IVS 2026, in Italy, Welcomed 20,400 Visitors from 72 Countries

IVS 2026 drew 20,400 visitors from 72 countries, confirming Bergamo’s Industrial Valve Summit as one of the main meeting points for the global industrial valves and flow control community. The sixth edition, organised by Servizi Confindustria Bergamo and Promoberg, ran from 19 to 21 May 2026 at the Bergamo Exhibition Centre, closing with its strongest attendance to date.

“A landmark edition that marked a major step forward and significantly strengthened the exhibition’s international standing”

Said Giovanna Ricuperati, President of Confindustria Bergamo.

“Our goal has been achieved: increasing global visibility for a cutting-edge industry while generating valuable business opportunities and high-level industry dialogue”

Added Paolo Agnelli, President of Promoberg.

IVS 2026 closed with 20,400 visitors from 72 countries across five continents, a 36% jump from the previous edition’s 15,000 attendees. The show also grew on the supply side, hosting 420 exhibitors, up 30% from 2024 and representing 20 countries, with international companies making up more than a quarter of the total.

Alongside Italy, exhibitors came from Spain, Germany, France, the UK, the United States, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Finland, Ireland, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The event itself moved to a three-day format and broadened its scientific and technical programme, reinforcing IVS’s role as a venue for industry debate, technology updates and market insight.

IVS 2026 also stepped up its content programme, hosting 68 conferences, roundtables and technical sessions. That is 30% more than in 2024. Discussions were organised across six thematic areas, with dedicated attention to artificial intelligence and nuclear energy. Against a backdrop of geopolitical tension and industrial change, the Summit reinforced its position as a place to track market shifts and the technologies shaping the next cycle.

On the show floor, IVS expanded as well. Total exhibition space reached more than 21,400 square metres across four halls, roughly 40% larger than the previous edition. The growth in both participation and scale underlines IVS’s role as a key meeting point for the global industrial valve and flow control supply chain.

During IVS 2026, organisers presented the latest IVS–Prometeia Observatory report, The Oil & Gas Valve Industry in Italy 2026, produced with support from Confindustria Bergamo’s Research Department. The report outlines the scale of Italy’s industrial valve sector, counting more than 146 companies, over 10,000 employees and more than €3.8 billion in revenue. Italy is also described as Europe’s leading Oil & Gas valve producer, accounting for nearly 40% of total EU production, with the industry concentrated in Lombardy, particularly the Bergamo area, which generates almost 70% of national sector revenues.

On trade, 2025 Oil & Gas valve exports exceeded €4 billion (+5.4%), driven mainly by Western Europe and North America. The report places Italy as the world’s third-largest exporter, behind China and Germany, with a 9.9% global market share. It also notes a shift in global demand since 2020 towards North America and MENA, with Italian manufacturers strengthening their presence in these markets, while Asia has become less significant in Italy’s export mix.

International participation at the Summit was supported by collaborations with organisations including ICE – Italian Trade Agency, AVR ANIMA, Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo and UNIDO ITPO Italy, alongside partnerships with bodies such as BVAA, Fluidex, SPAP, CzechTrade, Evolen, CEIR, SPE and ESA, including dedicated country pavilions. Delegations of institutional and industry representatives attended, together with buyers from end users and EPC contractors, supported by targeted matchmaking activities held on May 22. The programme also highlighted growing opportunities in Africa, linked to infrastructure investment and rising energy demand.

The seventh edition of IVS will return to Bergamo from May 16 to 18, 2028.

IVS 2026, in Italy, Welcomed 20,400 Visitors from 72 Countries published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.