The congress program covers three days: September 20th, September 21st and September 22nd, plus an optional day on September 19th.
The UITIC tradition of offering the participants a complementary program of factory and institutional visits continues; three options will be available*, which will give an insight into the Italian shoemaking world and the best research and innovation infrastructures:
Industrie Chimiche Forestali, shoe material and adhesive manufacturer (Marcallo con Casone, MI)
Tessitura Langè, fabric wholesaler (Robecchetto con Induno, MI)
Tacchificio Villa Cortese, footwear component manufacturer (Villa Cortese, MI)
TFL, tannery pilot plant (Buscate, MI)
Kilometro Rosso, innovation district (Bergamo, BG)
MADE Competence Center I4.0 (Milan, MI)
Calzaturificio Roveda, shoe factory (Parabiago, MI)
Calzaturificio SeymechamLou, shoe factory (Nerviano, MI)
CIMAC, test and certification lab (Vigevano, PV)
*Factory Visits are sold out.
Venue: Rho Fiera Milan
The SIMAC TANNING TECH trade show is the landmark exhibition for the most advanced design and manufacturing technologies; a one stop occasion to observe the latest technical evolutions and to discuss them with their creators with the support of the ASSOMAC team. A unique and convenient opportunity for all the participants.
LINEAPELLE is a world’s leading exhibition hub for leather, materials, accessories and components for the global fashion, design and luxury manufacturing industry. Innovation and research play a key role.The 1300 exhibitors from 45 Countries will present the Autumn Winter 24/25 collections.
Venue: NH Milano Congress Centre (Milanofiori, Assago)
Innovation and sustainable development have sometimes been considered as two antagonistic principles; they must now be fully associated to ensure the viability of the company. In this context, neglecting sustainable innovation when creating products, services and equipment would be a mistake that could lead to turning one's back on the future.
Yves Morin | President UITIC (France) |
Alessandro Spada | President ASSOLOMBARDA (Italy) |
Maria Vittoria Brustia | President ASSOMAC (Italy) |
Giovanna Ceolini | President ASSOCALZATURIFICI (Italy) |
Carmen Arias Castellano | Secretary General CEC (Belgium) |
Fabrizio Nuti | President UNIC (Italy) |
Carlo Alberto Carnevale Maffè | Professor Bocconi University (Italy) |
The objective of this session is to highlight innovations to better meet consumer needs, explore new design paradigms, conceive products with less environmental impact, identify and implement new materials, and propose methods to measure the environmental impact of products and materials.
Moderator: Elena Orgiles, UITIC Scientific Committee INESCOP (Spain)
TENCEL™ Lyocell filament as an innovative and biodegradable raw material for knitted shoe uppers | Markus Pichler, Lenzing (Austria) |
Strategies to reduce footwear environmental footprint - A quantitative approach | Maria José Ferreira, Portuguese Footwear Research Centre CTCP (Portugal) |
Fast fashion and sustainability for footwear industry, how to choose? |
Matthieu Vicard, CTC Groupe (France) |
Sustainability Integration through Connected Data |
Linli Cao, BM Technology (Canada) |
Feedback from biomechanics to robotic: an accelerator process for innovating products testing | Valantin Louis, CTC Groupe (France) |
Quality control and traceability in the production of footwear |
Vittoria Brustia, Brustia Alfameccanica (Italy) |
One Step Closer to Transparency: How Digital Product Passports are Revolutionizing Footwear production and storytelling | Martina Schiuma, The IDFactory (Italy) |
Last Engineers: Harmonizing Technology and Craftsmanship for Precision Fit in Footwear | Benjamin Majster, Blue Ridge Logiciels (France) |
Don’t just stay afloat: how to evolve digital product creation, without sinking into the impact of skills, processes and tools | Guido Polcan and Matteo Pasca, Maize and Arsutoria (Italy) |
Smart and Connected Machines to Deliver More Value to Customers |
Pierangelo Dolera and Cesare Reina, Atom (Italy) |
EU Digital FabLab: a virtual Shoe Fablab using AR for practical footwear manufacturing skills | Alice Marcato, Politecnico Calzaturiero (Italy) |
Transforming footwear manufacturing: dexterous robotic shoe soles demolding to reduce the physical burden on workers and foster a sustainable workforce | Carlos Vélez García, INESCOP (Spain) |
SciLED Knowledge Alliance for comfort and sustainable oriented footwear | Mariana Costea, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași (Romania) |
Is your company ready for Industry 5.0? Key Competences for the successful implementation of i5.0 objectives in the footwear industry | Rita Souto, Portuguese Footwear Research Centre CTCP (Portugal) |
Capacity building of global footwear sector for sustainable development |
Swarna V Kanth, CSIR - Central Leather Research Institute (India) |
In this first panel, footwear innovators and experts from high tech companies in the field of materials, automation, robotics, AI will discuss how they innovate their technologies and their business and how these innovations eventually may impact on the footwear manufacturing processes.
Moderator: Simone Cerroni, Journalist Class CNBC (Italy)
Luca Marchetti | B&R Automazione Industriale (Italy) |
Dirk Achten | COVESTRO (Germany) |
Antonio Vulcano | ELMEC3D - HP (Italy) |
Guido Cami | Industrie Chimiche Forestali (Italy) |
Gianmichele Piciocco | Mitsubishi Electric Europe (Italy) |
Vivobarefoot (UK) |
Venue: NH MIlano Congress Centre (Milanofiori, Assago)
Francesca Rulli |
CEO Process Factory and Ympact Società Benefit | Founder 4sustainability (Italy)
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Beyond the will of companies to become sustainable manufacturers, they are often confronted with implementation difficulties and the definition of their priorities. This topic is vast and could be approached from the angle of products or of production equipment. There is also often the question of labelling systems to ensure that the approaches are recognised. This last session, based on success stories covering all aspects of sustainability, will allow to present global approaches. Its aim will also be to enlighten participants about the key success factors for implementing their project.
Moderator: Clara Florbela Silva, UITIC Scientific Committee Portuguese Footwear Research Centre CTCP (Portugal)
Footwear recycling pilot plant as sustainable solution and clean technology for the industry |
Elena Orgiles, INESCOP (Spain) |
Re_SHOES - Shoes recycling |
Alex Marquoin, CETIA (France) |
Polyurethanes are ready for circular footwear concepts |
Felix Willenbrink, BASF (Germany) |
A Practical Approach to Assess the Environmental Impact of Footwear using Life Cycle Assessment Principles |
Andrew Hudson, BLC Leather Technology Centre Ltd (UK) |
VCS: the sustainability certification mark for the footwear sector |
Sabrina Frontini, ICEC (Italy) and Matteo Scarparo, Assocalzaturifici (Italy) |
In this panel technology suppliers, experts and practitioners will be asked to discuss their paths to sustainability through the adoption of targeted approaches and how these could be of inspiration for the audience.
Moderator: Simone Cerroni, Journalist Class CNBC (Italy)
Andreas Tepest | DEICHMANN (Germany) |
Klaus Freese | DESMA Schuhmaschinen (Germany) |
Mirco Prai | MGT Italia (Italy) |
Katie Kutskill | SLF (UK) |
Leonardo Bonanni | Sourcemap (USA) |
UNIC (Italy) |
Yves Morin
President of UITIC“UITIC Members are very enthusiastic about the idea of organizing the “21st UITIC International Footwear Congress” in Italy, which is an undisputed reference in terms of innovation and technology for the footwear industries.”
Françoise Nicolas
President of UITIC Congress Scientific Committee“The congress will be an occasion to focus on important technological innovations that have helped footwear companies modernize and become more sustainable. It is therefore an event that is not to be missed.”
Copyright © Loïc Benoit
Sergio Dulio
President of UITIC Congress Organisational Committee"UITIC members are delighted to join forces with such a prestigious partner as ASSOMAC for their “21st UITIC Congress” which will take place in Vigevano and Milan, both cities of reference in footwear technology and fashion."
Maria Vittoria Brustia
President of ASSOMAC"By bringing together representatives of the international footwear industry, the UITIC congress gives participants a valuable opportunity to pool vital information." Copyright Loïc Benoit
Roberto Vago
Managing Director of ASSOMAC"This UITIC Congress will be a remarkable event due to its simultaneous organization with the "Simac Tanning Tech" exhibition, the international event with the most qualified offer of machinery and technologies for the footwear, leather goods and tanning industries."