SIMEI 2022: the edition in the name of sustainability

From the vineyard to the cellar, from bottling to labelling, right up to the glass, and more. All the technology applied to the wine and beverage supply chain returned to Simei, the international enological and bottling equipment exhibition by the Unione Italiana Vini (UIV), at Fiera Milano (Rho) from 15 to 18 November 2022. After the forced stop in 2021, the 29th edition of the biennial event was back. Transversal in terms of the product categories represented and leader in the sector, SIMEI confirmed its programme, with a four-day event for Italian and foreign professional industry players in the name of technological innovation and green processes in wine-making, liquid food, oil, beer and spirits.
Sustainability was in fact the theme of Simei 2022, representing the ecological, social and economic development of a technical and technological sector of Italian products present in over 70% of wineries around the world. Among the events specifically dedicated to green business models, there were also been two events organised by the Sustainable Wine Roundtable (SWR), a global and independent coalition that includes all the players in the wine sector who are seeking to define and disseminate the practices and standards of sustainability in wine production.
This was also a central theme for the Innovation Challenge, a competition that honours technological innovations in the sector and that from this year, in addition to the "Technology Innovation Award SIMEI 2022" and the "New Technology SIMEI 2022", gave the "Green Innovation Award SIMEI 2022". The technologies competing for the title of "Green Innovation Award SIMEI 2022" showed an improvement in the field of climate mitigation, the circular economy or water and energy consumption, as provided for by EU Regulation 2020/852 of 18 June 2020. 
Among the trade associations involved in SIMEI, from 15 to 18 November, Assoenologi and le Donne del vino from around the world played the leading role in a lecture on "Innovation in the prevention of light defects in white and rosé wines" and the world forum of le Donne del Vino on "Let's cultivate the future and peace", respectively. At the 29th fair dedicated to wine and beverage technology, there was also an area for the second edition of the I.G.A. Beer Challenge, an international competition dedicated to Italian Grape Ale, which has been held for the first time at Simei, to foster and promote the Italian brewing world. Another event was a conference promoted in collaboration with Assobibe, AssoBirra and Mineracqua that has compared the four product chains represented (drinks, beer, water and wine).
There were 15 product categories in the 4 halls of Fiera Milano (1-2-3 and 4) including technologies for the vineyard in the Enovitis business area, while in terms of content, beer made its entrance at SIMEI 2022 with dedicated events.