Luigi Galdabini, President of UCIMU: “The increase in visitors confirms the positive trend expected for Italian consumption during the next three years.”

Came to an end on Saturday 4th October 29.BI-MU/SFORTEC, the machine tool, robots and automation systems two-yearly exhibition that showcased the offer of 1,060 companies on an overall surface of 90,000 square metres, and that, thanks to the attention to eco-compatibility, has been able to obtain, among the first in Italy, the certification of sustainable event.

Hosted by Fieramilano and promoted by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE and CIS-Comitato Interassociativo Subfornitura, the event recorded 61,926 visitors, 5.2% more than the past edition (2012). 4% of these were foreign operators, who represented 75 countries.

Interested visitors and satisfied exhibitors: this is the first outcome for the twenty-ninth edition of BI-MU/SFORTEC, which together with the traditional offer also presented many novelties. Among these, particularly successful was the FOCUS MECHA-TRONIKA area, a spin-off of the exhibition with the same name, and the CIS-RP&3D area, which put the spotlight on interesting manufacturers of 3D Printing and Additive manufacturing systems.

The interest in the Additive technology sector, currently experiencing a strong development, was also confirmed by the participation to the conference “3D Printing: opportunities and applications in the mechanical manufacturing sector”, attended by 160 people. On the overall, 400 operators joined the conferences of Quality Bridge, organised in the frame of 29.BI-MU/SFORTEC.

More than 1,000 planned meetings were organised between Italian exhibitors and approximately 60 foreign machine tool end-users from China, India, Mexico, Russia, United States, and Turkey, invited as part of the initiative organised by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE and ICE for the promotion of the Made in Italy.

The initiative ONDA ROSSA (“Red Wave”), showcasing some of the most prestigious models of the Ferrari brand, and PIANETA GIOVANI (“Planet Youth”) attracted the attention of the young and less young alike. The UCIMU Blue Philosophy area on the other hand highlighted the excellence in Italian production present at the exhibition, identified with the UCIMU Blue Philosophy brand, awarded to UCIMU member companies that follow eco-sustainability criteria, reducing the impact on the environment.

With particular reference to PIANETA GIOVANI, the area traditionally dedicated to students (about 5,000 young people visited the event) was turned into a continuous training area. The space, located inside Hall 13, also hosted the UCIMU PRIZE ceremony, awarding prizes to 7 students for the best (six) degree dissertations on the machine tool manufacturing sector, and the Lathe Turning Operator Championship, organised by Randstad and Siemens, sponsored by PROBEST and supported by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE.

“The increase in the number of visitors to the two-yearly machine tool exhibition”, stated Luigi Galdabini, President of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, “perfectly reflects the growing trend in Italian consumption anticipated by the data of Oxford of Economics for the next three years. After a particularly difficult 2013, the year 2014, characterised by an inversion in trend, is the start of a new era of development in the consumption of capital goods in Italy, with more and more decisive increases: +4.6% in 2015, +5.9% in 2016, +8.1% in 2017, all to the advantage of EMO MILANO 2015”.

“On the other hand, the appreciation shown by the operators taking part in the exhibition,” concluded Luigi Galdabini, President of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, “confirms the validity of the BI-MU formula, which in line with its nature of market trend setting exhibition, has introduced some interesting novelties, both for the machine sector, and for the sector of auxiliary accessories and technologies, also focusing on those areas that up to now have been explored the least, but that are nevertheless of extreme interest, like mechatronics and additive metal technologies. And it is indeed to Additive manufacturing that a special area will be dedicated during EMO MILANO 2015, completing in this way, with one of the technologies that will experience the highest level of development in the near future, the repertoire of the world sector exhibition planned for October 2015.”

The biennial machine tool, robot and automation exhibition 29 bi-mu/SFORTEC taking place in Milan from September 30^th to October 4^th, was awarded the sustainable event status.

The event, sponsored by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE is thus among the very few Italian organizations that successfully underwent an evolution according to ISO 20121:2012 standards defining the requirements for sustainable event management and reduced impact on the environment and local communities.

“This achievement makes us really proud” – says Luigi Galdabini, President, UCIMU “Even more so since the evaluation of the 29.BI-MU/ SFORTEC applied the same standard that assessed the environmental performance of the 2012 London Olympics” he added

The evolution was carried out following request by EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE, the body responsible for the organization of the biennial exhibition, with an expected 1060 companies displaying their products on a 90,000 squar meter surface. The sustainability certification was issued by ICIM and was achieved primarily thanks to long-time painstaking commitment of companies in the machine tool industry.

Being conscious of the environmental impact of machine tool use, the Italian machine tool, robot and automation manufacturers’ association UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE has long been leading an awareness campaign on the issue of sustainable manufacturing among its members, striving to spread the ideas behind the blue philosophy trademark are all UCIMU members and make machine tools that enable their users to exploit resources sensibly, minimizing their energy and raw material consumption.

As to the exhibition, EFIM and UCIMU presented the certification body with their work on 29.BI-MU/ SFORTEC, which was granted the status of environmentally, economically and socially sustainable event.

The reduction of exhibition’s environmental footprint was mainly achieved by investing in new technologies and new applications that partially replaced the use of paper for certain services. For the first time, exhibitors and visitors were able to file their participation application online. The catalogue app and the new smart catalogue will cover most of the participants needs.

Great attention was devoted to promoting sustainable low-Corban transportation; a train station was made operational in order to provide for easier long distance trips (on Rome and Venice line).

Regarding the issue of economic sustainability, the organisers adopt the highly efficient cost management system that allowed for costs to be under control since the very first steps of the event and of all related initiatives.

Finally, 29.BI-MU/ SFORTEC fulfils sustainability criteria due to initiatives aiming at upholding and promoting growth and economic and social development for all stakeholders, i.e. companies, market players and students. Companies will take advantage of extensive opportunities to meet qualified foreign businesses representing some of the biggest markets in the world that UCIMU and ICE will invite to the exhibition. Young professionals approaching the job market and their individuals wishing to keep up to date with new trends will be offered the PIANETA GIOVANI initiative, a scheme devoted to life-long learning.

During the course of event, dedicated workshops and seminars will explore the issue surrounding sustainability. In particular, UCIMU’s stand is hosting the presentation of the blue philosophy trademark, thus offering a privileged showcase to all companies awarded with the trademark. These theme will be further developed on occasion of the quality bridge initiatives (Friday October 3^rd at 14.00) at a conference named “Quality Safety, and Environment: Standards Supporting Innovation and Sustainability in the machine tool industry” and organized by STANIMUC and UCIMU.