The Italian plastics and rubber machinery and equipment manufacturers association Assocomaplast said the sector saw production value increase by more than 9% in 2010 - higher than the 8% growth figure predicted in December last year. The association says overall production value, according to information from its 170 members, increased 9.1% to €3.6bn. “All five of the main indicators for the…

It might not be the first place you think of when it comes to high-tech machine tools, but Italy has a long history of producing equipment that helps manufacturing plants operate efficiently. For instance, The Sacmi Group has been doing it since 1919. The US$1.7 billion company provides machinery for the packaging, beverage, ceramics, food processing and plastics industries. The company has come…