From South Africa to Vietnam, Italian packaging hits the road again

The Italian packaging machinery manufacturers are promoting Italian innovation at the exhibitions ProPak Africa and ProPak Vietnam.

South Africa followed closely by Vietnam are the next two stops in the Italian packaging industry’s tour of exhibitions held in markets with strong development potential.

They are respectively the fourth and fifth appointments since the beginning of January in the 2019 promotional programme coordinated by UCIMA (Italian Automatic Packaging Machinery Manufacturers’ Association) with the financial and operational support of the Italian Trade Agency ITA.

The first stop will be ProPak Africa (Johannesburg 12-15 March), the most important exhibition of packaging machinery and materials and food processing technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa. At the 2019 edition of the show, the Italian pavilion will host the companies Agriflex, Bonfiglioli, Gladi, Magic MP, MG2, R.Baldi, Siad Macchine Impianti and Sipa.

Following a slack period, South Africa’s economy appears to be recovering strongly, largely due to the government’s reforms. In 2017, Italy exported plant worth 43.2 million euros to South Africa (23.8% of the country’s total imports in the sector), establishing it as the second largest exporter country after Germany. According to figures for the first eleven months of 2018, South Africa ranks 33rd amongst all Italian export markets with a sales volume of 41.8 million euros (up 1.4% compared to the same period in 2017).

Then from 19 to 21 March, Ucima will head to the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center in Ho Chi Minh City for the exhibition ProPak Vietnam, which will host the widest range of technologies and integrated solutions for all segments of the packaging industry. A total of 11 sector companies will be exhibiting in the Italian pavilion: Arol, CFT Group, Gruppo Bertolaso, ISB Industries, Megadyne, PE Labellers, Penta, PFM, Sacmi, Tropical Food Machinery and Unifill.

As a gateway to the markets of Southeast Asia, Vietnam has seen more than a decade of steady economic growth and in 2017 imported packaging machinery worth a total of 261.5 million euros (up 27.3% on the previous year).

This included 28.2 million euros of Italian-made machinery (10.8% of the total), establishing Italy as the third largest exporter country to Vietnam after China and Germany. According to figures for the first eleven months of 2018, Vietnam is Italy’s 25th largest export market with sales of 54.3 million euros (up 111.4% compared to the same period in 2017). 

One of the key promotional initiatives planned for both shows is distribution of the magazine PackMedia Selection showcasing the very best of Italian-made design, materials and technologies.

Over the coming months Ucima will continue its international promotional efforts targeting other strategic markets including Egypt (Africa Food Manufacturing), Mexico (Expo Pack Guadalajara), Thailand (ProPak Asia), Myanmar (ProPak Myanmar), Nigeria (ProPak West Africa), the United States (ProPak Las Vegas), Peru (Expoalimentaria), Iran (Pack Process Teheran), China (Swop) and India (Pacprocess India).