IPACK-IMA unites industry leaders in processing, packaging, and materials innovation

Milan is at the very pulse of innovation as it hosts IPACK-IMA 2025 from May 27-30 at the Fiera Milano exhibition center. The event welcomes 1,300 exhibitors from 28 countries, with international representatives accounting for 38% and a high turnout from Germany, Turkey, Holland, France, and China in particular. With eight halls and over 60,000 sqm of exhibition space, IPACK-IMA offers an overview of pioneering trends and cutting-edge technology solutions.

“Today, we are celebrating the opening of IPACK-IMA and Pharmintech and, with them, the launch of an ecosystem in which advanced technologies - many of which are being premiered globally at the event - co-exist with strategic visions and valuable business opportunities," stated Valerio Soli, chair of Ipack Ima. "It is an ideal forum for discussion and gaining insight into the future, turning connections into opportunities.”

More than 400 selected buyers from 63 countries will attend the fair, thanks to the collaboration with ITA – Italian Trade Agency, with India, Armenia, China, Mexico, and Ethiopia among the key markets, providing further confirmation of the event's role as a strategic global meeting point.

The main industries represented include grain-based food (30%), fresh and convenience food (30%), end of line (20%), liquid foods and beverages (15%) and pharmaceuticals and chemicals (5%), as well as the hall hosting vertical event Pharmintech by Ipack Ima.

IPACK-IMA as a strategic platform for industry

Focus on crucial themes: sustainability, digitalisation, and artificial intelligence. From smart factories to cyber security solutions, from food safety and food security to regulation, within today's multifaceted global landscape, the event highlights opportunities to evolve and innovate.

 “We are ready to provide a steady presence within a complex macroeconomic situation, where innovation is essential," said Simone Castelli, CEO of IPACK IMA. "The high attendance reflects the industry's drive for growth. By fostering solid connections and promotion advanced technologies, we aim to support sustainable and competitive development within the industry.”

Strategic synergies

This joint venture between UCIMA and Fiera Milano combines industrial vision and trade fair power, generating a unique platform for innovation. It offers strategic partnerships that increase the relevance and impact of the event worldwide.

“IPACK-IMA – says Riccardo Cavanna, President of UCIMA – is the meeting point for an industry that places people, technology, and vision at its core. As UCIMA, we believe that today’s competitiveness comes from the ability to integrate AI, sustainability, and training into connected industrial models. We are proud to showcase, on our home turf, the latest innovations from our companies, which are global leaders across all the sectors represented at the exhibition.”

“IPACK-IMA is a strategic platform for the packaging and processing industry, a field in which Italy excels worldwide. As Fiera Milano, we are proud to partner in a project that combines technological innovation, sustainability, and an international outlook”- says Roberto Foresti, Deputy General Manager of Fiera Milano. “Together with UCIMA, we continue to strengthen a winning trade-fair model that underpins the competitiveness and leadership of Made-in-Italy solutions."

High-profile events

Professionals and buyers will be treated to a line up of over 40 events and 120 international speakers from the worlds of industry, academia, and the press. Eagerly awaited happenings planned for 28 May include Visioni d’Avanguardia, which will be exploring how art and technology can meet, followed by the Celebration Night party, where  buyers, exhibitors, and the press will have the chance to network informally.

Also on May 28, the Best Packaging Awards ceremony will be celebrating the most outstanding Italian solutions, while on 30 May, the Teatro Alcione in Milan will be hosting the WordStar Awards for global excellence in packaging. Finally, the Pastaria Festival, the event organised by Pastaria for pasta manufacturers, will be taking place on May 28 and 29.