President Aldo Peretti calls on the government to recognize the strategic role of packaging
The increase in commodities consumption and home deliveries will allow the machinery and technologies manufacturers for packaging production to end the year with lower-than-expected losses, specifically on foreign markets, strategic for the whole industry.
“The Italian machine manufacturers for the graphic, converting and paper industry limits the negative trend resulting from the pandemic, thanks to packaging. – says Aldo Peretti, President of Acimga – I hope that the Government will see the strategic role that packaging has played in this critical phase of our economy, and that it will put aside possible scenarios, such as the “plastic tax” which would throw the entire industry into a serious crisis. We hope that a vaccine will soon allow the country to get back on his feet, and foremost we hope to be able to get back in foreign markets, which represent 60% of the turnover of our sector”.
The dynamism of companies specialized in the development of printing, packaging, and converting technologies for all applications and for all types of materials, results in limited losses for the 2020 financial year in comparison to the forecasts and shows glimpses of recovery. This is what appears from the 2020 preliminary balance data provided by the Study Office of Acimga (the Association of Italian Manufacturers of Machinery for the Graphic, Converting and Paper Industry) indicating that printing, converting, and paper machines gained a turnover of 2.36 billion, recording a global decrease of 16.7% compared to 2019, with exports falling only by 14.4% to 1.45 billion. Slightly more worrying is the negative trend (- 20.2% equal to 910 million euros) in supplies related to the national market, but it still is reassuringly positive in respect to that of the Italian machineries industry which, according to Federmacchine’s estimates, reaches – 27%.
A detailed look at the specific compartments, highlights the production of packaging (for food, pharmaceuticals, and e-commerce) during the lockdown period, with an increase in other specific productions in support to the emergency. Projections from IMF scenario data and historical projections from the UN’s Comtrade, Eurostat and the US Census Bureau expect to limit losses to 5.5% or 12.8 billion, while exports are down by 7.2%, or 8.18 billion.
“The dialogue established by Acimga with government representatives ensured operational continuity during lockdown, for all printing and converting activities. – explains Andrea Briganti, General Manager of the Association – We now look carefully and confidently at the choices that the Government is about to make in support of recovery and, above all, for the investments on innovation, which will guarantee the essential green and digital 4.0 transformation our companies need.”
An Intense Year
Dynamism and the ability to foresee change have characterized Acimga’s activities and strategic choices in this particular year.
Starting from a graphic change: the logo is now accompanied by a black spiral on a white background, recalling the DNA shape, which, as a text explains, refers to the “genetic” characteristics of the association, focusing on the ability to adapt to changing times and markets and the ability to deliver services and strategic skills for its members.
The new Pay-off “your tool to grow” also underlines the drive to support all member companies with specific and dedicated services.
Communication and information towards members play a central role, confirmed by the flows on the association’s website www.acimga.it, which in 2020 recorded 20.000 unique visitors and 75.000 page views, with peaks during the months of March and April, as a result of updates and requests during the first lockdown, and from October to December thanks to the increase in marketing and internationalization activities.
Connections on the association’s website were 41% Italian and 59% international, specifically from the USA, the UK, Germany, and France, with a trend that substantially follows the export shares of Acimga’s companies, underlining a strong correlation between advocacy and lobbying activities and market trends.
The number of contacts reached through online communication is also growing: since the beginning of 2020, 100.000 contacts have been reached with the newsletter, which is delivered twice a month.
In March, with the Covid pandemic emerging, the association was able to guarantee operational continuity, focusing on its members and activating a dedicated Help Desk and a direct communication channel with the institutions, together with a promotional ADV campaign, in collaboration with ITA – Italian Trade Agency, both in Italy and abroad, in support of the industry, reaching over 100,000 readers.
The dialogue between industries and foreign markets continued, or rather, increased, despite the limitations of movement, through streaming events, during which thousands of Italian and international attendees joined.
On the 24th of June, the annual edition of “Print4All Conference – Future Factory. Printing the Future, now. Streaming.” marked a turning point for the supply chain, looking at future trends in the direction of industry 4.0, circular economy, sustainability. A global success: 1360 attendees, one third of them international and 39 international newspapers which reached a global audience on a large scale, with 66.000 contacts through social channels, 470.000 contacts reached by dedicated DEM and 54.000 paper magazines’ readers.
The event combined the physical presence of studio guests with the remote presence of international speakers and streaming audience, creating a winning formula that will survive beyond lockdowns. The ability to trace new global technological and economic scenarios on all aspects revolving around the printing industry, has been underlined by all participants from the supply chain, starting from technology manufacturers, to printers, converters, brand owners, and by the most important international trade associations such as Intergraf (Europe), APTech (USA), Peiac (China), Ipama (India), Picon (UK), which illustrated world trends and prospects for printing and packaging.
On the 23rd of October, Roto4All, the first supply chain event dedicated to rotogravure, also delivered great results. Anticipated by a webinar presentation in April, the event, initially designed as a physical conference for an audience of around 200 people, managed to gather almost 450 online participants, who were able to witness several different first-hand experiences throughout the whole printing, packaging, and converting supply chain.
The promotion of the “Made by Italy” and the internationalization activities continued with the Future Factory_ Streaming Roadshows, designed to be important dialogue occasions for between Italian companies and international markets: four online events in four different countries to share insights on the key themes of sustainability and industry 4.0 with a global community of associations and industries. First stop in Turkey on November 4, on November 11 in the United Kingdom, the 10th of December in Egypt, concluding on the 16th of December in Algeria. These opportunities for Italian companies to present themselves internationally and activate new direct contacts in these countries gathered over 650 operators from global markets. Turkey, the UK, and Algeria are among the top 20 importers for Italian printing, packaging, and converting machines, while Egypt is about to enter the top 20 with a steady growth in purchases from Italy.
The Streaming Roadshows follow the success of the June 24 Print4All Conference and are a bridge the next edition of Print4All Conference in 2021 and the Print4All Trade Fair on May 3-6, 2022.
In November, Acimga, as the association representing all printing, packaging, and converting technologies, was chosen by drupa to coordinate all Italian activities and work-plans during the drupa preview releases. Drupa preview is an important international showcase for all Italian technologies and Acimga will keep collaborating with the trade fair organization during the next year, promoting the Made by Italy excellences and providing its associated partners with visibility opportunities on global stages. Acimga’s participation at drupa preview reached an audience of over 5000 unique viewers for each of the two releases, on November 17 and December 8.
Acimga is the association inside Confindustria, representing all printing, packaging, and converting technologies, which gathers 84 associated companies for a compartment which is worth around 3 billion in turnover, 60% of which from exports. Italy is among the top 3 world leading manufacturers for these machines (together with Germany and China), constantly strengthened by its highly specialized mechanical knowledge, combined with the most modern electronic technologies.
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