Press conference: Sustainable and flexible manufacturing

Brussels, 22 Sep 2003

The Commission is organising a press conference on 'Sustainable and flexible manufacturing' in Milan on 22 October 2003, during the EMO machine tool fair, to show how EU research supports manufacturing industry in Europe.

Manufacturing is coming under increasing scrutiny, as new economy business models appear to be failing. Sustainability needs a holistic approach that covers not only flexible manufacturing but also product marketing, product use and service activities.

EMO runs from 21 to 28 October 2003 and is organised by the European Committee for the Co-operation of the Machine Tool Industries (CECIMO) and the Italian Machine Tools, Robots and Automation Manufacturers' Association (UCIMU). It offers an ideal opportunity for journalists to learn what European research is doing to support manufacturing industry in Europe.

The press conference will place particular emphasis on machinery and machine tools as well as on industrial research for the European manufacturing industry. Participants will include European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin, the Italian Minister of Education, Universities and Research Mme Letizia Moratti, President of the Lombardy region Roberto Formigoni, Research DG Industrial Technologies Director Ezio Andreta and the coordinators of three European manufacturing research projects:

MANTYS Thematic Network on manufacturing technologies;

Advanced machining systems for environmentally friendly manufacturing (ECOSYSTEMS); and

Multipurpose and cross-sectoral modernisation of manufacturing processes through parallel kinematics (MACH21).

Journalists will also have the opportunity to visit these projects in the EMO exhibition as well as receiving preliminary information about a special conference on 'European manufacturing of the future: role of research and education for European world leadership' to be held in Milan on 1 and 2 December 2003.

Background:

Future of manufacturing in Europe

EMO Milan 2003 international trade fair on machine tools, robots and automation, 21 to 28 October 2003, Milan, Italy

DG Research
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/research/i ndex_en.html
Item source: http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/indus trial_technologies/22-09-03_emo-conferen ce_en.html