IPACK-IMA: Packaging bravissimo!

More than 1,200 exhibitors, one-fourth of them from countries other than Italy, have bought space at the IPACK-IMA 2006 show at Milan's new Fieramilano Center. Next year's show layout has been redesigned around production cycles for specific industries. For beverage (Bevertech), as an example, the area is integrated with exhibits for packaging, materials, components, labeling, traceability and industrial logistics. Other thematic areas at the show include packaging, grain-based foods, materials and solutions for packages, labeling and material handling.

IPACK-IMA will be co-located with Plast, the international exhibition for plastic and rubber industries. Between the two shows, about 3,500 exhibitors are expected, as well as 100,000 visitors—45,000 of them at the packaging show. Approximately 25 percent of the show's visitors are from countries outside Italy. Co-location of these two shows is enabled by the completion of the very large, new exhibition site in Rho-Pero, just outside of Milan.

According to Guido Corbella, managing director for the show, the European Union is a large market for packaging. Twenty-five EU nations consume $7.1 billion [USD] in packaging equipment annually. Italy itself accounts for 10 percent of the European consumption.

A breakdown of exhibitors shows 57 percent in technologies and accessories for processing and packaging; 33 percent in materials, logistics, labeling and coding; and 10 percent in machinery components. Target markets, in order of size, include food, nonfood consumer goods, grain-based foods and chemical/pharmaceutical products.

The Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute will sponsor a pavilion for North American exhibitors.

For information, visit www.ipack-ima.com call 39 02-3191091 or e-mail [email protected].