The 2010 figures reported by Italian packaging machinery manufacturers show that the industry has put the crisis firmly behind its back. The sector's turnover totalled 3,759 million euro at current prices, 16,4% up on 2009, when it slumped to 3,229 million euro. Last year's turnover even surpassed that of 2007 (3,610 million euro) and was not far short from the record figure of 3,827 million euro achieved in 2008. The excellent 2010 performance also enabled the Italian packaging machinery industry to strengthen its international leadership position and secure a 25,7% share of the world market

Bologna might be best known abroad for its meat sauce and for being home to the oldest university in the western world, the University of Bologna. But this city, situated between Italy's Po River and the Apennine Mountains, has earned the nickname the "Packaging Valley." Packaging machinery has become one of the dominant industries throughout Italy. Though the United States, China and Japan all produce automatic machinery, Germany and Italy produce two-thirds of all packaging machinery sold internationally, according to a study by the Confederation of Packaging Machinery Associations. Italy