The future of manufacturing starts from the growth of scientific-technological disciplines: this is the theme at the heart of the Bologna event

Enhance the STEM skills and their strategic role in advanced manufacturing: this is the focus of the event “STEM Excellence – The contribution of the Philip Morris Institute for Manufacturing Competences”, organized by Philip Morris Group and included by the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy among the events of the “Made in Italy Day”.

The initiative, held at the Institute for Manufacturing Competences (IMC), within the Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology Bologna production hub in Crespellano, brought together experts, institutions and representatives of the sector, with the editor-in-chief of Startup Italia, Charles Terzano, in the role of moderator. A precious opportunity to explore the challenges and opportunities of industry 4.0, as well as to delve deeper into the projects promoted by the Group's Higher Education Centre, dedicated to the development of key innovations for the digital and technological transition.

Among the participants, in addition to students and teachers of the ITS Academy Umbria and the ITS Maker, represented respectively by Alice Lucarelli, Head of Placement & Career Development, and Professor Daniele Vacchi, Director and Vice President of the Foundation, some partners of the IMC also emerge, including Confindustria Emilia Area Centro, embodied by the General Manager Tiziana Ferrari, and the Emilia-Romagna Region, with the intervention of Gabriel Marzano, as well as the winners of the latest edition of the hackathon “Women Shape the Future”, an initiative that involved STEM students from various universities in Southern Italy, including Catania and Bari, in challenges related to industrial sustainability.

As commented by Simona Delvecchio, Manager Sustainability & Public Policy Philip Morris Italy,

“This event represents an important opportunity to strengthen the dialogue between institutions, businesses and the academic world to jointly promote actions for the growth of STEM skills in our country”

Transforming knowledge: when science and education meet the industrial world

The happening on Monday 31 March offered a concrete opportunity for Strengthen the dialogue between institutions, businesses and the academic world, placing the importance of STEM skills in advanced manufacturing at the center.

Il Philip Morris Higher Education Center it is therefore confirmed that centre of excellence for technological and digital innovation; a place where training and research intertwine to shape the future of the industry. During the meeting, the Group shared some of its most significant projects, demonstrating its commitment to developing cutting-edge solutions. Again, the words of Simona Delvecchio:

“Advanced training and technological innovation are fundamental levers to support the competitiveness of the manufacturing and agricultural sectors and accompany the transition towards increasingly sustainable and digitalized production models. We are happy to be able to open the doors of our plant to students of scientific disciplines as part of an initiative included in the context of the Made in Italy Day established by MIMIT”

The same Manager Sustainability & Public Policy Philip Morris Italia also underlined how investing in STEM disciplines ultimately means invest in the future of the entire country. Only through collaboration and comparison, in fact, is it possible to generate new growth opportunities for the entire Italian industrial system.

The Group's constant commitment to industrial innovation and the adoption of new digital solutions

The path of excellence undertaken by Philip Morris reflects the company's constant commitment to industrial innovation and the adoption of cutting-edge digital solutions, with the aim of building an Italian manufacturing supply chain projected towards the future. Recognition of this commitment came with the Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award 2025, awarded to the Crespellano plant for the development of innovative solutions in production processes.

Meanwhile – and on a global level – Philip Morris International (PMI) is driving the transformation of the sector with a goal as laudable as it is ambitious: Creating a Smoke-Free Future, offering a range of viable alternatives. For this reason, since 2008 the company has invested over 14 billion dollars in research, development and marketing of innovative combustion-free products, with the aim of gradually eliminating traditional cigarettes.

A path that clearly includes the creation of high-level scientific evaluation capabilities, with advanced research in the fields of preclinical toxicology, clinical and behavioral research and post-market studies. In 2022, PMI also acquired Swedish Match, a leading oral nicotine supplier, thus strengthening its global position thanks to leading brands such as IQOS and ZYN. Finally, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States has authorised certain versions of PMI's IQOS devices and Swedish Match snus as Modified Risk tobacco products, recognising their different risk profile compared to traditional cigarettes.

Beyond Smoking: A Journey Through the Company's Research, Development and Technology

Today, PMI's smoke-free product portfolio includes heated tobacco solutions, nicotine vaping devices, and oral nicotine products. These products are available in 95 countries, with an estimated adoption of approximately 38,6 million of adults globally.

In 2024, the non-combustion business accounted for approximately 39 percent of the company's total net revenues. Building on its experience in the life sciences sector, PMI announced in February 2021 its intention to further expand in this sector, developing new innovative solutions.

An evolution that is intertwined with the desire to invest in STEM skills and the correct preparation of new generations of talents, as emerged from the event dedicated to the future of the manufacturing industry. It is now clear that growth in industry therefore inevitably passes through research, technology and collaboration between companies and the academic world; a combination that confirms the crucial role of training in shaping the future of innovation.

Hackathon “Women Shapes The Future”: The Role of Philip Morris’ Program

The new Philip Morris Center for Industrial Excellence in Crespellano (Bologna)

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