Italy’s first printers’ association was founded in Bologna in 1853. Printers were among the first workers in Italy to organise to protect their rights, transforming the old craft guilds into modern professional associations.
The Società Carnevalesca followed, founded by a group of enterprising printers who gathered at the Albergo Bistarelli on 15 February 1923 in Città di Castello. The post-war period saw the birth of Assografici in 1946. The National Association of Graphic Arts, Paper Converting and Packaging Industries represents and promotes companies operating across the sector. Since 1946, Assografici has been a member of Confindustria, the General Confederation of Italian Industry, founded in Turin in 1910.
The network continued to expand in the industry: in 1946 the Unione GCT Milano was established, followed by ACIMGA in 1947, GIFCO in 1952 and ENIPG GCT in 1955. They were followed by ATIF in 1982, TAGA Italia in 1983, GIFLEX in 1985 and GIPEA in 1989. The Associazione Italiana Scatolifici was established in 2011, the Federazione Carta e Grafica was founded in 2017, and Girls Who Print Italia was launched in 2025. In 2026, PACTA the new alliance between ACIMGA and ARGI is launched.
