Global outlook and alliances: Ipack-Ima, mission ahead

The fair is just around the corner. Castelli ad: “Our goal is to reach an increasingly international audience”. The main event will celebrate the relationship between art and technology.

A vibrant, international, strongly business-focused trade fair. In a complex historical moment, it stands as a key forum for dialogue and exchange. A safe harbour. This is Ipack-Ima designed by CEO Simone Castelli. We meet him in Milan, at the offices of the fairgrounds, on an ordinary afternoon. The team organising the event is hard at work, clicking away at mice and keyboards, fine-tuning the final details. May is fast approaching: the fair will take place in Milan from the 27th to the 30th.

Castelli, shortly after the beginning of the year, the fair announced that exhibition space had already sold out. Are you satisfied?

“We’re very pleased. The sell-out at the beginning of the year surprised us, but not too much. We began working intensively right after the 2022 edition ended. We've had a presence at all the major international fairs, invested heavily in communication and marketing, and stayed consistently active on all fronts. One of the things we’re most proud of is the fact that a third of the exhibitors taking part in Ipack-Ima are from abroad. That's a direct result of the strategic outreach and communication efforts carried out by our marketing and sales teams. With such a positive response so far, we’re now called upon to deliver truly high-quality standards. It's up to us to ensure a wide-ranging, in-depth and international visitor turnout”.

International is the key word. Where do foreign exhibitors come from?

“We have foreign exhibitors from the United States and, of course, China, one of the world's major manufacturing hubs. Then there's a strong representation from Europe, including Germany, France, the Netherlands and Spain. We're also seeing a solid presence from Turkey, another significant player in technology production. It's a presence we can confidently describe as broad”.

You are now working full throttle to attract visitors from all over the world. What are your expectations, and what strategies are you adopting?

“Our expectations are to build on the success of the 2022 edition. That said, the trade fair industry is increasingly moving away from a ‘muscular’ logic made up only of numbers and placing greater emphasis on the quality and profile of the visitors it manages to engage. We have been working on this 'targeted engagement' strategy for some time, working closely with our exhibitors. Much of our effort has been concentrated on the European market, but also on the North African market and, more generally, on other countries within a three- to four-hour flight from Milan, which remains our main focus. For long-haul markets, however, we have partnered with ICE for the ‘hosted buyer’ program, and we expect around 400 buyers to be active on the platform. I encourage all our exhibitors to take advantage of this opportunity because a lot of work has gone into selecting the right profiles. We want Ipack-Ima to evolve into an increasingly integrated system that serves both visitors and exhibitors. We’re starting from a solid foundation – the brand is well-established and strongly positioned – but we have to also navigate this period of major transformation in the trade fair industry by effectively identifying market trends, seizing new opportunities and staying at the forefront of innovation. In this regard, our collaboration with UCIMA and its MECS study centre, which continuously provides us with valuable insights and data, is a significant advantage”.

What sets Ipack-Ima apart from other trade fairs in the industry?

“There are three key aspects I believe are worth highlighting. First: Ipack-Ima is a cross-sector platform that covers processing technologies, packaging and materials across multiple industries. We are fortunate to have UCIMA, the world's leading association of packaging technology manufacturers, constantly working alongside us ‘in house’: Ipack-Ima benefits from all its expertise and services. It is an enormous asset and one we must continue to invest in. The second point may seem intangible, but it’s extremely important – the fair's infrastructure and its location in Milan. In fact, we place great value on enhancing the overall experience of visiting the fair. Being in Milan is a clear advantage, not only because of its accessibility and international airports, but also because of everything the city has to offer beyond the fair itself. Third: the content. We have a scientific and technical committee chaired by engineer Luciano Sottile, a highly experienced professional with deep knowledge of the field and a strong sense of curiosity that has always driven this work. This committee is tasked with developing content that brings great value to our visitors”.

Can you tell us more about the content we’ll find at Ipack-Ima?

“We’re not quite ready to share the full programme, but I can tell you that the main event of the fair will take place on the 28th in the late afternoon. We have given it a bold and provocative name: ‘Avant-garde Visions’. It will be a two-hour event designed to spark discussion guided by a logic that we could call ‘visionary’. The goal is to bring together two themes that align with our motto, ‘The Art of Innovation’, namely art and technology. In fact, Italians are renowned for their ability to create technology that is not only efficient but also beautiful. This event will feature international speakers and discussions on the key economic and political trends shaping the years ahead. I’d also like to highlight another key event: the Pastaria Festival, which is dedicated to pasta and features world-class content. Grain-based food, as we know, is one of the cornerstones of Ipack-Ima. Last but not least, on the evening of the 30th, our friends from the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) will present their prestigious awards. Over the four days of the fair, thanks to this strategic alliance, we’ll be hosting 400 delegates from around the world”.

Economically and geopolitically, Europe is going through turbulent times. In moments like this—marked by uncertainty and rapid change—what can a fair offer?

“If a former ECB president like Mario Draghi says, ‘I don't know what’s best do to, but do something!’, then clearly we're not the ones to draw the roadmap for the future. It’s true that this is a scenario of uncertainty, and there are many causes for concern. I’m thinking in particular about tariffs and the evolving relationship with the United States, which remains the world's top destination for technology. Clearly, the U.S. will continue to be a key outlet market, but how will those relationships change? How much more complex will things become for exporters? And let's not forget that for us Italians, what we consider ‘close to home’ also includes areas like Ukraine and the Middle East, both of which are strategically important and currently facing a highly complex situation, to say the least. So, what can a trade fair do in times like these? In its own modest way, I believe it can offer a safe space, a place where people can come together, share ideas and do business. This is my hope for Ipack-Ima 2025: that it will serve as a moment of dialogue and reassurance for a market facing no small challenges.

We are talking about the future. How do you envision the coming years of Ipack-Ima?

“When I joined the company, there was a very clear business plan that basically revolved around three aspects: greater specialisation of our work, increased internationalisation, and a strong focus on strategic alliances. Let me start with the latter. Even though the Ipack-Ima brand is already well-established and widely recognised in the market, we see alliances, partnerships and friendships as essential to our future. Not surprisingly, the Ipack-Ima 2025 global pasta event was born from such an alliance. Today, going it alone gets you nowhere. That's why, for example, we have formed an alliance with UIV, the Italian Wine Union and owner of Simei. Starting in 2026, we’ll launch a new initiative together called Bevertech, an event dedicated to beverages and liquid foods, held alongside Simei. Equally significant is our global alliance with Informa. For a company like ours, highly specialised but relatively small, having the world's leading trade fair organiser as a partner is a great source of pride. A partnership like this also challenges us to raise our quality standards, but that doesn't worry us. We know we’re good, and we have the right professionals on our team to succeed. This opportunity places us on a multi-market, multi-sector platform that spans from the Philippines to Brazil, along with everything else we’ll be able to develop together. I believe – and I say this without arrogance – that Informa needs the vertical expertise that Ipack-Ima, UCIMA and Fiera Milano can offer in packaging, processing and materials. They have the market reach and presence, while we bring in-depth knowledge of the industry. This union, we hope for both sides, could lead to excellent results in the short and medium term”.