From 27 to 29 September 2022, the European packaging sector will once again gather at FACHPACK, the trade fair for packaging, technology and processes. More than 1,100 exhibitors (up from 789 in 2021) are expected to converge on Exhibition Centre Nuremberg to present innovative products, machinery and solutions at their stands. This year, the theme of FACHPACK will be “Transition in Packaging”, which aptly describes the change currently taking place in the industry. It is a shift characterised above all by greater sustainability, a growing e-commerce landscape, and increasing digitalisation. The main theme is reflected in both the exhibition and the supporting programme. Visitor from the consumer and industrial goods segments can look forward to an extensive programme of presentations, exciting special shows and awards ceremonies. This year, POWTECH, the leading international trade fair for powder, granule and bulk solids technologies, will take place at the exhibition centre at the same time as FACHPACK, creating additional synergies in the processing and packaging segment.

“FACHPACK will benefit from the pairing with POWTECH. Both events attract users from the food and feed, chemical, pharmaceutical, plastics processing and mechanical engineering sectors. Over a three-day period, the two events bring together the entire supply chain, from processing and technology through to packaging. Naturally, a ticket for either event will allow entry to both,” says Heike Slotta, Executive Director, NürnbergMesse. FACHPACK will take up nine exhibition halls and POWTECH four. Both fairs are easily connected by walkways. Hall 4 is a “mixed” hall with exhibitors that offer solutions for bulk solids and packaging experts alike.

Exhibition much larger than in 2021

Compared with FACHPACK 2021, the exhibition has grown significantly yet again. “We are extremely pleased that we have been able to substantially increase the number of exhibitors, by about 40 percent. We are reckoning on more than 1,100 exhibitors, including numerous well-known packaging machine and packaging material manufacturers. Also taking part are a lot of new companies, but also major exhibitors that have rediscovered FACHPACK,” says Phillip Blass, Director FACHPACK at NürnbergMesse. The current list of exhibitors, and floor plans, are available online at: www.fachpack.de

We are extremely pleased that we have been able to substantially increase the number of exhibitors, by about 40 percent. We are reckoning on more than 1,100 exhibitors, including numerous well-known packaging machine and packaging material manufacturers. Also taking part are a lot of new companies, but also major exhibitors that have rediscovered FACHPACK,” Phillip Blass, Director FACHPACK at NürnbergMesse

Main theme: “Transition in Packaging”

Through its “Transition in Packaging” theme, FACHPACK aims to clarify and raise awareness about current developments in the sector, provide guidance and encourage dialogue in times of great inconstancy and considerable environmental impacts. The main theme of “Transition in Packaging” is the common thread that runs through both the exhibition and the supporting programme. “To arouse interest in the fair, we launched a storytelling campaign. In the run-up to FACHPACK, under the hashtag #TransitionInPackaging, we will regularly publish stories by people who are actively shaping the change in the packaging industry. Our exhibitors are also invited to contribute their own stories. At the show, it will then be possible to meet the storytellers in person, look at their products and solutions, and discuss the issues involved,” explains Blass.

www.fachpack.de/transition-in-packaging.de

Ideas and inspiration: forums provide new insights

FACHPACK sees itself as a driving force, and as such has again organised a comprehensive programme of presentations in the PACKBOX (Hall 9) and TECHBOX (Hall 3C) forums, which are very popular with visitors. The two forums were attended by 9,500 visitors in 2021. What is special about the forums is that the programme is designed by important partners from the packaging industry that invite interested parties not just to listen but to also get involved in the discussions. The forums will explore topical industry issues like the shortage of skilled personnel, supply chain bottlenecks/management, raw material prices, and a whole lot more.

Both forums focus on a different topic each day. In the PACKBOX Forum the daily topics are “Market experience and market expectation” (27.9.), “Sustainable design & material” (28.9.) and “Packaging: digital & smart” (29.9.). The TECHBOX forum will explore “Innovation & Climate Strategy” (27.9.), “New business models in the packaging machinery segment / Attracting and securing skilled workers and other employees” (28.9.) and “Efficiency & Digitalisation” (29.9.). The PACKBOX and TECHBOX forums are complemented by the exhibitor forum INNOVATIONBOX in Hall 5, where registered exhibitors can introduce their innovations and product highlights to trade visitors in live, 30-minute presentations.

myFACHPACK: the digital extension to the on-site event

This year, the digital extension myFACHPACK will once again facilitate matchmaking and knowledge transfer and extend the on-site event into the digital environment. Starting on 16 September in the run-up to the fair, the new tool for visitors will provide the opportunity to network with exhibitors, partners and speakers. During the event itself, the PACKBOX, TECHBOX and INNOVATIONBOX forums will be live streamed on myFACHPACK and will also be accessible there subsequently. The myFACHPACK tool can be used on your desktop and/or as an app on your mobile phone. www.fachpack.de/myFACHPACK

Inspiration: special show on packaging design in Hall 7

If you are interested in packaging design then make sure you don’t miss the special show “Transition in Packaging by Design” in Hall 7, which illustrates how design can help satisfy the latest packaging requirements. In this context, designers rely on creative, technical and communicative innovations to achieve their aims.

Under the thematic headings “Address”, “Amaze” and “Advance”, this special show – a collaboration between bayern design and NürnbergMesse – presents selected examples of packaging design where the designers make strategic use of the packaging, as a means of communication or interaction and as a field of application for the development of sustainable materials. The innovations on display aim to provide inspiration and highlight new approaches for the packaging industry. Along the lines of the special show categories “Address”, “Amaze” and “Advance”, there will be presentations by renowned designers in the PACKBOX forum on Wednesday 28 September 2022, from 13:00 to 14:00.

Innovation: start-ups in Hall 5

Fresh, unconventional ideas and products to resolve packaging issues are more in demand than ever. Visitors will be able to find such concepts at the stands of start-ups from the packaging sector in Hall 5, at the government-subsidised pavilion for innovative young companies, and in the international start-up area. This is where newcomers can showcase and discuss their innovative products and processes with interested packaging specialists. They also get the chance to introduce their companies and products every day in the INNOVATIONBOX through short and snappy, pitch-style presentations.

German Packaging Award: “And the winner is …” 

At FACHPACK 2022, the stage is set once again to honour the winners of the most prestigious European exhibition of packaging excellence, the German Packaging Award. This accolade is awarded by the German Packaging Institute (dvi) and presented in ten categories from 16:00 on the first day of the fair in the PACKBOX forum. In its capacity as premium partner, FACHPACK presents the special award for young talent. The winners of the packaging award are also eligible to compete for the WorldStar of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO).

Labels & More and Associations’ pavilions

Labels on packaging inform consumers about its content and help sell products. The Labels & More Pavilion in Hall 9 showcases label manufacturers whose daily business is to produce solutions for customers in the food, drink, pharmaceutical and retail industries. The Associations’ Pavilion in Hall 5 is making an appearance at the event for the fourth time. In this networking area, around 20 associations will provide information and advice about their services and national differences within the packaging sector in Europe. The open-plan design of the pavilion with communal area provides an ideal space for dialogue.