The leading exhibition for the industrial valves and flow control industry will feature two additional halls, with a record number of companies expected to attend
The trade fair expands its format, adding an extra exhibition day, more conferences, and enhanced networking opportunities
The 2025 update of the IVS-Prometeia Observatory “The Oil & Gas Valve Industry in Italy” has been released
The press conference for the sixth edition of IVS – Industrial Valve Summit, the leading international event dedicated to industrial valve technologies and flow control solutions, took place in Milan. Promoted by Confindustria Bergamo and Promoberg, the event will be held at the Bergamo Exhibition Centre from 19 to 21 May 2026.
Less than a year ahead of the new edition, the organisers celebrated IVS’s tenth anniversary: a milestone that offers a chance to look to the future while reflecting on a journey built on vision and dialogue, successfully connecting companies, institutions, research bodies, international buyers, experts, and professionals from around the world. Established in 2015 as a specialist event, IVS is now internationally recognised as the benchmark platform for the industrial valve supply chain. Over the past decade, the Summit has grown in size, quality, and strategic relevance, contributing to the competitiveness of Italy’s manufacturing district and the global standing of the Italian
industrial sector.
The 2026 edition marks a further step forward in the event’s development. The exhibition layout will expand to include two additional halls, and the programme will span three full days open to the public, evolving from a two-day exhibition into a true “Valve Week.” From the morning of Tuesday 19 May, the scientific programme will begin and the halls will open their doors to the international valve community. This evolution reflects the organisers’ intention to meet the growing demand for high-level content, networking opportunities, and expert dialogue. Early registrations confirm the positive trend, with the sixth edition set to break previous attendance records. Hundreds of Italian and international companies will attend in Bergamo, highlighting the industry’s confidence in an increasingly complex global context.
The History
In May 2015, the Bergamo Exhibition Centre hosted the industrial valve sector for the first time. More than one hundred exhibiting companies immediately recognised the event’s strategic potential. Designed as a platform to enhance the entire supply chain through shared objectives and specialised technical expertise, the trade fair quickly became a driver of regional promotion, generating a wide range of related initiatives that continue to benefit the local area. From 5,700 visitors in 2015 to over 8,000 in 2017 and 10,800 in 2019, IVS has grown steadily—not only in attendance but also in the quality of its participants. In 2020, as preparations for the fourth edition were in full swing, the Covid-19 pandemic forced a temporary halt. The venue was converted into a
temporary hospital, serving the community and actively supporting the regional healthcare system. The 2021 edition was postponed to 2022, marking a major milestone: 12,000 visitors from over 60 countries and nearly 300 exhibitors (+17% vs. 2019) confirmed the Summit’s increasing global relevance, despite ongoing international travel restrictions. The fifth edition in 2024 welcomed 15,000 attendees from 69 countries (+25%) and 325 exhibiting companies (+13%) from 14 nations, with a significant rise in international presence, which doubled compared to 2022.
The Scientific Programme
Thanks to the scientific contribution of VALVEcampus – the Association for the training of Italian industrial valve manufacturers and long-standing partner of the Industrial Valve Summit – IVS 2026 will offer a cutting-edge technical programme tailored to the industry’s latest challenges. Special attention will be given to emerging technologies and opportunities in new application markets such as hydrogen, water resources, and liquefied natural gas – strategic growth areas for the industry. The programme will revolve around six main themes: standardisation and standards development; digital technologies applied to valves, actuators, and control; valve design and materials for severe
services; advanced sealing solutions for industrial valves; AI applied to mechanical design, procurement and manufacturing; and additive manufacturing.
Four highly specialised round tables will address complex issues, including the deployment of subsea valves in deepwater environments, the use of choke valves in high-pressure systems, the performance and safety of control valves in critical applications, and surface treatment technologies to enhance erosion and corrosion resistance. A final round table, titled “The Future of Energy”, will bring together experts from across the valve supply chain for a high-level discussion on key
industry trends and future scenarios.
Partnerships
Strategic partnerships are driving the growth of high-level international participation. These include collaborations with ICE (Italian Trade Agency), AVR ANIMA (the industrial association representing
Italian valve and tap manufacturers), Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo (Confindustria’s international branch supporting Italian companies in Africa and the Middle East), and UNIDO ITPO Italy (the Italian Investment and Technology Promotion Office of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization). IVS has also signed agreements with BVAA (the Organisation that represents manufacturers, distributors, repairers and suppliers in the UK valve industry) and Fluidex (the spanish Association of exporters of fluid handling equipment, solutions and process technologies) with more partnerships in the pipeline, including country-pavilions.
These collaborations will bring selected international delegations to the event, including institutional representatives, entrepreneurs, decision-makers, speakers and specialised professionals. The organisers have invited top-tier buyers from leading end users and EPCs, offering opportunities for valuable exchange with players across the entire energy sector.
The IVS-Prometeia Observatory “The Oil & Gas Valve Industry in Italy”
The 2025 update of the IVS-Prometeia Observatory “The Oil & Gas Valve Industry in Italy,” produced with the support of Confindustria Bergamo’s Research Department, was also presented. The new report provides a snapshot of Italy’s industrial valve sector, which remains a strategic
segment of national manufacturing and a European benchmark. The industry includes 139 companies, around 10,000 employees, and generates annual revenues of €3.4 billion. With 36.6% of total European production, Italy maintains its leadership in the Oil & Gas valve market,
with strong specialisation in ball and plug valves, butterfly valves, and spare parts. Lombardy stands as the industry’s productive core, accounting for nearly two-thirds of national output, with Bergamo as the leading industrial hub. Within 100 km of Bergamo, more than 100 specialised companies generate over 90% of national turnover in the sector, with €1.9 billion in revenue (55% of the industry total) and over 6,000 employees.
In 2024, Italian Oil & Gas valve exports grew by 16.9%, far exceeding the global average of +8.5%, consolidating Italy’s position as the world’s third-largest exporter. Growth was strongest in Western Europe and the Middle East, where Italy outperformed the market average, particularly in the MENA region (+60%). In Saudi Arabia, a key market, exports grew at twice the rate of competitors, with a peak in ball and plug valve exports. The country accounted for nearly half of the total increase in Italian valve exports in 2024. In Q1 2025, a normal seasonal adjustment occurred (-6.8% quarter-on-quarter), though levels remained 10% higher than the same period in 2024. The drop was concentrated in Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia (-29% QoQ), which still showed strong YoY growth (+30%). Globally, oil demand grew by just 0.7% in 2024, while natural gas rose by 1.8%, driven by Asian demand. Early 2025 saw declining energy prices, strong investment activity in the Middle East, and a slowdown in North America. Meanwhile, renewables continued to
grow, with global investment levels twice as high as fossil fuels. The global Oil & Gas sector’s revenues fell 5% in 2024 but remained 23% above pre-pandemic levels. Operating margins held steady, as did capital expenditure (CapEx), although at a slower pace. Core investment is forecast to decline by 15% over 2025–2026. Italy’s valve industry remains competitive by focusing on high-investment markets (Europe, Asia, MENA), while the US, which is in decline, accounts for just
11% of national exports.
Claudia Persico, Vice President of Confindustria Bergamo for Internationalisation, stated:
“We are extremely proud of IVS’s tenth anniversary, a project strongly supported by entrepreneurs in the sector and by Confindustria Bergamo, which immediately recognised its key role in promoting a high-level supply chain internationally. The steady growth in numbers for the 2026 edition confirms the project’s success in attracting global attention to a forward-looking sector, generating new business opportunities and unique scientific and technological insights. It is also a healthy industry, as shown by the Prometeia study, resilient to the threat of potential US tariffs and deeply rooted in Bergamo’s broader manufacturing ecosystem, which also includes heat exchangers, pressure vessels, pumps, pipes, and fittings—making it of cross-sectoral interest.”
Luciano Patelli, President of Promoberg, commented:
“IVS is the flagship of Bergamo Exhibition Centre’s internationalisation journey, attracting hundreds of companies and over 15,000 top-tier professionals from around the world. We are honoured to be part of this important event and to contribute to the local economy and the promotion of our city, not only industrially and in manufacturing, but also in tourism and culture. The province of Bergamo, which hosts the Summit, is the heart of the Italian industrial valve sector and an excellence at both national and international levels. IVS is a strategic event, especially when considered as a support initiative for the region’s high-performing industrial supply chains, and in particular, its SMEs.”
Francesco Apuzzo, President of VALVEcampus, said:
“Ahead of IVS 2026, the Scientific Committee aims to connect skills, technologies, and perspectives, consolidating an offering already regarded as the benchmark for technical dialogue among industry professionals. The programme will deliver strategic and relevant content aligned with the transformations underway in the industry and open to new application scenarios. Special focus will be given to emerging technologies and opportunities in evolving markets such as hydrogen and LNG. The six thematic areas will range from regulatory updates to artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing. Finally, the round tables will provide highly specialised spaces for exchange, designed to meet the knowledge needs of an increasingly expert and demanding technical community.”
