Despite a complex and uncertain economic climate, exhibitor registrations for Metal Materia 2026 (5–6 November) are up 14% compared to the same period last year. An encouraging sign that shows how well this trade fair concept has hit the mark, demonstrating that metalworking SMEs are looking for exactly what Piacenza Expo is building: not a traditional fair, but a space for concrete relationships, innovation and business opportunities.
“We have received more registrations than in 2025, right in the middle of a difficult economic period,” explains Sergio Copelli, Director of Piacenza Expo. “This tells a fundamental truth: metalworking SMEs are living through a period of transformation, with margins under pressure and an urgent need for technological innovation. Metal Materia has responded to this need: a trade fair space that does not require excessive monetary investments, yet hosts the entire metalworking value chain. The key element is relevance. The fair is built together, with professionals choosing to participate because they feel they will find genuine exchange and concrete business opportunities there.”
A formula designed for the territory
The strength of Metal Materia is rooted in its local context. Piacenza has a well-established tradition in mechanical subcontracting, a sector that generates around 60% of the area’s added value. The choice of location is therefore no coincidence. “Mechanical subcontracting is one of the pillars of this territory,” underlines Nicola Parenti, President of Confindustria Piacenza. “A dedicated fair is the recognition and promotion that this sector deserves. SMEs operating in subcontracting play a role that is often quiet but decisive for the entire local production chain: they are the connective tissue of local industry. We are convinced that showcasing this wealth, giving it visibility and connecting it into a network, is a strategic priority for the future of the territory. Metal Materia is going exactly in that direction.”.
The credit for this success goes to the technical committee, which brings together the leading companies and industry associations in the sector. A constructive dialogue that has made it possible to shape an event truly tailored to the real needs of businesses: from the optimisation of machining processes to innovation in welding, from heat treatments to business matching initiatives, through to strengthening the links between schools and industry.
Broad support from industry associations
Metal Materia is a shared endeavour. All the main local associations have rallied around the project, recognising its strategic importance.
“We wholeheartedly support Metal Materia,” says Alessandra Tencati, President of the Libera Associazione Artigiani Piacenza. “A trade fair event that represents an important opportunity for encounter, exchange and promotion for the mechanical processing sector, small and medium-sized craft businesses and industrial manufacturing. In an economic context marked by profound technological and productive change, initiatives like this help promote innovation, skills and relationships between businesses.”
CNA also sees Metal Materia as a strategic lever for addressing current challenges. “The current geopolitical landscape, rising raw material and energy costs are having a negative impact on our sectors,” observes Cristiana Crenna, Provincial President of CNA. “In this climate of uncertainty, a technically specialised fair of the calibre of Metal Materia can be a valuable tool not only for showcasing productive excellence, but also as a constructive moment of exchange between the worlds of business, research and technological innovation. To remain competitive, our SMEs need innovation, but also the kind of commercial synergies that can be developed at a fair like this.”
Confapi Industria Piacenza highlights how Metal Materia goes beyond the traditional concept of a trade fair: “It is a concrete platform for relationships, technical development and commercial growth, capable of connecting businesses, expertise, technologies and new generations,” says Vincenzo Cerciello, President of Confapi Industria Piacenza. “The positive experience of 2025 showed that there is a strong need for qualified spaces where companies can discuss the transformations underway: innovation, sustainability, advanced materials, new manufacturing processes, training and the labour market.”
UPA Federimpresa-Confartigianato, through its provincial president Pietro Bragalini, is equally enthusiastic: “UPA enthusiastically supports Metal Materia, in the firm belief that our craft businesses can find in this event an opportunity for networking, innovative ideas and technological opportunities for the continued progress of the sector. The integrated approach of the show will enable a 360° exchange between exhibitors and visitors, beneficial to the growth of both metallurgy and metalworking.”
Innovation and digital transition under the spotlight
This broad consensus is no coincidence. Davide Villa, President of Piacenza Expo, explains the strategic vision: “An event we believe in strongly, in the conviction that innovative fairs like Metal Materia can help boost the competitiveness of our companies. We make available to SMEs the latest technological and digital developments — such as artificial intelligence — qualified tools capable of improving not only production processes, but also business planning, management and organisation.”
Another crucial aspect is the connection with younger generations. “Students from technical institutes and universities will have the opportunity to meet and engage with businesses: a mutual exchange to build a solid bridge between education and the world of work, a place where knowledge meets practice and where the dialogue between schools and industry becomes the engine of new shared opportunities.”
Towards 5–6 November
This second edition of Metal Materia promises to be even richer than the first. The exhibition area will host subcontractors, technologies and innovations at the service of business, with practical demonstrations and live showcases. Numerous thematic events, including conferences, workshops, training sessions and recruiting activities, will complete the programme.
It confirms that Piacenza Expo has found the right formula: a fair that does not claim to “decide the future” of metalworking, but grows the project as a concrete and necessary tool in this complex period.
Metal Materia – The SME trade show for metallurgy and metalworking
Piacenza Expo, 5-6 november 2026
www.metalmateria.it
Free professional visitor accreditation available online until 12 October at www.metalmateria.it
