Interpack 2023 has a made a grand comeback on a bigger scale after six years — the biggest international overview of the market, thereby more than earning its motto “simply unique”. The organisers Messe Dusseldorf organised a press conference and curtain raiser at JW Marriott, Mumbai recently to announce the highlights of Interpack 2023 which is scheduled from 4 to 10 May 2023. The show boasts to have sold out with 2,700+ exhibitors in 18 halls. Mr Thomas Schlitt, Managing Director, Messe Düsseldorf India, welcoming the attendees said that Circular economy, resource management, digital technology and product safety will be the hot topics at the show.
Mr. Thomas Dohse, Global Portfolio Director –Processing and Packaging, Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, speaking next said that Interpack is the place where the industry creates the future at a global level. “You cannot afford not to attend Interpack after six years. We are already fully sold out, every single square meter is booked and we have a huge waiting list. This is a good sign that the participants believe in the future of trade shows and in the future of packaging and processing,” he said. Around 2,700 companies from around the world will meet in in 18 halls, to present cutting edge technologies and packaging trends from along the entire value chain, demonstrate chances for growth and respond to the challenges of the industry.
“For example halls 1,3 and 4 are for bakery and confectionery machines while halls 15, 16, and 17 are for pharma and cosmetics machinery. We have a new area for packaging production and packaging printing in 8A and marking and labelling in 8B. Hall 18 will be a temporary area that will host the components show,” he said. Dohse said that the halls feature a custom concept-based processing and packaging systems on the core target groups food, beverages, confectionery and baked goods, pharmaceutical products, cosmetics, non-food and industrial goods to help visitors.
“A similar observation can be made for beverages and non-food products, which are presented together with the food sector in halls 5 and 6, as well as in 11 and 14. Around 20 percent of visitors to interpack are especially interested in solutions for industrial goods. These, too, are to be found in the same halls”, he said. Interpack 2023 will have a few specials — there will be presentations on seven themed days, and for the first time at Interpack, the European co-packing association will have a joint presentation on contract packaging. Dohse informed the audience that the Save Food initiative will restart at Interpack 2023, which will also have a WPO alliance lounge where the WPO awards will be announced.
Mr. Richard Clemens, Managing Director. VDMA shared global trends in packaging. He said, “After a decline of 7% to a value of USD 41 billion in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, international trade in food processing and packaging machinery has picked up significantly in 2021. The value is USD 44 billion which is an increase of 6% as compared to the previous year.” This, Clemens said, translated into sales of four billion tons of packaging (equal to the size of 133 pyramids). This production is expected to rise to 5.3 billion tons.
According to Euromonitor international forecasts global sales of packaged food will increase by a total of 14 percent to 932 million tons in the period 2021 to 2026, he said. However, demand is developing differently from region to region. in developing regions and countries with lower per capita consumption, demand will increase at an above-average rate. This is particularly the case in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Here, but also in Latin America and Eastern Europe, more and more consumers are increasingly buying high-quality and hygienically produced and packaged products. In saturated markets with already high per capita consumption of packaged food, demand also remains stable at a high level.
Countries in Asia account for 34 percent of global consumption of packaged food. Here, demand is expected to increase by 20 percent between 2021 and 2026, to 337 million tons in 2026. Within the region, China is the largest sales market for packaged food with a share of almost 50 percent, followed by India with a share of 29 percent. Indonesia is third, followed by Japan and South Korea. Double-digit consumption growth is expected in China, up 13 percent, he said.
He added how VDMA is committed to the goal of establishing a mixture of innovation-driven improvements, common standards for sustainable product design and a well-functioning secondary raw materials market. He spoke about circular innovations and solutions for a sustainable, forward-thinking and functional circular economy. The framework and a circular economy concept should be open and work towards global approaches. He told the audience that Interpack is an opportunity to look at industry, mechanical and plant engineering and how it can be part of complex value chains.
Later, Krunal Goda , Plexconcil presnted data about the Indian plastic industry and the export statistics. Goda also shared the various initiatives of the Plexconcil for the industry stakeholders. He said the council will provide financial assistance to Indian plastic packaging industry exporters at Interpack 2023, and promote the ‘Make in India’ theme.
“We have an India pavilion at Interpack of about 400 square meters, although we had demanded 600 square meters. We want to show Brand India on a grand scale to the global industry. We are working with Indian embassies to organize a one-on-one interaction with quality global customers at Interpack,” Goda said.
After six years and a forced absence during the pandemic, the world’s biggest trade fair for the packaging industry and related process industries will be up and running again from May 4 to 10 2023. The previous edition, Interpack 2017, was attended by 2,866 exhibitors from 55 countries and 1,708,999 visitors.
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