Processing and packaging: information and innovation on show

Ipack-Ima, 29 May - 1 June 2018, Fiera Milano

There is still plenty of interest in the 24th edition of IPACK-IMA, the event dedicated to processing and packaging technologies for the food and non-food sectors: with more than a year to go until the 2018 edition, 60% of available exhibition space has already been reserved.

The plan developed by the group of companies represented by Ucima and Fiera Milano has consolidated the interest of the market, which appreciates the format combining a vertical offer with an effective organization of the exhibition layout according to “customer sectors”, defined through eight business communities (Food, Fresh & Convenience; Confectionery; Beverage; Pasta, Milling & Bakery; Industrial & Durable Goods; Health & Personal Care; Chemicals Industrial & Home; Fashion & Luxury).

The Innovation Alliance
Another distinguishing feature of Ipack-Ima 2018 is its central position in the Innovation Alliance, a project that brings under one umbrella five instances of Italian and international fair excellence (Ipack-Ima, Meat-Tech, Plast, Print4all and Intralogistica Italia) and which will bring to Milan an entire technology value chain, from processing of plastics and rubber to processing and packaging, and from industrial and commercial printing to graphic personalization of packaging and labels, as well as shipping and storage of goods. This background confirms the international scope of Ipack-Ima as a major processing and packaging event, one capable of arousing the interest of Italian and international business and distribution.

Promoting technology, materials and culture
In addition to a review of the latest technology, the support of numerous partner associations will enable Ipack-Ima 2018 to offer opportunities for enlightening attendees on the specific culture of the processing and packaging industries.
Platforms at the event will be dedicated to topics including security and anti-counterfeiting, quality assurance and traceability in the food and non-food sectors, industry 4.0, sustainability and the circular economy.

For the first time at Ipack-Ima, a space will also be dedicated to luxury packaging, a sector enjoying robust growth and one which requires increasingly original and advanced solutions, such as those that will be the focus of Innovative Material Solutions 2018, promoted by Ipack-Ima and Plast in partnership with Material ConneXion Italia. That event will feature raw materials, semi-processed goods and packaging components with high value-added and creative containers, which are sure to strongly appeal to operators’ strategic R&D and marketing functions. In order to provide an exhaustive overview that appropriately reflects the various product types represented, the initiative will be divided into two areas located at the center of the Rho-Pero fair district for strategic proximity to the two target fairs: Plast-Mat and Ipack-Mat.

Communication: live, on paper, online and through social media
Ipack-Ima has many aces up its sleeve in order to promote its image and contents among potential exhibitors and buyers across the globe: Fiera Milano’s commercial network spanning 40 countries, partnerships with over 300 associations of technology users in the primary industrial markets, on the ground presence at numerous events (from Vietnam’s Propak to Algeria’s Djazagro and from Propak Asia in Bangkok to RosUpack in Moscow, but also fairs in the United States, Myanmar, Indonesia, Kenya and Nigeria).
As previously reported by this publication, a multi-pronged communication campaign (both on and off the web) kicked off in late 2016, with features in 120 specialist magazines and sector web portals, both in Italian and international.
The active involvement of prospects is guaranteed by a monthly newsletter with news and information on events and the market, and through a social media campaign. Ipack-Ima 2018’s LinkedIn profile and groups targeting specific business communities (in which users can connect to share opinions and build business opportunities) will be joined by the recent Twitter handle @ipackima2018 and the hashtag #ipackima2018, as well as a Google+ profile and the Facebook page “Ipack-Ima 2018”.