VITRUM, the biennial B2B event organized by GIMAV (the Association of Italian manufacturers and suppliers of machinery, equipment and special products for glass processing) that for 40 years has been the only industry-specific trade show. It runs through October 8 at RhoFiera Milano (in pavilions 22 through 24).
“This year’s exhibitors decided to go big,” said Vitrum President Dino Zandonella Necca. “The average stand size for this edition went from 80.5 square metres in 2019 to 96.4 square metres this year, a more than 20 percent increase. We really pushed our exhibitors to bring their latest innovations (which they haven’t been able to exhibit for the last two years) and, to our immense satisfaction, they did.”
The overall numbers for the 2021 edition are lower in absolute terms from those in 2019 but, viewed in context, their impact is positive. Looking at the latest industrial trade shows, average exhibitor participation was about 45 percent of the pre-pandemic numbers (source: CFI – the Italian association of industry trade show organizers, September 27 data), while 53.1 percent of exhibitors confirmed their participation in VITRUM 2021. The reduction in net exhibit area was also limited to just under 30 percent.
“We have 120 exhibitors here (17 of those are co-exhibitors); they are from 16 different countries and occupy a total of more than 22,450 m2 of surface exhibit area,” continued Mr. Necca, who emphasized the importance of ensuring trade professionals and visitors the best possible experience, along with strict compliance with health and hygiene regulations. “At VITRUM, we can accommodate, in absolute safety, up to 10,000 visitors per day.”
Two big innovations for VITRUM 2021 are the VITRUM Life “digital twin” and VISION Milan Glass Week, the parallel event that takes glass into the streets of Milan to raise awareness of the many uses of glass, energizing the entire city.
“Both are proof of the desire, despite the pandemic, to impart a powerful change-of-pace to our show,” said Mr. Necca. “With its plan to expand and digitize the exhibition and also engage the general public through Glass Week, VITRUM is about to become the exhibition of the international glass supply chain, with technologies as the core focus of the show.”
VITRUM Life is the portal for VITRUM’s digital content. It gives visitors access to the exhibitors’ profiles where they can explore detailed information about the businesses on hand at the show.
VISION Milan Glass Week, instead, is the “off-site” event that takes glass supply chain players into the city with an extensive program of events, organized along with many partners.
“Glass Week,” explained Mr. Necca, “is designed to open up VITRUM to the public at large, to leverage the energy and excitement the city of Milan elicits internationally and, last but not least, to create a high media impact event with glass at the centre of the sustainability transition.”
Returning to VITRUM itself, the transition to sustainability was the focus of the presentations of two speakers who took part in the official inauguration on October 5. Lombardy Region Councillor for the Environment and Climate, Raffaele Cattaneo spoke of the “sustainability” word-pair: environment and the economy. Meanwhile CoReVe (Consortium for Glass Recovery and Recycling) President Gianni Scotti addressed the subject of glass and the circular economy.
The importance of the industry of glass technologies to Italy’s economic and industrial system was the other key element under discussion. In this sector, Made in Italy is synonymous with excellence, innovation and technology, as emphasized by Managing Director of ITA (Italian Trade & Investment Agency) Roberto Luongo; Vice President of Assovetro Daniele Predari; President of GIMAV Michele Gusti; and Technical Director of the Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro (Glass Research Center), Nicola Favaro. The key role of VITRUM for Fiera Milano was, instead, explained by the Show’s Chief Revenue Officer, Mario Franci.
All of the presentations can be accessed at Vitrumlife.it/vitrum2021.