ITALIAN TECH WEEK: Small & Nimble Manufacturers are Global Problem Solvers - Machine Design Article
Posted by Machines Italia | 14 Jun 2012
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Tens of thousands of engineers and technical managers from across Europe gathered in Northern Italy last month for a series of events loosely termed Technology Exhibition week. These included Fluidtrans Compomac (fluid power), Mechanical Power Transmission and Motion Control, Plast (plastics and plastics-processing machinery), Xylexpo (woodworking machinery) — all held in Milan — and Lamiera (metal-forming equipment), held in Bologna.
Widespread interest in Italian components, machines, and technology belies the country’s current economic conditions. It’s no secret that Italy is caught up in the European financial crisis and in a recession, with 2012 first quarter GDP declining 0.8%.
Yet many Italy-based companies continue to prosper in spite of the downturn. Consider data from Federmacchine, the federation of Italian machinery associations, based in Milan. Its members manufacture everything from machine tools, packaging equipment, and plastics injectionmolding machines to hydraulic and pneumatic components, robots, and automation equipment. Last year, production for the sector rose 13.2% and exports were up 15.8%. Italy accounts for 18% of the European Union’s machinery production, second only to Germany.
