From 11th May to 14th, the Military Academy in Modena will be the venue of the fifth edition of the Motor Valley Fest and on that occasion the start-ups, integral and essential part of the event, will exhibit their ambitious and innovative projects that wink at electrification.
Various realities will participate, such as 2electron, startup that has patented and developed the McFly technology that allows an electric vehicle to emulate the features of an internal combustion engine with a mechanical gearbox, and Novac that designs super-condensers joining batteries, with the target of enhancing electric vehicles’ performances and efficiency.
There will be also FLAG-MS, specialized in the development of electric thrusters, Galvani Power, whose technology is in the name of safety, modularity, integration and thermal management to make electrification faster, more accessible and sustainable for all, and BeonD, committed to the development of new technologies with innovative solutions also in E-mobility ambit.
“The Motor Valley Fest has become an international benchmark for the world of motors. It is an event that casts the spotlights on a territory rich in motor excellences known worldwide, phantastic companies and professionalisms, resulting in thousands of workplaces, circuits and private collections, making room for talents and the most innovative start-ups. A unique meeting, paying utmost attention to the sustainable mobility of the future, with the development of high-performance ecologic motors. Speed, passion, genius and creativity, in the real world Motor Valley”, stated the President of the Region, Stefano Bonaccini.
Motor Valley Fest 2023: startup’s e-projects
Great and large investments for Coveme
Coveme, the San Lazzaro di Savena-based company that is a global top player in surface treatment and polyester film conversion, is investing a lot to enlarge its business: Seventy million euros in the last ten years.
What are the aims? Customers in Sweden, Germany, the United States, Spain, England, and new markets, two production sites in Italy and China, three research and development laboratories in Italy, China, and Germany, a new branch opened in the United States in early April of this year, and 14 production lines.
The latest one, Line 11, inaugurated in Gorizia a few days ago, totals around 300 employees. Line 11 performs various treatments on polyester film to enable customers to use it for subsequent processing in various industries, from screen printing to fashion, automotive to interior design and printed electronics.
From a trading company of insulating materials for the electromechanical industry, Coveme has grown and adapted to the changes in the world around it, becoming a reference point for polyester film processing.
Amedeo Maccolini, CEO of the company said: “Today, to stay on the market and remain competitive, you must invest. We need to employ resources in research and the development of innovative, high-quality, efficient, and sustainable products while expanding our commercial network, seeking new markets. That’s why we opened our new branch in the United States.”
MECSPE: over 59,000 trade visitors
The manufacturing industry community meets at MECSPE 2023. Three days of full immersion between technological innovation and energy transition.
A journey into the future of industry among new technologies, energy transition and digital transformation. The 21st edition of MECSPE, Italy’s leading trade exhibition dedicated to the manufacturing industry, organized by Senaf, closed with a boom in visitors.
There were 59,845,000 professionals (+52 percent over 2022) who filled the pavilions of BolognaFiere in the three-day event designed to celebrate the excellence of the sector, multiply business opportunities for companies and create new connections between companies, institutions and industry players.
A success that involved not only Italian companies, but also international ones, with the presence of as many as nine delegations of visitors from foreign countries (Algeria, Egypt, Germany, India, Morocco, Poland, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey) in addition to the first Italo-German Summit on the themes of reshoring and new mobility.
Now MECSPE is looking ahead to the next edition, which will see the event land in Bari, Italy, at the Fiera del Levante, Nov. 23-25, 2023.
It is scheduled to return to Bologna to continue the exhibitions’ internationalization strategy from March 6 to 8, 2024.
The 2023 edition of MECSPE, which featured 2,034 exhibitors and 20 special initiatives, opened with an inaugural event attended by, among others, Maurizio Marchesini, Confindustria Vice President for Supply Chains and Medium Enterprises.
It was an opportunity to present data from the MECSPE Observatory, which certified the excellent state of health of the supply chain: almost eight out of ten companies closed the last four months of 2022 with a growing or stable turnover compared to the same period last year, to which is added the high level of satisfaction related to the performance of their company (positive for 68 percent of the sample).
In addition, half of the companies believe they have the skills needed for the 4.0 transformation. A major challenge that will contribute a projected 385,330 new employees[1] between now and the end of May.
Community, collaboration and networking at MECSPE
«The transitions the industry is facing, in Italy as in the rest of the world, will change the face of the supply chain» commented Ivo Alfonso Nardella, president of Senaf. That is why we are especially proud of the large influx of visitors to MECSPE, which is increasingly a landmark for the community of manufacturing systems professionals. Special thanks go to the Emilia Romagna Region and the city of Bologna, which, by virtue of its connections and infrastructure, fosters the growth of MECSPE internationally. With this year’s edition, we opened a window on the future of manufacturing, accompanying institutions, companies and professionals to discover the most interesting innovations and technologies that can make a difference. Our exhibition is designed to foster collaboration among companies through the many networking opportunities, but it is also a unique time to create culture, to support that education without which it is impossible to interpret and govern the great changes that await us. Before returning to Bologna in 2024, MECSPE will be in Bari in November this year, with the aim of actively involving also the many excellences of Central and Southern Italy, which can make an important contribution to the challenges facing the industry.»
«The Mecspe exhibition has not only consolidated its value of international interest, but has delivered the highest quality level for those who want to discuss, learn about and represent the innovative evolution of our country’s manufacturing system. – Emphasized Vincenzo Colla, Councillor for productive development and green economy, labor and training of the Emilia Romagna Region – We want to thank the organizers, the exhibitors of Mecspe for the quality they brought to the three-day event; we are proud to host an event of great quality in Bologna.»
Training, innovation and sustainability were the focal elements of the exhibition and demonstration areas of MECSPE 2023.
It was precisely to the impact on production systems of new sustainable mobility choices that the exhibition core of the fair was dedicated, a 2,000-square-meter exhibition area entitled Energy Transition and Future Mobility, which, with a focus on the production chains of electric, hydrogen and biofuel vehicles, was well attended.
Also on the topic of sustainable mobility, MECSPE organized the international forum “2035 AND THE AUTOMOTIVE CHAIN: Changing the Production Model to Respond to a Technological Transformation”, in cooperation with the Tecniche Nuove Group, The German-Italian Chamber of Commerce, and the Industrial Fairs Division of Messe Stuttgart.
Elettronica Italia’s focuses
A great result for the first edition of Elettronica Italia, was the show held concurrently with MECSPE, which garnered strong interest from visiting companies thanks to its two focuses, on electronics in sustainable mobility and semiconductors, with important growth potential for the future.
Extraordinary participation also for the two events organized by METEF: the Aluminium Energy Summit, among the most successful moments of the exhibition heart, and the International Innovation Award, both dedicated to an element that in Italy constitutes 42 percent of all metal used annually.
Talking of awards, the Solution Award – Robotics Innovation Award for the best industrial or service robotics application made by Italian companies was particularly followed.
Facts and figures of MECSPE 2023
59.845 visitors operating in trade sector +52 percent compared with 2022), 92,000 sq m of exhibition space, 2 ,000 companies present, 2,034 sq m of the Heart Exhibition “Energy Transition and Mobility of the Future”, 20 special initiatives.
[1] Source: Unioncamere-ANPAL, Excelsior Information System
Volvo, electric excavator for a pioneering yard in Denmark
The project Green Construction Site of The Future sees EC230 Electric by Volvo Ce as protagonist in endless applications. The EC230 Electric 23 t by Volvo CE is currently the largest excavator in the Swedish manufacturer’s electric range and it has been put in the forefront in the yard of the project Green Construction Site of the Future of the Danish city of Aarhus, the second biggest city in Denmark and one of those aiming at reaching the goal of net zero greenhouse emissions by 2040.
The experiment in progress since December 2022 sees a “prototype of urban yard” as protagonist, with the use of electric machines in urban ambit. Therefore, EC230 Electric by Volvo CE was then deployed in the front line and has worked at its highest potentialities while the monitoring of the air quality and of noise was carried out in real time to provide precious information about the advantages of the introduction of electric, hybrid and biofuels (HVO) construction machines versus conventional equipment.
Lars Dithmer, Head of Sustainability, Aarsleff, said: “The construction industry is on a journey of transformation. Reducing carbon footprint is a challenge, however by adapting fossil free processes and machinery and sourcing sustainable materials we can future proof our company and lead by example in this green transition. The knowledge obtained from projects like that at Mindet will provide valuable information on where we need to focus, invest and to change our habits –to succeed we need to make sustainability a priority across the entire value chain.”
Tevva electric truck is close to the mass production
The first 7.5-ton electric trucks by the British company Tevva, mass-produced, started being delivered to customers including Expect Distribution, Travis Perkins and Royal Mail. The enterprise, become the first company in UK that has received the EC Whole Vehicle Type approval for an electric 7.5-t truck, expects to sell up to 1,000 electric trucks in 2023. To receive the approval of the whole vehicle, Tevva truck has been subjected to 30 systems tests, including the electric safety and the electromagnetic compatibility according to latest standards.
The truck allows an autonomy up to 227 km due to its 105 kWh battery charge.
Tevva Founder and CEO Asher Bennett said: «We continue to “charge on” as a company and reach new milestones, with type approval being the latest and most important landmark we’ve achieved to date. I am incredibly proud of our team who have worked tirelessly to secure this certification and get our 7.5t electric truck in customers’ hands and on the roads. We are on a mission to make sustainable trucks accessible at scale and believe our technology will empower the transport sector and the governments of Europe to meet their net-zero goals. By embracing both hydrogen and electric fuel sources, we can rethink the energy mix in transport, reduce strain on our electricity grid and accelerate electric truck adoption».
EuroGroup Laminations listed on the main list of Italian Stock Exchange
Active in the design, manufacturing and distribution of stators and rotors for electric motors and generators and operating with the specific business units EV & Automotive and Industrial, EuroGroup Laminations is protagonist of the fourth listing on Euronext in 2023 and of the first admission since the beginning of the year on Euronext Milan, bringing to figure 224 the number of the companies currently listed on this market.
Moreover, it is the fifth company admitted on Euronext Tech Leaders since the launch of the initiative in June 2022, raising to 112 the total number of Euronext Tech Leaders companies.
The company has overall collected €432 millions and therefore its growth course is running. Here are the words by Marco Arduini, CEO of EuroGroup Laminations spa «The listing on the primary list of Italian Stock Exchange constitutes for us the umpteenth stage of a growth course started 56 years ago and in constant evolution. Passion, vision, innovation and market interpretation skills are just some of the ingredients that have allowed us to reach important achievements and to gain the world leadership in our sector. A thankful thought is dedicated to the 2800 EGLA collaborators who every day contribute in its performance and in its development. We are a united motivated team! I am convinced that together we will be able to reciprocate the trust of the numerous prestigious investors who have believed in us. We will invest the collected resources in a further course of sound growth and of sustainable value creation in the medium-long term. The ranking and the visibility that derive from the “status” of listed company will permit us to seize new business opportunities to pursue the ambitious and challenging targets we have issued for the future».
Batteries with 3D Printing? Here is the success of Sakuu
We are overcoming new frontiers in the printing of fully functional batteries in custom shapes and sizes with patterned openings for thermal management in a fully dry process.
Concerning this, market protagonists include the pioneering additive manufacturing company Sakuu, on-track for commercial-scale production of printed batteries in major industries including E-mobility, aerospace, EVs, grid energy storage, and more.
The company is inventor of the disruptive Kavian™ platform solution for the commercial-scale production of next-generation SwiftPrint™ batteries and other complex active devices, announces that since December 2022 it has successfully and consistently 3D printed fully functional performant batteries in custom shapes and sizes. These batteries were printed as patterned cells containing patterned openings for thermal management, in a fully dry process, at Sakuu’s Silicon Valley battery pilot line facility.
This marks a first-of-its-kind recorded manufacturing achievement and is an important step towards Sakuu’s planned commercial-scale production of next-generation SwiftPrint™ batteries, including solid-state batteries, from its Kavian™ platform in gigafactories worldwide.
Karl Littau, Chief Technology Officer at Sakuu commented: «Our development shows that the Kavian™ platform can enable commercial-scale, sustainable production of a wide range of battery technologies from lithium-ion to lithium metal to even solid-state batteries—whereas traditional methods of advanced cell manufacturing continually run into core impediments that prevent mass-scale production. Further, our printing process can allow for substantial gains in energy density for a completed battery. Finally, our platform can customize the form factor of the battery—whereby the battery itself can become part of product design via customized shapes and sizes. This is a profound moment with enormous implications for advanced battery manufacturing».
The witness by Robert Bagherim, Sakuu Founder and CEO is instead the following: «Printing custom patterned batteries using a dry process that starts with raw material and concludes with a fully functional high-performance battery is a breakthrough that has the potential to transform how batteries of the future are manufactured for all industries. This milestone advances integration between our Kavian platform and our commercial-scale battery production plans towards an energy output goal of 200GWh by 2030 via a network of global partner gigafactories».
Ancma data: electric two-wheelers are decreasing
After the excellent year start, the data recently diffused by Confindustria Ancma (National Association of Cycle Motorcycle Accessories) on the February Italian market of bikes, scooters and motorcycles describe an overall +20.9% versus the same 2022-month, but certainly with not enthusiastic news for electric two-wheelers.
In fact, the electric market does not take off during 2023, closing February with 838 units, with a 3.23% downturn versus the same 2022-month. In the first bimonthly, electric drops by 10.82% versus 2022 and makes 1,706 zero-emission vehicles circulate on the road. However, it is necessary to highlight that the first two months of 2022 had scored the 82% rise.
The president of Ancma, Paolo Magri, has highlighted how «the solution of many of residual provisioning problems allows the market to express its potential at best, still confirming our products’ central role as possible enjoyable choice for individual displacements and for the uses more connected with passion, with tourism and sport. For this reason, we think that local administrations’ political agenda must consider, in the debate about the sustainability of transports and cities’ future, the determinant contribution that motorcycles go on offering to the solution of mobility problems». Are incentives in the direction of zero emissions hoped for?
2035 and the automotive chain: changing the manufacturing model to meet a technological transformation
On Thursday, March 29th, starting from 2.30 p.m., at the Arena of Bologna Trade Fair Service Centre, inside the MECSPE Exhibition Core, it will be held the Italian-German Forum dedicated to the automotive industry and to the great changes the latter will be called to face within 2035.
The issues will concern frame parts that shall be reengineered with new solutions, innovative and lighter materials that will replace steel, a stronger presence of on-board electronics, the whole power line that will need to be reconceived, control and management of the powertrain that will gain more and more importance, but we will also talk about the new character that supply chains will be expected to acquire.
Experts in technologies and market, through successful best practices and case histories, in collaboration with the Italian-German Chamber of Commerce, the division of industrial exhibitions of Stuttgart Trade Fair, including AMB and Moulding Expo, and Tecniche Nuove Group, will create an afternoon full of ideas and insights, analysing the challenges the automotive industry is called to face, the possible impact of the sustainable mobility on the supply chain and the adoptable measures.
Italian-German Forum:2035 and the automotive chain: changing the manufacturing model to meet a technological transformation
The programme of the Forum coordinated by Alessandro Garnero, editorial director of Tecniche Nuove Group, will be divided into three moments of debate and discussion:
• 2.30 – 3.30 p.m. Plenary session: The automotive scenario in constant evolution.
Moderator of the session will be Alessandro Marino, Secretary General of the Italian-German Chamber of Commerce.
Speeches will be delivered by prof. Karsten Stahl, Director of the Polytechnics and of FZG Institute in Munich; Markus Heseding, Director of the German Precision Tool Association (VDMA); prof. Ciro Attaianese, Director of ELMO Electrification of Mobility Inter-university Consortium and Dino Calia, manager of RD/BDQ Joint Battery – Supplier Quality & Project Safeguarding of Mercedes-Benz AG; Prof. Nicola Amati, Turin Polytechnics.
• 3.30 – 4.30 p.m. Panel 1: The impact of electromobility on the automotive chain and the response of Italy and Germany.
Moderator of the session will be prof. Carlo Gorla of Milan Polytechnics.
The floor will be given to the German and Italian industries of the subcontracting chain. In particular, Claudio Mus, Endurance Overseas; Davor Petrović, Marzocchi Pompe; Mauro Barchiesi, Bora Italia; Jorge Bertsos, Ubiemme Gühring Italia; Claudio Gabos, Mapal Italia; Prof. Lorella Ceschini, UniBS; Enio Gritti, OMR Automotive; Francesco Meroni, KEB e-mobility; Andrea Loi ZF, Paolo Basilico, KraussMaffei Group Italia.
• 4.30 – 5.30 p.m. Panel 2: The measures worth adopting to facilitate the reshoring and the shortening of supply chains, from design to strategic components.
Moderator of the session will be Mr Stefano Colletta, technical director of Meccanica News Journal.
Institutions’ role for the strengthening of the European industry. The collaboration with innovation and technological transfer centres, the new structure of supply chains.
This session will be attended by: Christoph Gelzer, Project Coordinator of Cars 2.0 Cluster Automotive Region Stuttgart; Federico Capucci, Cluster Manager of Clust-ER MECH Mechatronics and Motoristics; Marco Stella, President of ANFIA Components Group and Vicepresident of ANFIA (The Italian Association of the Automotive Industry); Michele Merola, President AIDAM – Italian Association of Automation and Mechatronics; Roberto Frassine, President Assocompositi and President EuCIA (European Composites Industry Association); Marco Gazzaniga, Business development Icona Design Group.
Electronics and mechanics for future mobility. Electric motor: smaller size for better performance
The international platform of technical information Electric Motor Engineering and the publishing house Tecniche Nuove, in collaboration with Professor Marco Villani, professor of Electrical Machines Design and Electric Systems for Mobility at the University of L’Aquila, on February 28th 2023, from 10.00 a.m. (CET) to 12 a.m. (CET) organize a webinar on the issue of “Electronics and mechanics for future mobility. Electric motor: smaller size for better performance“.
The topics
The entire automotive supply chain will have to readjust its production model to go along with an irreversible transformation. The entire power line will have to be rethought; smaller and lighter electric motors will have to ensure high performance and reliability.
Everything needs to be reengineered by pursuing new solutions; on-board electronics, control and powertrain management will be increasingly important.
Take part to the event organized by the magazine Electric Motor Engineering:
ELECTRONICS AND MECHANICS FOR FUTURE MOBILITY.
ELECTRIC MOTOR: SMALLER SIZE FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE
Webinar – February 28th 2023
from 10.00 a.m. (CET) to 12 a.m. (CET),
Moderator: Prof. Marco Villani, department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics University of L’Aquila (Italy)
- Effects of glue bonding in mechanical and magnetic properties of electric motor cores, Mario Villalon – EuroGroup
- Electric motors, winding solutions, Fabrizio Bardelli – CAME
- Electric motors potting with high performance resin systems, Pietro Colombotto e Alberto Menozzi – Demak Group
- Mechanical Face Seals for eMobility: eAxle, Gear Box and ePump, Alessandro Ventura – Meccanotecnica Umbra
- The challenges of automotive electrification for 2-tier suppliers, Cristiano Bora – Bora
In collaboration with
