Held under the umbrella of the Automotive Hungary trade fair, the event was organized by Confindustria Ungheria and brought together Italian companies and Hungarian stakeholders to explore the growing role of polymer technology in driving the future of mobility.
The one-day conference highlighted Italy’s increasingly strategic position in sustainable automotive manufacturing. Coordinated by Silvia Merighi, founder of MSP Group and head of the plastics sector at Confindustria Ungheria, the event served as both a technological exhibition and a business networking forum.
It featured institutional support from several branches of Confindustria, Italy’s leading employers’ federation, as well as corporate presentations from leading Italian firms, including Lati, Aquafil, and Cossa Polimeri.
The conference was opened by Roberto Massucco, president of Confindustria Ungheria, and Patrizio Dei Tos, president of Confindustria Est Europa. They emphasized the importance of expanding Italy’s industrial presence in Central and Eastern Europe through strategic alliances, innovation partnerships, and supply chain integration.
“The aim is to create sustainable and long-term collaboration between Italian industry and regional partners in Central Europe,” said Massucco. Dei Tos added that Confindustria Est Europa “firmly supports initiatives that strengthen the Italian industrial presence in the region and promote new connections between companies, regions, and supply chains.”
The keynote from Stefano Sassone, technical director of Confindustria Cisambiente, focused on how circular economy principles and innovation in material recycling are becoming indispensable in meeting both climate goals and upcoming regulatory challenges in the automotive sector.
“As Cisambiente Confindustria, the primary voice of Italian companies in the circular economy and environmental services, our patronage of this conference underscores our alignment with key themes: innovation, sustainability, and Italian industrial excellence,” said Sassone.
“Supporting advanced polymeric supply chains and promoting plastic recycling is crucial for decarbonization and compliance with European directives like the ELV [end of life vehicles],” he added.
The technical heart of the conference was built around presentations from three major Italian material producers who are actively driving forward innovation in the automotive sector.
Lati SpA, a specialist in high-performance engineering thermoplastics since 1945, presented its advanced portfolio tailored for automotive applications. Ben Hargreaves, Lati’s United Kingdom and Ireland sales manager, outlined the company’s latest compound developments. Its solutions address a wide range of complex demands, from thermal and electrical conductivity to electromagnetic shielding, self-lubrication, and flame retardancy.
The rise of electric and hybrid vehicles has opened new application areas for Lati’s compounds. The company now focuses on providing safe, flame-retardant materials suitable for managing high voltages and currents in battery systems. The firm is investing in sustainability, offering materials made with recycled raw inputs and publishing full data on its carbon footprint reduction. It is IATF 16949-certified and positions itself as a development partner for OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers operating in high-tech segments.
Aquafil SpA, represented by product manager Nicole Soligo, introduced Econyl, a chemically regenerated Polyamide 6 material made entirely from waste sources, including discarded fishing nets, carpets, and textile scraps. The innovation aligns with the End-of-Life Vehicles Directive, allowing OEMs to integrate high-performance, circular-economy materials into their supply chains.
“Econyl performs on par with virgin polyamides but offers a significantly reduced environmental impact,” Soligo noted. “It’s a proven solution for automakers looking to decarbonize and comply with future EU standards.”
Cossa Polimeri Srl, another key participant, presented its range of polypropylene and other compounds, many of which include recycled content and exhibit properties such as flame retardancy, antistatic behavior, and suitability for interior and lighting applications. Luca Ferrari, the company’s senior sales manager, emphasized Cossa’s ability to deliver tailored compounds for lightweight, functional automotive components that meet regulatory and performance demands.
Alongside material demonstrations, the conference also served as a platform to promote business and technology transfer between Italian manufacturers and Central European automotive suppliers. The final session featured a presentation from OMS Besser Group, a Milan-based manufacturer of injection molds and plastic parts with operations in Hungary, Romania, and Poland. Representing the company, engineer Giuseppe Comi emphasized its commitment to expanding partnerships in the region.
“With more than 50 years of experience and nine industrial facilities across Europe, we are eager to collaborate with companies seeking innovation in thermoplastic injection molding and finishing processes,” Comi said.
UniCredit was a corporate sponsor, represented by Alessandro Paoli, head of UniCredit International Center Italy. He spoke about the financial sector’s role in supporting industrial transformation through targeted lending, innovation financing, and cross-border market entry strategies.
Held in Pavilion A of the Hungexpo venue, the event was widely seen as a strong signal of Italy’s industrial momentum in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in automotive materials innovation. While Italy has long been associated with automotive design and mechanical engineering, this event showed that it is also taking a leadership role in supplying high-performance materials that meet the industry’s increasing demands for lightweight and sustainable electrification.
At a time when the automotive industry is undergoing a structural transformation driven by electrification, digitalization, and climate mandates, advanced polymers are more than just materials; they are enablers of a more agile, sustainable, and competitive mobility ecosystem. Events like this one serve to accelerate that shift by connecting innovation with implementation.
The conference highlighted not just the technical capabilities of Italian firms but also their commitment to aligning with evolving European standards on decarbonization, end-of-life material management, and lifecycle sustainability. It also underlined Hungary’s importance as a regional hub for automotive manufacturing and R&D, a point emphasized by the presence of Italian companies already operating production facilities in the country.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of June 16, 2025.
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