Matteo Gentili was officially elected chairman of the Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers'​ Association (UCIMA) during the association’s annual meeting held at Acetaia Leonardi in Magreta (Modena) on July 6.

Gentili takes over from Enrico Aureli, CEO of Robopac and OCME, who served as the association’s chairman for the four-year period 2016 - 2020.

“I’m proud to have the opportunity to work with an exceptional organization that over the years has developed an outstanding image and an ability to provide first-class services to companies,” said Gentili. “This organization’s enormous value and efficiency is demonstrated by the fact that the national Confindustria (Italian employers’ federation) sees our system as an organizational role model to be followed. The new operational collaboration with AMAPLAST will offer further major growth opportunities.

“Following an intense election campaign, an agreement was reached for an alternating chairmanship of UCIMA,” Gentili continued. “I will serve as chairman for the first two years of the four-year term and will then hand over to my colleague Riccardo Cavanna, who for the time being will serve as vice-chairman in charge of association development. This agreement testifies to our unity and our determination to work together in guiding the association.”

Gentili named Roberto Paltrinieri from Tetra Pak as another vice chairman with responsibility for technological aspects. Luciano Sottile from Goglio, a member of UCIMA’s Board of Directors and former vice chairman, has been tasked with overseeing promotional activities.

Another announcement made during the meeting was the change in the Association’s directorship, with Mario Maggiani, 53, director general of AMAPLAST, to take over the position of director general of UCIMA from Paolo Gambuli.

Gentili, 58, is chairman of TMC (Tissue Machinery Co.), a company based in Castel Guelfo (Bologna) that produces and markets automatic machines for the packaging and management of tissue and personal care products. The company joined the IMA Group in 2018.