Gifasp: 42° National Conference

The customary annual meeting of the Gruppo Italiano Fabbricanti Astucci Pieghevoli (Association of Italian Folding Cases Producers) was held on 23 and 24 June 2023 in Torgiano (PG): around eighty participants coming from the associated companies for the event focusing on the ecological transition and on new packaging regulations.

At National Conference number 42, GIFASP (the specialisation Group of Assografici that brings together producers of folding cardboard cases and boxes) focused attention on the green transition business and on the new legislation on the horizon: a stimulating and constructive occasion for the Group made up of personal exchanges and discussions on the most topical issues for the sector.

This year, the Conference was preceded by a visit to the factory of the associated company, Tecnocarta, an innovative paper-converting enterprise based in Umbria. The proceedings of the conference were then opened on the afternoon of Friday 23 June by the GIFASP President, Alessandro Tomassini who, after the official welcome and the presentation of the programme for the two days and the speakers, awarded a commemorative plaque to the paper-converting company, IPI, based in Arzano (Seda Group) in recognition of its 25 years’ membership of Gifasp.

Moving on to the topics covered, Horst Bittermann, Director General of Pro Carton (European association of paper and cardboard producers) first focused on the green transition concept in the world of packaging as perceived by consumers emerging from a recent survey carried out on Italian attitudes. He then analysed the potential impacts of the Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), both from the environmental point of view of CO2 consumption and from the point of view of the European pulp packaging industry.

The talk by Renato Somekh, Stora Enso Italia, in line with this theme, then focused on the Green Deal, as well as on the limitations and conditions to be complied with for the PPWR.

Peter Andrich, CEO of Koenig & Bauer IT, presented the German group’s projects in progress on the green transition theme, specifically, regarding three aspects: Koenig & Bauer’s main production site in Germany, its distribution site in Italy and the technologies supporting the ecological transition developed on various printing machines.

The conclusion of the Conference in the morning of Saturday 24 June was devoted to a stimulating round table moderated by Stefano Lavorini, Director of ItaliaImballaggio, which saw the participation of various operators: the associative world represented by Maurizio D’Adda, Director General of Assografici, the paper-converting world represented by Alessandro Lazzarini of Tecnocarta and Fabrizio Volpe of Seda International Packaging Group, the world of users represented by Giorgio Boccardo of Pharma Partners and, finally, the world of mass retail represented by Luciano Villani of Coop Italia. During the debate, important topics such as sustainability, ethics,