new paradigms of production, business and communication. The event will be held at 11:00 am on 29 May in Sala Martini, Centro Congressi Fiera Milano.

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