In December 2012, Italy's trade association, ASSOCOMAPLAST started to take part in the InnoREX Project along with the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT, Pfinztal (Germany), a project which is funded by the European FP7 Program. Along with ASSOCOMAPLAST, the project consortium consists of twelve partners, including seven enterprises, two research centers and two universities. With the help of alternative energies such as ultrasound, laser light or microwave energy, dynamic control of the reaction and the resulting molecular structure of the polymer within a commercial co-rotating

START PLAST has the objective of providing a seedbed for new projects in a venue where all the players necessary for launching a startup can be found and a very positive message can be sent out: it is still possible to do business in Italy. “Given the way the recession is dragging on and the serious difficulties that continue to plague all of Italian business, including the plastics and rubber industry,” stated Mario Maggiani, Managing Director of the organizer, Promaplast Srl, “we feel it is our duty to find a way to facilitate young entrepreneurs and the companies that represent our future

World Maker Faire 2014, the most important show this year, dedicated to advanced and 3D printing manufacturing will take place from September 20-21, 2014 at the New York Science Hall in New York City. Italian Maker Pavilion is in Zone 3 - Makers Pavilion - Booth MP-13 (see map photo) To design on one’s computer or tablet and then to print in 3D means you can edit the original project as many times as you want at no extra cost. One will not need years of study, large capital investments nor large economics of scale to be successful. Today, millions of people have access to producing anywhere

For the second quarter of 2014, the textile machinery orders index elaborated by the research department at ACIMIT (the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), recorded a 6% increase compared to the previous quarter, for an absolute value of 86 points (basis: 2010=100). (See Graph) This growth in orders came entirely from the foreign markets, for which an increase of 8% was recorded for the period from April to June, with the industry index of 92.1 points. For its part, the domestic market showed a decline in order intake for the second quarter (-9% over the previous quarter)

In Italy’s leading segments for instrumental mechanics industry, the graphic and paper machinery industry looks optimistic in correlation to the increasingly aggressive international competition and stagnant domestic market. Revenues from exports and export-generated is growing despite balancing the delayed difficulties in the domestic market which in turn is keeping the employment levels stable. This in sum comes from the market survey conducted by the research department of Acimga – the Italian Manufacturers Association of Machinery for the Graphic, Converting and Paper Industry – with

ASSOCOMAPLAST, tthe Italian trade association belonging to CONFINDUSTRIA, which groups together some 165 makers of machinery, moulds and equipment for plastics and rubber, has produced its 2013 full-year forecast for the industry on the basis of foreign trade data for the first nine months of the year provided by ISTAT, Italy's National Institute of Statistics. The slight dip in exports (-2.8% with respect to January-September 2012) could be recovered in the fourth quarter thanks to the expected economic recovery, early signals of which have been noted recently by the CONFINDUSTRIA Research

During a recent exclusive interview with Dr. Giorgio Colombo, President of Italy's ASSOCOMAPLAST, the national association for plastics and rubber processing machinery and mold manufacturers' association, he shared his thoughts and insights on the industry's transitional period experienced in 2013, current and future challenges faced by manufacturers and a clear outlook for 2014. President, do you feel that 2013 may be considered a year with more light or more shadow for the Italian plastics and rubber machinery industry? I think that 2013 is a year of transition after strong growth in 2011

Italy's ACIMIT, the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers, has realized the " Sustainable Technologies" project. It is an effort to promote growth within the textile industry with a focus on new production models and efficient processes from an energy standpoint. Reducing the industry's environmental impact, the Italian textile machinery sector is working to provide technology solutions that place reduced consumption in energy, water and chemical products at the center of the production process - allowing for a manufacturing cycle that is more responsible and mindful of