TPT January 2010

I ndustry N ews

The next edition of METEF-FOUNDEQ in Italy

THE next edition of METEF-FOUNDEQ, the international exhibition dedicated to the technologies, machining, products and applications of technological metals and aluminium, will take place from 14 to 17 April 2010 at the Garda Exhibition Centre in Montichiari, Brescia. The organisers say the 2010 exhibition represents an important opportunity to restart the market giving all operators the chance to play an active role in the recovery. As Stefano Zanolini, organisational manager of the exhibition, commented: “In this phase of significant change in which everything is rearranged by the competitive dynamics, there are many opportunities available for businesses and it is especially important for them to be present and very visible in the context of the reference market to reaffirm their role and to promote their products; and METEF-FOUNDEQ will meet, even more than in the past, the needs and expectations of the operators”. For this purpose, METEF-FOUNDEQ arranged a series of initiatives to give exhibitors and visitors the best opportunities to know and seize all the possibilities provided by the recovery. METEF-FOUNDEQ strengthens its position as an international reference event, which works as a bridge in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern area. Thanks to its strategic position, the exhibition is gathering many participants and attendants, many of which come from this important geographic area.

Many foreign delegations from North Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Asia, the United States and Latin America are expected to visit the pavilions of the exhibition from 14 to 17 April 2010. An internationality which is by now a tradition for METEF-FOUNDEQ resulting from the multiple high level initiatives developed over the years. The collaboration and the support of all the reference Italian associations – including Assomet and Amafond – as well as authorities and institutions like the ICE will allow METEF-FOUNDEQ to further strengthen its international presence in the 2010 edition. According to the data released by Assofond, at the end of 2007 the Italian foundry industry was comprised of more than 1,000 enterprises, with a workforce of 35,000 plus an ancillary workforce of 12,000. It is a strong and articulated system that places the Italian foundry in second place in Europe for casting production, first for non-ferrous castings (1,084,400 tons produced in 2007) and third for ferrous castings, preceded by Germany and France. At a global level, the Italian foundry industry is in the tenth position. Of the 2.5 million tons of castings produced in Italy, more than a million are absorbed by the transport industry. This important industry, which today is focused on innovation, technology and new materials for its relaunch, will have a dedicated area at METEF-FOUNDEQ, created to provide good visibility to a fundamental component of the “Made in Italy”, well known even abroad if we consider

that many quality cars are produced or have components produced by Italian foundries. A system that needs visibility and valorisation more than ever today. These are the objectives with which the METEF-FOUNDEQ Foundry Area is established in collaboration with Assofond. The Rolling area is one of the most remarkable innovations of METEF 2010: the technologies and the market of rolled light alloys have seen not only remarkable progress and development in these years but especially a potent change of players. The rolling world of today is very different to what it was just a few years ago and this can be observed not only in the typical emerging Countries (India, China, and Brazil) but also in the Old Continent. The other “half of the business”, that is, the plastic machining of aluminium, seems to have learnt from extrusion and is watching the end users and their needs with growing attention. As a result, technologies and know-how must evolve faster, look farther ahead, and look for new markets and new areas to compete. The new Rolling area at METEF 2010, supported by the most important operators in the sector, will represent the entire production chain, from plants, machinery, equipment and production technologies to products and their machining and finishing, up to their use in packaging, transport, mechanics, electronics, building products and furnishings. METEF 2010 – Italy Website: www.metef.com

The organisers say attendees will get a chance to showcase their new and innovative machinery

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J anuary 2010

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