Italy to lead international ISO working group on packaging machinery

The International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, has appointed Alberto Cirio, managing director of AROL S.p.A. and member of the UCIMA board of directors, as the new chairperson of ISO technical committee ISO/TC 313 - Packaging Machinery. This international working group - in whose work the (Italian Organisation for Standardisation, or UNI, is also involved - focuses on developing standards for packaging machinery. Mr. Cirio's unanimous appointment confirms Italy's leading role in the development of packaging technologies.

He is taking over from Andrea Malagoli, managing director of IMA and, at the time of his appointment, deputy chair of UCIMA. During his term as chairperson, Mr Malagoli led the committee from its inception in 2018, the year in which Italy - the driving force behind the committee's establishment - also took on the leadership of the international secretariat for standardisation activities.

ISO/TC 313 now brings together all the major countries that manufacture and use packaging technologies, with the aim of setting common standards, primarily regarding safety, productivity, and hygiene aspects of automatic packaging and wrapping machinery.

"It is a great honour to be able to continue the work begun by Andrea Malagoli and represent the Italian manufacturing industry within such a high-level technical and strategic committee," stated Alberto Cirio.  "International standards are a fundamental tool to enhance the competitiveness of our companies. They also guarantee customers high-quality standards and promote balanced growth in the industry worldwide by drawing on the experience of a world-leading country like Italy."

With this appointment, UCIMA has reaffirmed its leadership in developing international technical standards, and its key role in the promotion and protection of Italian and European expertise worldwide.