The 2022 offering of EXPOdetergo International, the international exhibition dedicated to machinery, services and products for laundry, ironing and textile cleaning, closed with 17,144 operators, 40% from 106 countries.
The event attracted the presence of companies from all over the world. Of the 250 exhibitors, one-third of them were foreign coming from 22 countries, and all of the leading associations of the Italian market – Assofornitori, Assosistema, Assosecco, CNA and Confartigianato – who chose to bring their know-how to the fair.
“We met operators from all over the world, and this confirms and reinforces the international role of the event, but above all, the exhibiting companies were able to experience the quality of an evolved and demanding professional visitor, who appreciated the research and development work behind the machines and products on offer at the show,” said Marco Sancassani, president of EXPOdetergo International.
“These were days of business and great substance, in which several companies signed contracts,” added Paolo Pizzocaro, Fiera Milano, director of the exhibition. “The change and innovation that the companies have presented can now find its way into laundries, laying the foundations for the future of this market, with a focus on sustainability, digitalisation and ergonomics – characteristics that are shared by all the present offerings.”
A common theme of the event was doing more with less – a necessity linked to the choice of greater sustainability, but made even more urgent by rising utility bills, a pressing matter for a sector that has high energy consumption. The exhibition featured super fast and energy-saving washing machines, ergonomic and low-consumption ironing systems, fully digitalised machines that manage the washing/ironing chain even remotely, highly effective and environmentally friendly professional detergents and more.
On the machinery side, manufacturers are turning into real consultants for energy-saving plans. There was also an emphasis on finding room for savings through automated line management to help reduce time and costs. The machines are interconnected and talk to each other. They simulate the flow in a virtual way to search for the most efficient one and enable real time monitoring of work stations, performance verification and remote control of the whole chain. A latest generation line washes, irons and fold 1 kg of laundry with about 0.8 kwh, whereas older machines require typically about 2.5 kwh.
On the ironing front, cold technology allows a reduction of energy costs and contributes to working in a healthier environment – thanks to worktops coated with special anti-condensation treatment.
Of course, detergents also make an essential contribution. Ozone technology used in combination with innovative chemicals can improve washing efficiency: time is reduced working at low temperatures (washing at 15 degrees is sufficient) and electricity consumption is reduced, with savings of up to 80%.