Extrusion International 6-2024-USA

13 Extrusion International 6/2024 pectations for the coming months in light of the negative trend in mac- roeconomic indicators, turbulence in the markets, and contingencies that can affect the entire industrial sector, in particular those relating to progress towards energy transition. Going beyond the statistics, or- ders are still showing a negative trend, but with differences, some quite large, among the different technologies. After a particularly negative first quarter, some faint signs of recovery were noted in sub- sequent months. In parallel, the positive ISTAT ex- port data still reflect orders for com - plex systems, with delivery times of 6-9 months or more, registered to- wards the end of the previous year. In this situation, it is reasonable to expect the consolidated year-end results to show a contraction in rev- enues with respect to 2023. In the meantime, Amaplast, by means of its service company Pro- maplast srl, has begun organizing the second edition of Greenplast – the international trade show and conference dedicated to materi- als, technologies, and processes for plastics and rubber, with a particu- lar focus on environmental sustain- ability and energy efficiency. It will take place from the 27th to the 30th of May 2025 in the Fiera Milano fair- grounds in Rho Pero. After the outstanding results from the first edition in 2022 – with 170 exhibitors (80% Italian and 20% from abroad) in a net exhibi- tion space of 6,000 square metres, drawing in over 20,000 visitors from 55 countries – the new edition of the event will explore the latest in- novations and best practices for the sustainable use of plastics. Greenplast 2025 takes place with- in the framework of The Innova- tion Alliance: four fairs – Ipack-Ima, Print4All, Intralogistica Italia, and Greenplast – taking place simulta- neously and occupying nearly the entire Fiera Milano venue in Rho Pero with free circulation of visitors in all sections of the fair. AMAPLAST www.amaplast.org New Operational Management At the end of this year, there will be a change in the management of the Swiss BUSS Group. On November 1, Holger Erhardt took over as Chief Operational Officer from Marko Stähler, who is retiring after around 30 years with the company. During this time, Marko Stähler has played a key role in shaping the develop- ment of the world's leading supplier of compounding solutions based on the kneader principle in various management roles. As the new COO, Holger Erhardt will be able to draw on his many years of experience, including as COO and CTO at large machine manufacturing companies, to fur- ther optimize operational processes in the rapidly growing BUSS Group and to advance ongoing digitization projects. During his engineering ca- reer, he has already led teams in the fields of measurement and control technology, product development, and supply chain. His responsibili- ties ranged from customer care to the commissioning of complex ma- chines and complex organizational issues, which fit well with the cur - rent and future challenges at BUSS. “I amdelighted to take on the role of COO at BUSS AG. BUSS stands for innovation and excellence in the in- dustry. I am excited by the opportu- nity to work in an environment that continuously sets new standards and drives technological progress. I see it as my task not only to op- timize existing processes but also to develop new, creative solutions that further strengthen the com- pany's growth and competitiveness. In doing so, I am always aware of the responsibility that BUSS has to its employees, the industry and so- ciety, and in my new position I want to help ensure that our strategies and actions have a positive impact," says Holger Ehrhard, describing his motivation and anticipation of the new position at BUSS. CEO Dr. Philip Nising is also pleased about the new addition to the company's top management: “A generational change is a major challenge for every company, but it is also an opportunity. With Marko Stähler, we are saying goodbye to a very experienced COO who has had a strong influence on the company and in particular on the COMPEO series in recent years. Fortunately, we were able to find an extremely promisingsuccessor inHolger Erhard at an early stage. He brings with him more than 10 years of management experience, including as COO and CTO at major Swiss and multination- al engineering companies, as well as in-depth expertise in topics that will be immensely important for BUSS in the coming months and years. All of us at BUSS are great tech- nology enthusiasts. Someone like Holger Erhard, who approaches his work with passion and a solution- oriented, straightforward attitude, is a perfect fit for us. I am excited about the momentum he will bring to BUSS and the new directions we will take together. I look forward to working with him." BUSS AG www.busscorp.com Holger Erhardt