GLASSTEC 2010: 13,000 SQUARE METERS FOR MADE IN ITALY

After a busy first semester that saw Italian companies participating in leading international events, first and foremost in Brazil and China, the most important post-summer appointment for the second half of the year is Düsseldorf Glasstec on 28 September-1 October.

Gimav will be taking its member companies to the German trade show where two entire areas have been reserved, Pavilion 16 for flat glass and Pavilion 13 for hollow glass exhibitors. A massive turnout comprising 46 flat glass and 9 hollow glass companies, providing a taste of the best Made-in-Italy glass processing products.

The timing of Glasstec is particularly significant because the international recovery that is slowly gaining momentum, and above all the increasingly significant growth of rapidly developing countries such as China and Brazil, offer a not-to-be-missed opportunity for Italian companies to reaffirm their long-established leadership but that requires ongoing efforts and investments to retain.

In the first quarter of this year, Italian machine-building industry exports increased at a very encouraging 3.2% vs. the first quarter of 2009. Similarly, exports in the area of components rose by 3.1% over the same period. Data from Federmacchine (Italian Federation of Associations of manufacturers of capital goods for industrial and non-industrial manufacturing processes) show that 40% of companies surveyed are positive about current domestic demand, whereas 42% expect it to rise in the near future and 56.5% think foreign demand is on the rise.

Italian participants in Glasstec are traditionally very aggressive. All the more so this year, as all sector companies, especially those with the best credentials in terms of technology, will try to identify which business and success opportunities the market can offer today.

There seems to have been a positive turnaround compared to last year, even if the full force of the upturn cannot yet be ascertained. This phenomenon influences a sector that, with the exception of the unfortunate 2008/2009 period, experienced almost constant growth between 2000 and 2008, leading to an overall 23.5% production increase. Export performance has certainly contributed as the main driving force of this growth, with an export/production ratio that rose from 60% in 2000 to 66% in 2009.

Within this field, machinery and accessories for glass processing have always maintained a position of world leadership, supported by the growing needs of new markets that are very appreciative of being able to produce good or excellent quality products despite lacking the basic production technologies and skilled labor. The machines designed in Italy are renowned throughout the world for offering a unique blend of technological innovation and ease of management, complemented by a readily available technical service offered by large supply companies and the willingness to fully understand the needs of local manufacturers. This precious wealth of technological credibility and reliability is coordinated by Gimav with all the care and dedication that it deserves: for the occasion, 13,000 square meters of Made in Italy will be made available at Glasstec to visitors from around the world.

THE WHO’S WHO OF MADE IN ITALY AT GLASSTEC

There is a strong presence of Italian companies at Glasstec: in fact Gimav attracted 46 companies from the flat glass sector and 9 from the hollow glass sector, in a total area of around 11,000 square meters. To offer a complete image of Made in Italy players participating in Glasstec 2010, the following is a complete list of Gimav member companies exhibiting at the German event, including a brief introduction to each and links to their website. All you have to do is choose between Flat Glass and Hollow Glass.