AMONG THE NEW FEATURES OF THIS EDITION: FORUM ON AEROSPACE & DEFENSE AND ON ENERGY BI-MU FUTURETECH AWARDS
Seven months after its debut, 35.BI-MU, scheduled at fieramilano Rho from 13 to 16 October , is entering the heart of its organizational activity and is doing so at a time when government authorities are preparing to present the implementing decrees for hyper-depreciation , the measure that will give a major boost to the Italian market for machinery and production technologies between now and 2028.
The three-year incentive will significantly boost domestic demand—which has so far been on hold—offering BI-MU exhibitors a truly unique opportunity to tap into and capitalize on users' willingness to invest in new systems.
Registration continues apace, with new attendees confirmed and key players returning. The staff is also busy finalizing all the accompanying initiatives for the event, which is changing its positioning on the weekly calendar. For the first time, BI-MU will open on Tuesday and conclude on Friday . Four days, but all weekdays, as is now the case for most exclusively B2B events.
Promoted by UCIMU and organized by EFIM – ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE, for this 35th edition, BI-MU has chosen the slogan "Where it all begins," to emphasize, on the one hand, the central role of machine tools, enabling the majority of manufacturing and the heart of the exhibition, and, on the other, the long and unwavering tradition of this exhibition. 35 editions, in fact, represent 70 years of uninterrupted organizational activity .
At 35.BI-MU, in addition to machinery, seven technological themes will be given particular prominence: RobotHeart, dedicated to robotics, automation, components, systems, and artificial intelligence, sponsored by SIRI; AMITALY, dedicated to the entire additive manufacturing supply chain, sponsored by AITA; BI-MU Digital, digital solutions for the smart factory, with advanced software, connectivity and data security technologies, sensors, and self-adaptive systems; Metrology and Testing , which offers measuring instruments, testing machines, and artificial vision; Power4Machines, dedicated to components for mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic transmission, sponsored by FEDERTEC; Heat and surface treatments , systems and equipment for improving material performance; and, new to this edition, Tool Tech, dedicated to advanced tools for efficient, high-precision production.
The exhibition will be completed by an overview of Revamping & Retrofitting , presenting a selection of machines and systems appropriately regenerated and enhanced to meet the needs of the second-life market, complementary to the "new" market.
Alongside the exhibition, as is tradition, there will be the BI-MUpiù arena with a packed schedule of thematic cultural meetings curated by organizers, exhibitors, and industry experts.
Special focus will be on some of the most dynamic user sectors for investment and innovation development, such as Aerospace & Defense and Energy, which will be hosted in the arena on October 14th and 15th. With these 90-minute forums, BI-MU broadens its horizons, offering industry professionals attending the fair, through the voices of some of the key players in these sectors, a detailed discussion of the most interesting business opportunities for exhibitors.
For young people, the Education & Job project is confirmed, which will have as its flagship ROBOTGAMES , the automation and robotics competition dedicated to secondary school students, now in its second edition.
Another new feature of this edition will be the BI-MU FUTURETECH AWARDS , a prize that celebrates the most innovative manufacturing solutions presented at the fair. The competition is open to exhibitors at 35.BI-MU, who will compete in three categories: mechanical innovation, digitalization, and sustainability. This initiative highlights the event's value as a platform for documenting and anticipating technological advancements in industrial manufacturing.
The lead-up events dedicated to the event continue, the next two appointments are: Wednesday 22 April, at the headquarters of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, “ Industrial service robots and humanoids: an increasingly blurred boundary ” will take place, organised by SIRI, in collaboration with 35.BI-MU and FONDAZIONE UCIMU, and, on Thursday 18 June, at Kilometro Rosso in Bergamo, the “ Innovative Robotics Forum ” will be held, sponsored by 35.BI-MU, organised by Tecnologie Meccaniche and Tecnolamiera with the patronage of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE.
The meeting is dedicated to new developments in process robotics and its applications. Other events dedicated to other key sectors of the event are being planned in the coming months.
Ucimu: orders index in the third quarter of 2026 rise (+10.5%) foreign orders (+24.7%); domestic ord
In the third quarter of 2026, the machine tool orders index compiled by the UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE Study & Business Culture Centre recorded a 10.5% increase compared to the July-September 2025 period . In absolute value, the index stood at 58.9 (base 100 in 2021). In particular, orders collected across borders grew by +24.7% compared to the third quarter of 2025, for an absolute value of 108.6. Order intake in Italy, however, decreased by 7.1% compared to the same period of the previous year. The absolute value of the index stood at 14.3. Riccardo Rosa , President of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, stated: " Domestic demand remains weak despite the numerous ongoing negotiations. The uncertainty of the international context and the increase in energy costs are clearly impacting the activity of Italian manufacturing operators, who are postponing investments pending greater clarity. We are therefore confident ," added President Riccardo Rosa , " that Italian demand will be able to regain momentum, also supported by the hyper-depreciation measure which, in version 5.0, allows for better planning of investments, which can be spread out until September 2028. " Italian manufacturers' activity on foreign markets, however, has been decidedly dynamic. In addition to the United States, where demand remains particularly strong, Germany is also beginning to show signs of recovery: certainly good news for the Italian industry in the sector. According to data processed by the UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE Study & Business Culture Centre, in the first half of 2026 (latest available data), the main outlet markets for Italian supply in the sector were the United States (329 million euros +12.6%) and Germany (137 million euros, +7.6%), followed by France, Poland, and Spain. “In particular, the aerospace and defense sectors, as well as the energy sector, are driving orders, regardless of the country of reference,” concluded Riccardo Rosa . These are the latest sector data presented by the president of UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE, Riccardo Rosa , on the occasion of the inauguration of 35.BI-MU, the international sector event taking place at fieramilano Rho from 12 to 16 October . Speakers at the meeting chaired by Rosa included Valentino Valentini , Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy; Giovanni Bozzetti, President of Fondazione Fiera Milano; Simona Greco , Hosted Exhibitions Director of Fiera Milano; and Luca Durante , Head of the Capital Goods Office at ICE-Agenzia. The second part of the event featured an interview with Gian Piero Cutillo, Co-General Manager of Leonardo, and Roberto Vavassori , Executive Director of Brembo and President of ANFIA, conducted by Paolo Bricco, Special Correspondent, Il Sole 24 Ore. The event features over 400 companies , spread across a total area of 40,000 square meters in pavilions 22 and 24. The spotlight will be on machine tools, robotics, automation, additive manufacturing, digital manufacturing, artificial intelligence, measurement and quality control systems, components, and enabling technologies for the smart factory. The event, promoted by UCIMU-SISTEMI PER PRODURRE and organized by EFIM-ENTE FIERE ITALIANE MACCHINE, significantly enhances the thematic cultural dimension. Over 50 events are planned , including conferences, workshops, and round tables. New features this year include two special forums dedicated to the Aerospace & Defense and Energy sectors, strategic sectors that will be analyzed through the direct testimony of production and operations directors of some of the main international players and the CEOs of several Italian SMEs. In terms of training, the VLF4EU (Virtual Learning Factory for EU) International Conference is particularly relevant, focusing on an innovative training system based on the Digital Twin of the factory. The conference will feature around thirty researchers from Denmark, France, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Italy. The relationship between young people and the world of work will be explored in depth at the meeting " Value, Future, Impact. Work According to the New Generation ," organized by ANIPLA with the patronage of the UCIMU Foundation. These conferences are part of the Skills Area 's calendar of meetings. Located in Pavilion 24, the Skills Area will host initiatives promoted by UCIMU Academy and the UCIMU Foundation . Among these, ROBOTGAMES , the automation and robotics competition for secondary school students, now in its second edition, will once again be held.
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