Ipack-Ima: Milan show attracts record number of international buyers

5 March 2012


Saturday, March 5, marked the last day of Ipack-Ima, the three-yearly exhibition of machinery, technology and materials for processing, packaging and material handling, held in Milan, Italy. As one of the leading packaging industry trade shows in Europe, 60% of visitors came from the established countries of Europe, but there was a remarkable increase in international buyers from emerging countries (40%).

Total visitors exceeded 54,000; 25% were from outside of Italy and particularly from Asia, Africa and the Americas. “The Fieramilano exhibition halls hosted 1,300 companies, 35% of which from 35 countries around the world. The atmosphere was optimistic,” says Ipack-Ima CEO Guido Corbella. “Exhibitors’ high satisfaction rates result from the massive flow of international visitors, who exceeded all expectations in terms of qualification and professionalism.”

“What we are most proud of,” he adds, “ is to have enabled our exhibitors to get ample return on their participation investment and establish important business partnerships.”

At the global level, one more success reaped by the exhibition is the agreement whereby IPACK-IMA is the ambassador for the Expo 2015 theme ‘Feed the Planet, Energy for Life’ at major global trade shows. Expo 2015 is a non-commercial universal exposition organised by the nation that wins the candidature, with other countries participating through the diplomatic channels of the hosting nation. The next EXPO will be staged in Milan, Italy, from May to October 2015. The 2015 edition of the packaging exhibition has been rescheduled for May in order to overlap it with the global event, which will draw millions of people from all over the world to Milan.

Ipack-Ima’s also has an agreement with UNIDO (the UN agency for industrial development) and the East African Community, which in 2014 will give rise to the first food packaging and processing exhibition in East Africa. The agreement was announced during the international conference “Enhancing Food Safety and Food Security in Africa”.

Africa is leader in food production, holds 60% of the world’s unfarmed land and has been least affected by soil pollution. These three conditions make it the world region with the highest agricultural growth potential over the next years. Africa thus has the chance to provide food and bio-energy for the entire planet. However, this goal can be achieved only through the use of technology and management approaches that reduce waste and increase productivity, currently only available in the West.

“We are the first to appreciate the huge potential of the African market and we are proud of this agreement, which will contribute to Africa’s sustainable growth and will bring substantial benefits to all parties involved.” concludes Corbella.




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