Upcoming Trade Shows in Italy for Industrial Engineering

The Italian industrial engineering industry, represented prominently by ANIMA Confindustria Meccanica Varia, has long been a cornerstone of the country’s economy. ANIMA, founded in 1914, has navigated and shaped the industrial engineering industry in Italy for over a century, and demonstrates how deep the roots of the sector are in the country. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of so-called miscellaneous mechanical engineering in Italy, which included the production of agricultural tractors, cutlery, precision scientific instruments, radio equipment, small metal parts, and locks. Recognizing the need to support and unify these varied industries, 33 companies came together to form the National Association of Mechanical Engineering and Related Industrialists. In its early years, ANIMA focused on advocating for a customs tariff to shield national mechanics from foreign competition. The goal was to alleviate the high costs of raw materials imposed by protectionist policies, which had rendered Italian-made products less competitive. This advocacy laid the groundwork for Italy’s robust mechanical engineering sector by ensuring fairer market conditions for domestic manufacturers. After World War II, the association played a crucial role in the post-war rebuilding effort, representing and supporting mechanical engineering companies across the nation. By 1950, ANIMA had 312 member companies, a number that grew to over 500 by the 1960s and approximately 1,000 member companies thereafter. A significant transformation occurred in 1988 when ANIMA transitioned from a Business Association to a Federation of Associations and Unions. This shift enabled the organization to offer a modernized system for achieving both domestic and international objectives, supporting over 60 different production specializations. Today, Italy's mechanical engineering industry is recognized for its high capacity to innovate. The sector benefits from an extensive network of specialized industrial clusters, state-of-the-art R&D centers, and a dynamic startup ecosystem.