To put on an in-person live show in a “not so east moment” when the industry and global economy are still recovering required courage from the Ipack-Ima organizers and the Italian industry hosts in Milan from 3 to 6 May 2022. Overcoming the ambiguities of the Covid-19 pandemic which seemed to be ending but could have again disrupted the exhibition, and also to meet the challenges of overseas travel and their safety at the show was also a challenge. Overall it was a very positive result for the rich combination of activities and sectors of industry who could cooperate and consolidate their interests to make it joint event.
The life sciences market also played a significant role at this edition of Ipack-Ima, with Pharmintech organised by Ipack-Ima thanks to the agreement signed with Bologna Fiere Group. Specialized in process and packaging solutions for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, the simultaneity was a further example of synergy between complementary industrial sectors and helped to consolidate visitors at a time when trade exhibitions are still restarting and finding their place in the calendar amongst global industry visitors with a variety of apprehensions about the need to travel.
Photo Ipack-Ima
“Pharmintech has complemented the technological proposal of Ipack-Ima 2022, which represents an industrial excellence that is not always adequately exploited in Italy,” said Valerio Soli, president of Ipack-Ima. “With more than 8 billion Euro in total turnover and exports exceeding 70%, our sector can rightly be considered one of the country’s locomotives. It is no coincidence that the exhibitors gave life to a lively event, rich in ideas and extraordinary for networking and business opportunities. With the awareness that we have overcome a certainly not easy moment and thanks to the success of this edition, we have already set the dates for the next Ipack-Ima, scheduled from 27 to 30 May in 2025.”
The live return of Ipack-Ima, the first international exhibition for the processing and packaging sector in 2022, represented the synthesis of the best technological solutions in terms of research and innovation. Many solutions developed over several years were finally unveiled at Fiera Milano to an international audience that responded well in terms of their investment demands.
Photo Ipack-Ima
The exhibition model is based on a combination of related disciplines, applications and business ecosystems, that often overlap in their use of technologies and objectives in terms of efficiency, sustainability and the need to reduce their carbon footprint. In addition the international cross-fertilization of demand and technology are necessary to create wider understanding, solutions and markets.
Sustainability and digitalisation are the macro-trends that were confirmed by the resumption of Ipack-Ima, where, it is said, over 2,000 product and process innovations in the food and non-food sectors were presented.
Content and innovation also featured in the more than 25 update and networking events, including the international forum Packaging Speaks Green, which took stock of the green revolution in the packaging industry, the Best Packaging innovation awards and the World Star Awards, the most important international contest for the industry, as well as the Ipack-Ima Smart Factory and Ipack-Ima Digital, which evoked a futuristic manufacturing experience for visitors.
The Ipack-Mat showcased all packaging materials with over 180 exhibitors and a special area dedicated to smart and eco-design-inspired packaging in cooperation with Conai, Ipack-Mat’s main partner and a key player in the circularity paradigm.
Italian industrial tradition
“Observing the stands of our exhibitors animated by visitors from all over the world, motivated to request information on innovative technologies, present their projects and discuss production needs for food, beverage, confectionery, pasta, but also for chemical-pharmaceutical products, industrial and durable goods, is of great satisfaction for us,” said Rossano Bozzi, CEO of Ipack Ima. “Considering the path that brought us to the show, Ipack-Ima went beyond our best expectations with 1,166 exhibitors, 24% of whom were from abroad, 59,837 professional operators visiting from over 122 countries, and almost 400 accredited international trade journalists, we can say that we have achieved an important result in terms of innovation, sustainability, business opportunities and technology transfer, in line with Ipack-Ima’s mission which, let’s not forget, is rooted in the Italian industrial tradition. We have been catalysing the creativity and innovation of our exhibitors since the 1960s, to push the market towards solutions that are always cutting-edge and able to anticipate trends, responding to the needs of constantly evolving customers all over the world.”
Ipack-Ima will once again be part of The Innovation Alliance project in 2025 at Fiera Milano simultaneously as Print4All, GreenPlast and Intralogistica Italia to represent the entire production chain in a single event with strong international appeal.
