iMAC - History of iMAC

History and background of the iMAC conference

Where it started, and the restart of iMAC

The international Meat Automation Congress (iMAC), was first established in 2000. iMAC followed the European Commission Meat Automation Concerted Action (MACA 1997-2000), facilitating the exchanges between users and providers of automation and digital technologies. iMAC was a continuation of MACA, funded by the EU close to 30 years ago to encourage development and exchange between leading organizations in subjects including automation, electronic traceability, VIA classification, digital quality assessment and inspection and control, supply chain logistics and safety and human factors. Its last edition in 2023 returned to Málaga (iMAC's home city) with the new leadership of Dr. Ole Alvseike of Animalia, Norway. After great success with the restart in 2023, the conference held it's follow up in 2025 with an increase in participants and presenters.

Focus is industrial needs and innovation in robotics and automation

iMAC participation is by invitation only. The Congress reviews past and present efforts in technology achievements and globally recognised best practice relevant to meat production. The focus is industrial needs and innovation, supported by developments in robotics and automation. The goal is creation of new collaboration, mobilisation of resource, and exchanges between technology developers, providers and end-users for the advancement that deliver short to medium term benefits to the meat sector, including pork, beef, poultry, and fish.

2025

The International Meat Automation Congress of 2025 took place in it's traditional location of beautiful Malaga on October 1st to October 3rd. iMAC 2025 received fantastic feedback from attendees, and was considered a great success.

The conference hosted over 70 attendees from nations all over the planet. Meat producers, technology suppliers and researchers in the field gathered and presented novel solutions, shared challenges and networked to find available and future solutions for meat production.

For more information about the 2025 congress, this article from Animalia covers the conference and it's content and accomplishments.

Note that most presentations from the congress is available on request as a PDF. Contact Ole Alvseike by e-mail for requests.

2023

The International Meat Automation Congress held its event after a silent gap of al most 10 years. It was held in beautiful Malaga at the Hotel SOL Torremolinos Don Pablo.

50 invited speakers and participants met to discuss the needs and strategies for the future and how the meat industry should engage to work and resolve our challenges with efficiency and management of resources in a sustainable and economically viable manner.

To read more about the different presentations of the conference, please see this article published by Animalia. The article is written in Norwegian, but can be translated using your in-browser translator. See the iMAC front page for instructions.