At Düsseldorf to Observe the Market in View of Vitrum 2013

The trade show will provide an ideal opportunity to officially present Vitrum 2013.

While the world stops to puzzle over and contemplate its problems, the world of glass marches on, often slowed by the snags of the global crisis, but nonetheless buoyed by the commitment of sector firms that are determined to defend territory already conquered and, above all, to search for new outlets for their manufacturing output.

Once again at Glasstec, set to take place in Düsseldorf this year from October 23rd to 26th, Gimav will coordinate the participation of its member firms in an area measuring more than 15,000 square meters, dedicated completely to Made in Italy products. This event is one of the truly crucial ones, because in these delicate times, it is a useful tool toward understanding market logic and therefore what margin of development Italy’s glass processing machinery industry can secure for itself. The starting positions for our businesses are, of course, quite good, because in this sector the prestige of Italy’s products is beyond question. And, despite the fact that the crisis in building and construction is pressing, particularly in Europe, the major players in the various manufacturing industries are nonetheless sticking to their medium range investment programs of a certain value. But it will still be the direct confrontation with the market and the competition that will, in the end, paint a clear portrait of a year that started off well, lost steam along the way, and appears to be heading toward a much more dramatic conclusion than predicted.

It will also offer the opportunity to open the dialog about the forthcoming (18th) edition of Vitrum, in 2013, and to present its program and the innovations that are already in the works. All of which holds great appeal because next year is precisely when we should see the first positive and encouraging results of the anti-crisis measures that all the manufacturing countries, including emerging nations, are putting into place to correct the most obvious missteps of the global macroeconomic system, and to tighten the slackened belts on the motor to get it up and running again. In other words, with Vitrum 2013 the world of glass resolves to chart its course for the next few years, making sure to travel the road of technological innovations and new outlets for trade. The beginning of the trip will be mapped out and officially announced at Düsseldorf, and the luggage carrier will be loaded with an extra supply of optimism. Because, as Michele Gusti, President of Gimav’s Hollow Glass division emphasizes: “What’s important is to get busy; two-thirds of the world is still waiting for Italian-made glass processing machinery. But we need to be quick and efficient to stay out ahead of our most fierce competitors, including the Chinese.”