FROM THE EDITOR - The trajectories of our future
Davide Miserendino
There is a private universe within each of us. It is made of a substance that blends aspirations, vulnerability, emotions, and intuition and it is within this space that we sketch the trajectories of our future. The “fragment” of that universe that sparkled above Ipack-Ima last May bore witness to many different stories as it overlooked the show floor.
Human stories, made of perseverance, dedication, vision, and commitment. And “cybernetic” stories too of increasingly intelligent machines, capable of transforming age-old balances (or imbalances). Among these stories, two stand out that I would like to share with you. The first was celebrated in a temple of ingenuity and beauty - the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese - and it is the story of the Cavanna family.
A benchmark in the world of flowpack packaging systems, the company marked its 65th anniversary by placing emotion at the center, true to its identity as a family company, and doing so with honesty and simplicity.
At the forefront, alongside the dynamic president Riccardo, was his sister Alessandra Cavanna, who led the group for many years. Alessandra spoke about her decision to take, as the saying goes, a step aside to devote herself to her passion for art and acting. Her words were a blend of pragmatism and poetry: “Parents have beautiful dreams, but they’re not necessarily the same as those of their children. And children must be allowed to fly. As a daughter, it took me a while to understand this, but I now know it was the right choice. And I must say well done to my brother, who is carrying this challenge forward with great skill”.
A heartfelt “Well done, bro,” closed her speech, resonating with warmth and sincerity. Echoing her words was a moving video featuring their father, Mario Cavanna, who passed away in 2015.
Speaking to the mountains of his beloved Valsesia, he reflected with prophetic clarity: “I want to talk about projects. I hope that our quality of life never strays from what we see around us: the greenery, the beauty of living in such a magnificent place, with the mountains behind and Monte Rosa peeking out from time to time”.
Sustainability, as we often discover, walks hand in hand with our roots. The second story also starts with earth—but views it from a rare perspective: from space. This was the powerful testimony shared by astronaut Paolo Nespoli (313 days spent in space) at the event marking Giflex’s 40th anniversary.
Nespoli praised flexible packaging, which plays a vital role aboard the International Space Station by ensuring food safety and practicality. But he also reminded the audience that mental flexibility is just as essential. He did so while showcasing breathtaking photos of our planet taken from the cupola of the ISS, surrounded by galaxies.
One quote above all lingers: “From up here it’s crystal clear, the only real wall that protects us - he emphasized - is the atmosphere”. I’ll end with a comet—one that recently passed by, but certainly left its mark. Ucima has decided to rewrite the rules for industry assemblies, staging its event in grand style at the MAST Foundation in Bologna.
Between deep geopolitical analysis, live podcasting on stage, vibrant roundtable debates, and a memorable “duel” over market figures, the event was a resounding success. Sometimes it’s a beautiful thing when our private creative universe becomes a shared space for everyone.
