Emilia Romagna, the Italian Silicon Valley of packaging

In 2018, for the first time in the history of Italy, the packaging sector has overcome 7 billion euros, three times more of the leading sector, ceramic, that has always ruled the market.

Is what emerges from a study of Ucima center, a Confindustria association gathering 250 Italian manufacturer companies specialized in packaging machinery, all located near Bologna, capital of Emilia Romagna, today called the “Packaging valley”. The region’s growth rates since the sovereign debt crisis have been the best in Italy. An area about the size of New Jersey with 4.4m inhabitants, it boasts not just IMA, but Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ducati, Datalogic, YOOX, Barilla, Furla, MaxMara, and Technogym. Adding Lombardy, Veneto and Piedmont, those regions together represent more than 80% of leaders in this sector: a concentration of enterprises specialized in the production of machines for food packaging (which represents 60%), pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging (25%), and the rest in the chemical industry, tobacco and other small industries.

“When manufacturing is related to sophisticated products with high-level growth, it rivals the phenomenon of Silicon Valley,” said Alberto Vacchi, chief executive and owner of the high-tech packaging company IMA that, with its 86% of sales from exports represents an example of the Italy that works, produces, gets things done.

Due to automation boom and contributes to 4.0 industry, packaging increased of an 8,9%, becoming one of the most dynamic sectors of the made in Italy and chasing Germany in the worldwide leadership: export — above all to Europe, Asia, and North America — is 79% of the total and increased of a 7,5% while the internal market reached 1 and a half billion, with a jump of 14,4%.

Packaging is a sector in constant evolution and Italy is really making the difference: Italian manufacturers, thanks to their great flexibility, are able to offer personalized machines that are suitable for every need, with high quality and high-tech solutions and an excellent after-sales service.