The industry at the time of Ipack-Ima 2018

The signs revealed showing a good run of the packaging and food processing sector are consolidating, thanks to the reinforcement of the growth dynamic across the entire sector (suppliers of technology, materials and services associated with activities of processing and packaging food and other products, and the users of these products and services).

Bolstered hence by the figures and by good expectations for the future, Italian operators in the materials and packaging and process machinery sector have created the 2018 edition of Ipack-Ima and Meat-Tech (Fiera Milano, Rho, 29 May- 1 June): a comprehensive event in terms of format and contents, also in virtue of the contiguity of the set of fairs that go to make up the bone structure of the Innovation Alliance (Print4All, Plast, Intralogistica Italia).
To those who have chosen to show technology and skills live for the occasion, we asked them for the reasons behind their choice.
But we also asked them to more broadly reflect on the moment in time which we are experiencing, aiming at sharing an approach to entrepreneurship that, given the results of the most recent studies, still seems to be positive.
We hence decided to repropose a “collective” reflection by way of a survey online focussed on “The industry at the time of Ipack-Ima”.
We thank all those who took part in the undertaking, with which we wished to offer an updated scenario of the market and the general feelings as to the same.
Once again we focused on the value of the tradition of Italian manufacturing, the good and concrete business administration, the contribution that research and technology offer for the success of a product, without obviously overlooking what it means to live and operate in a global market.
Published in the various sections of the magazine, you will find product news. By Luciana Guidotti

Food for thought, posed in the form of questions

With the aim of facilitating the reading of this article, we have summarized the trends expressed by the operators. As a complement, we propose
a series of charts with aggregate data based on the answers and the technological information that were sent in to us to round off the survey “The Industry at the time of Ipack-Ima 2018 by ItaliaImballaggio”.

The value of a fair
Table 1. What does it mean to participate today in a fair like Ipack-Ima?
• Testify ones own vitality to the market (the important thing is being there) • Introduce new products • Consolidate existing relations • Acquire new customers • Contact distributors • Monitor the technological development of the sector.

In addition to being generally considered a good place to verify already consolidated relationships, only a minority of respondents said they had used the event to “study the competitors” and their development, as well as to embark on the search for possible distributors.

Doing business today: strategies for the future
Table 2. What strategies have you fielded to win the globalization game?
• Development of new products with a view to Industry 4.0, sustainability, etc. • Investments in human resources and new professional skills • Expansion of the type of offer • Internal • Optimization of manufacturing activities • Focus on the quality and certification of products and services • Increase in sales on international markets • Productive and commercial partnerships • Qualification and articulation of customer services • Exploration of new commercial channels (e-commerce, etc.) • Redesign of the organizational model • Dimensional growth by external means (buy-ups) • Contracts of business networks • Delocalization of production.

First of all, a figure already registered in our previous surveys has been confirmed: Italians say they do not want to take production elsewhere. They continue to express a moderate interest in starting up business networks or growing externally, while about half of respondents believe it is important to grow internally. Hence, the great attention to research, decisive factor in qualifying both the offer of advanced technological products (preferably new) and services, which must always be more extensive and specific. It goes without saying, therefore, to develop here it is necessary to invest generously in human resources and new professional skills.

The market: initial results and forecasts
Table 3. 2017 balance sheet and forecasts
• Has the turnover in 2017 increased compared to 2016? • Will 2018 see a growth in turnover? •Will Ipack-Ima + Meat-Tech be a development driver for your business? •To date, are orders higher than in the same period of 2017? •Have margins in 2017 improved? • In 2018 will your company be taking on new people? • Does you company plan to make partnership agreements (commercial, manufacturing, etc.) in 2018 ? • Have export trends in 2017 proven to be more dynamic compared to domestic demand? • In 2018 will your company be making buy-ups in the sector?

Positive perceptions regarding the various indicators for almost all operators: not only has turnover in 2017 increased for 93% of respondents, but everybody believes that figures will improve further in 2018, thanks to orders that have already been taken and margins reconquered. And if the perception of Ipack-Ima as a growth driver has been confirmed by 92% of respondents, 42% of operators believe that internal market dynamics have expressed a better potential than exports.
Good news also on the employment front, given that, for the current year, about 80% of the companies involved in the survey indicate they will be hiring more people. Finally, more than half of the responses indicate the possibility of entering into commercial and productive agreements and partnerships, while a minimal percentage express the intention of making buy-ups.
 
The competition
Table 4. Finally, the ritual question: what do you have to offer over and above your international competitors? (Multiple responses)
• The brand value • The “typical” nature of interpersonal relations • the strength of leading edge technological knowhow • A cost-effective quality/price ratio • A high capacity to customize the offer • A superior level of post sales service

According to our Survey, Italians continue to be “masters” of customisation for 80% of respondents, a feature also bolstered by advanced technical knowledge: added values these, which continue to make the difference on the international market, where the “inexpensiveness” factor turns out to be less of a key issue.
The “Italic” ability to establish lasting interpersonal relationships, which is also reflected in the care of the after-sales service (52.5%), and the value of the brand remain among the best assets of Italian companies.