Press releases

Closing press release
march 31st 2009

COSMIC EVENT: SIGNS OF RECOVERY FOR THE ITALIAN INDUSTRY
125.000 visitors at IPACK-IMA, Grafitalia and Converflex 2009

Milan, March 31st 2009 – The “Cosmic Event” was a fire success. The doors closed on IPACK-IMA, Grafitalia and Converflex at fieramilano exhibition center after five intensive days. The result is far better than the most optimistic expectations, both in terms of quantity and quality of visitors.

Approximately 2100 exhibitors covered a 90.000 square meter area; 125.000 trade buyers visited the exhibitions, many of whom coming from international countries, bearing testimony to the strong orientation towards exports of the top Italian industry. IPACK-IMA records 25% of international visitors over a total of 54.000, while international attendance was 11% for Grafitalia over 38.000 visitors and 20% for Converflex over 33.000 visitors.

“We are extremely pleased with the outcome of the exhibitions. – says Ipack-Ima spa and Centrexpo spa CEO Guido Corbella. – The results allow for a level of confidence unthinkable before the Cosmic Event, and should infuse some optimism in the national economy since packaging and printing affect the entire productive system. Many exhibitors, especially from the food segment, report to have acquired new business, which is something that had not happened in exhibitions in a long time.”

This bears testimony to the figures reported by the Ipack-Ima research center upon the opening of the exhibitions as a result of the Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) data processing: in 2008 Italy exported food processing machinery for a total value of 1.068 million euros and imported for only 120 million euros; exports of packaging and labelling machinery amounted to 3.755 million euros while imports only to 376 millions, clearly showing Italy’s leading role on the global market.
Similarly, Acimga (the industrial association representing machinery manufacturers for the graphic, paper, converting industry and related) also reports encouraging figures: Istat data processing shows that the Italian graphic and converting industry exports amounted to 1.444 million euros in 2008.

“These industries and exhibitions – said Under-secretary to Economic Development Adolfo Urso during the official opening ceremony – are key to the economic recovery process.”

The Cosmic Event also included several meetings and round-table discussions; an outstanding example is the conference “More technology, safety and quality, less hunger” involving some authoritative UN agencies and a public of international delegates and entrepreneurs.

For further information:

ORGANIZER :

CENTREXPO SPA
Maria Grazia Facchinetti
Marketing & Communication Manager
Tel. +39.02. 3191091- fax +39.02. 33619826
e-mail: centrexpo@centrexpo.it ; web: www.centrexpo.it


Back to the Press Release Index