34.BI-MU Ends with 35,000 Attendees and 750+ Exhibitors

Cinisello Balsamo, Italy – 34.BI-MU, organized by EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE and promoted by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, the Italian machine tools, robots, automation systems, and auxiliary products manufacturers’ association was held from October 9-12, 2024, at fieramilano Rho.

The international biennial exhibition featured machine tools, robots, automation, digital & additive manufacturing, and subcontracting. Around 750 companies participated occupying a total area of 65,000 sq mt.

Almost 37 percent of the exhibiting companies were from abroad: Germany, Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland, USA, Spain, France, China, South Korea, Austria, UK, Turkey, Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, Netherlands, San Marino, Ireland, Hong Kong, and Belgium were the represented countries. About 35,000 trade operators were present over the four days of the exhibition. Of these, 5 percent came from 62 foreign countries. The most represented countries were Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Slovenia for Europe; USA and Brazil for the Americas; China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Turkey for Asia.

Among the foreign visitors were also 80 operators, mostly users and including some journalists—coming from 16 countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Egypt, France, India, Morocco, Mexico, Serbia, Thailand, Turkey, USA, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam—invited within the mission organized by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, in cooperation with ICE-Italian Trade Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

A total of 4,000 students took part in BI-MU through free and guided tours entrusted to 55 young tutors from higher technological institutes. In addition to students from high schools, for the first time, the exhibition opened its doors to students from lower secondary schools, a crucial school time in deciding which educational path to take after ‘compulsory schooling’. All students were welcomed in the ROBOTGAMES area, where the initiatives of the special education and job project took place, conceived to encourage dialogue between the world of education and that of industry and to attract talents. A meeting point for matching job demand and supply was offered by Randstad, which also proposed job orientation and gamified light self-assessment activities. The real attraction of the area was ROBOTGAMES, the new automation and robotics contest for high school students, promoted by UCIMU Academy through UCIMU Foundation and organized by EFIM with the support of Fiera Milano Foundation. The final of the contest, which took place on October 11, saw a challenge among eight teams of eight different institutes coming from all over Italy.

Alfredo Mariotti, General Manager, UCIMU, stated, “Despite the particularly complicated economic period, BI-MU has been able to defend its position as the reference event for the industry of machine tools, robotics, automation, digital, and additive manufacturing, showing an increase in the number of its direct and indirect exhibitors, as against a partial reduction in exhibition spaces. Moreover, the presence of thematic areas, such as the well-established RobotHeart, piùAdditive, and BI-MUDigital contributed to enhancing the value of the thematic and product offerings of our trade show.”

Over eighty events were organized by exhibitors and organizers, most of which were held in the BI-MUpiù Arena, promoted by UCIMU Foundation, with the support of the Lombardy Region, the sponsorship of Banca Generali, and the patronage of TM. The program of meetings started with the opening ceremony, which included an exclusive interview by Simone Spetia, a journalist from Radio 24, with Federico Faggin, a physicist and inventor of the microprocessor. The 60 speeches hosted in the BI-MUpiù Arena involved over 1,400 people in attendance, and about 5,000 users connected online thanks to the live streaming service activated on the homepage of bimu.it.

Of particular prestige and interest was the Robotics Day, that saw all the main organizations representing the segment, such as IFR (International Federation of Robotics), SIRI (Italian Robotics and Automation Association), I-RIM (Italian Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Machines), and AIxIA, (Italian Association for Artificial Intelligence), together with UCIMU, called to an open discussion on the potential for development and application of the new technologies in all markets. IFR has chosen BI-MU to hold its annual assembly, and a series of in-depth meetings dedicated to its members.

Riccardo Rosa, President, UCIMU, said, “These initiatives, as well as the great commitment dedicated to young people through our UCIMU Academy, are an essential element for the success of the trade show, which, besides the display of products, intends to propose activities conceived to foster the growth and development of the sector.”

It is also thanks to this approach that 34.BI-MU obtained the ICIM Certification ISO 20121:2013, which attests that this exhibition is a sustainable event, organized according to the principles of environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

The next edition of 35.BI-MU will take place in October 2026, which will celebrate the show’s 70th anniversary.

Image Source: UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE