Pakkracht Podcast Inside Interpack

De toekomst van verpakkingen ontdek je dit jaar op één plek: Interpack. En precies daarover gaat onze eerste aflevering van de Pakkracht Podcast.

In deze aflevering spreken we met Thomas Dohse, Director van Interpack, over het evenement dat wereldwijd wordt gezien als hét ontmoetingspunt voor de verpakkingsindustrie en van 7 tot en met 13 mei plaatsvindt.  Wat kunt u verwachten als u Interpack bezoekt? Welke ontwikkelingen bepalen momenteel de toekomst van verpakkingen? En hoe spelen thema’s als duurzaamheid, PPWR, digitalisering en automatisering een rol op de beursvloer?  

In een gesprek van ongeveer 25 minuten neemt Thomas Dohse ons mee in:

·      de rol van Interpack als wereldwijd platform voor innovatie

·      de belangrijkste trends in packaging en processing

·      hoe de sector omgaat met circulaire verpakkingen en nieuwe regelgeving

·      de impact van AI, robotics en smart packaging

·      en waarom Interpack een must-visit evenement is voor professionals in de industrie.

Luister nu naar deze eerste aflevering van de Pakkracht Podcast en ontdek waar de toekomst van packaging vorm krijgt.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:07

Welcome to our first episode of our Pakkracht podcast. Today we turn our focus to one of the most influential events in the global packaging industry, Interpak, which will take place from the 7th until the 13th of May. For decades, Interpak has been the place where the future of packaging and processing takes shape. It brings together manufacturers, brand owners, technology providers and innovators from all over the world. From food and beverage to pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and industrial goods. Interpak reflects the full breadth of the industry. Today I speak with Thomas Dozer, the director of Interpak, about what the event stands for, what visitors can expect, and which developments are currently shaping the packaging industry worldwide. Welcome Thomas. Thank you for joining us. Hi Kohn, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Interpak is often described as the global meeting point for the packaging industry. When you look at the event today, what does Interpack stand for in your view, and what role does it play within the international packaging ecosystem?

SPEAKER_01 1:07

Yes, you're absolutely right. It's the leading show worldwide for processing and packaging taking place every three years in Düsseldorf, Germany. The whole world of processing and packaging is coming together. We are expecting some 2,800 exhibitors from 67 nations and visitors from all over the world, almost every country country. You can see a huge number of international appearance, over 70% of the people. So it's it's the the peak of innovation, I would say, every three years for the whole industry. Yeah, and everybody will be there, right?

SPEAKER_00 1:43

You have to you have to be there if you're somebody in the packaging industry.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

If not, then you have a problem, I would say. The party is then everyone talks about it and you're out. But that's everybody who is longer in the industry knows it and experience it and see the specialties of the show. It's it's simply unique, as we say.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

So it that's from an exhibitor point of view, you you have to be there, a visitor point of view. But what would you say is the main reason for uh a packaging specialist to visit? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

You will see that the exhibitors really show innovations. It's a really innovation date every three years, and um also the visitors know that they will see machines and full lines live and in action from two-thirds of the show. Two-thirds are uh machinery exhibitors, one-third is material. We have uh almost 1,000 exhibitors from the packaging material field, and they also show the newest innovation. So everyone in the industry knows it's the innovation point, but on the other hand, it's the stage, the global stage where the people meet each other, and we learned after COVID how important it is to meet. And you know, for some time people said, okay, we have Zoom, we have some digital tools, but in the end, there's nothing better than the personal contact contact when it comes to technical solutions, very um machines you have to know how they're running, you have to discuss with your counterpart, and so there's nothing better than a trade show still for the direct conversation.

SPEAKER_00 3:21

Yeah, it's also about trust, I think. Yeah, to look someone in the eye and to think, okay, this is someone I can do business with.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

Yes, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 3:28

Okay, and uh uh taking a look at at the the areas you have. I I saw there are different kinds of areas. Uh can you highlight some of them?

SPEAKER_01 3:38

Different areas in terms of uh our um the segmentation, the focused areas of the show. Yes, we have eight main industries: food, beverages, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, uh, bakery, confectionery, industrial goods, consumer goods. So all those main industries come together at Interpak. They have synergies between each other, and uh for from the visitor perspective, of course, you'll have to focus uh in the short time you have, and you have to see on our website, on our plans where the companies are. We try to focus the different areas to make it easier for visitors to find the right place to go.

SPEAKER_00 4:17

Yeah. So it's uh if it's good for visitors to look up front before they visit what what kind of companies they want to do.

SPEAKER_01 4:25

Yes, I would strongly recommend that. Yes, I would strongly recommend and uh even to prepare because the show is so huge, it's about uh when you imagine 40 football fields large from the net space of the exhibitors, and so you have wisely to to see where to go and to make your plan in advance to use our database, to use our app, for example, and also to use we have a um FairMatch, a matchmaking tool, which you can see on website, which really helps you to get the right people and to have appointments in advance. This is really helpful.

SPEAKER_00 5:01

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You have an app for that, so the people can download it. Yeah, yes. Okay, but uh um that's about exit exhibitors. Uh InSpec is more than a fair more than exhibitors, right? What do you uh provide uh a visitor's uh an experience and and and um knowledge, maybe?

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Yes, it's a special experience. We have also some uh other topics like our forum Spotlight. It's in the main entrance north, where about 60% of all visitors arrive uh at the railway station. And this forum uh is about speeches, lectures, panel discussions, uh interviews, uh the whole day long. Um, seven days, seven different topics. For example, um PPWR is a hot topic, innovative materials, uh, AI, young talents. So we have different topics for those different days. The lectures are very short, let's say 15 to 20 minutes, so you can uh also choose um which day is best for you to come and to get some additional information. But there are several more um attractions like our component show, for example, yeah, uh 100 exhibitors in two temporary halls inside Interbag, or our startup zone with 22 startup companies presenting latest and news uh ideas to the industry. So there's a lot to experience.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

Yeah, you need more than one day.

SPEAKER_01 6:30

I can imagine. I would recommend all seven days, but yes, honestly, people come let's say approximately three or four days to at least experience that what they want to see. But uh, if you have uh the time, please spend more time at the show. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:48

Well, you mentioned uh a few topics already, uh which are uh uh mainly focused for the packaging industry right now. Let's let's uh say sustainability is one of the most urgent topics in packaging today, I can I can imagine. How um um is this reflected at in at Interpak? And what kind of sustain uh solutions or discussions do you see emerging around circularity and responsible responsible packaging?

SPEAKER_01 7:14

That's true, and uh I think all the exhibitors, the companies have to compete in this market, and due to the regulations, for example, we mentioned, or even the efficiency, they are forced to be sustainable and to offer new ways to reduce uh, for example, packaging material, to reduce energy, and uh to reduce, for example, water in the processes. In the end, it's on the one hand sustainable, more ecological, but on the other hand, it's also good from the cost perspective. So in the end, it's all about efficiency, saving costs, having the best possible processes or the best possible material, on the mentioning the material side, to go from multi-layer to monolayer materials, for example, um, or to to recycle more, to design the products more for recycles. Think about the end of the life cycle with products. So a lot of topics, and uh, we offer the platform with the show, and then the companies from all over the world will show their solutions, and the visitor, also from the world stage, can uh directly compare those solutions and decide what's what's the best use of them for them.

SPEAKER_00 8:32

Yeah. And is there something you can tell us up front where do you think is is mentioning or some some uh um uh brand who is doing very well in this uh in this area?

SPEAKER_01 8:45

There are many, so it's hard for me now to say this one I would recommend. So we are more like the referee in football. Yeah, we're providing the platform. I but I can say I know that all the companies prepare for a show like Interpak very well in advance and want to show innovations. So they don't want to go to a show like others and simply show what they already have, but uh they are really preparing on on this cycle every three years to really show innovations, no matter if it's material or machinery. So uh I think and they will really promote those solutions in advance. Uh we will sure hear about that in the upcoming weeks.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

I hope so. Maybe read about it in in our magazine. But yes, I'm sure. It's it's something you know, like you mentioned, every company uh uh um exhibiting at Interpark is having an innovation, but is keeping their cards to their chest.

SPEAKER_01 9:42

But like, okay, we have something, but you have to come and visit. Yeah, but some should also mention it because uh sometimes the thing is they book a space with us um and then they say, Okay, now you have to bring us the visitors. It's also always a combination. So we always ask our exhibitors to invite their customers to the show and to um to market uh their participation, to tell everyone what's what they will see and where we can find them, because almost 3,000 exhibitors coming, so you have to be visible uh also as a smaller participant. The big ones everyone knows and goes to, but the smaller ones will have to uh show. Here we are, come to us, uh please go on our profile on our website, and at still some companies are not doing that.

SPEAKER_00 10:33

Yeah, it is something you you need to do as a company, of course. Yeah, and you but you also do you do a lot about uh of marketing, about of reaching out to their targets group, right? Can you can you mention some things?

SPEAKER_01 10:46

Yeah, well, for example, since six months we are traveling around the world promoting the show in uh presentations and press conferences. Uh we we we started in overseas uh locations like Japan, Brazil, India, the US, um uh talking to journalists and and to associations um promoting Interpak. And finally we returned to Europe after uh or at the beginning of the new year. And just today, together we had the final press conference and presentation for uh uh Netherlands, um Belgium and Luxembourg.

SPEAKER_00 11:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:25

Uh and very interesting. Thank you again for thank you for attending and uh and and so we try to convince everyone to come to Düsseldorf and find out.

SPEAKER_00 11:35

Yeah. I think uh you must be in very busy, a little bit relieved right now that that's that's but now you have a few months left to uh before uh Interpak uh starts.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 11:47

What do you do? What what what do you do in the coming months?

SPEAKER_01 11:50

Well, a lot of things are building up now because now the visitor groups from all over the world ask for receptions, ask for guidance and ideas. Um we are preparing the team of our logistic department, for example. They expect 3,000 trucks coming in with all the machines and the uh exhibits. Um so we we have to plan also um yeah how to move the people in um to prepare the whole stuff of Masseduslov. Usually we are a small team of six, seven people, uh a core team only dealing with Interpak all year long. But now all the other departments press department, marketing, technical department, logistics, all the others are coming in, supporting the show. And in the end, I would say several hundred people are working on the show.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

Yeah, yeah, you need to. How many visitors are you expecting?

SPEAKER_01 12:42

Uh hard to say. Uh you want a uh number, I can tell you the number of last time was 142,000 from all over the world. Unbelievable. And uh let's hope uh the best that we will reach this number or be higher. But let's actually, we are not looking so much on the numbers, but on the quality because um over the last 10 to 20 years, the numbers in most of the trade shows went down, yeah, and the quality still is very high because we see the decision makers coming to the show, and that's what our exhibitors need, the ones who uh decide about the purchases, and and that's what we really receive from all over the world.

SPEAKER_00 13:23

Yeah. Well you mentioned already the the um the the fair, uh the the the way a fair is has a has a goal for a visitor is changing, I think.

SPEAKER_01 13:35

Yeah, it's stays relevant. Absolutely, absolutely. I mean in in general from the audience, yes, absolutely. It's it's a must-attend show. Um, so and I think it's like as I said in the beginning, it's like a party and you're not invited or you're not there, you missed something.

SPEAKER_00 13:52

Yeah, you have to be there. Okay, uh, we also mentioned already the upcoming uh PPWR, uh uh which will have a major uh impact on the packaging industry. How do you see this regulation shaping innovation?

SPEAKER_01 14:06

That's also an interesting question because I thought in the beginning it's it's adapted negatively because of regulations always are Brussels regulations, EU. We know when we talk about uh those things, bureaucracy. But in the end, I got some positive uh comments from the industry also because they say at least we have a regulation, at least we have a common ground which everyone knows how to work with. So in the end, this is a fair basis for everyone. Um but we have to see how it will be in the daily life because I think there are some regulations uh we heard from our partner association VDMA that are critical. Um let's say where are the are the lines in between it's it's hard to say where the um where it begins, where it ends, which which has to be seen. Is it is it B2B, is it B2C, and who is uh responsible? So there are still a lot of question marks in the this whole topic, and we will have to see when it will I think it will be in August, when it will be uh sharp. Yeah. And we have to see from there. But everyone in this industry has to cope with it. So also when you're from outside the EU, you have to cope with it and and know when you want to do business here what uh to expect. Yeah, so we have a common ground at least.

SPEAKER_00 15:32

So there probably will be a lot of uh uh companies who will who will target that uh at the center park. Yeah, uh well, we're in Holland right now, so uh maybe uh can you mention some uh some of the uh uh exhibitioners uh from from our country?

SPEAKER_01 15:47

Uh which yes, we have we have so many exhibitors, I would say almost 100 exhibitors from the Netherlands because it's your home game match, your home game. It's just one hour drive to Düsseldorf from here, even closer than from southern Germany, where many of the large uh exhibitors are. We have so many traditional companies, Haude, Kauteg, Tannis, just to mention a few of them. So uh it's they are all on our website in the database. So um I could mention all of them, but uh they're long and loyal trusted exhibitors at Interpak.

SPEAKER_00 16:21

Yeah, so for the Dutch visitors, there's a lot of things to see, but also uh countrymen uh exhibiting this.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

It's it's uh it's your home match actually. Yeah, and it's like Christmas markets where all our friends come to and now it's the show, and yeah, even um it's a real advantage because all the other countries they have to um come a long way, and even from the Netherlands, when you're close to the border, it's one hour drive. You could easily uh skip a hotel and just drive every day. Um, okay, we're not talking about sustainability or not, but you know it's it's it's close by and it's a home game. And I can just convince everyone hearing, listening to us to to come and find out Interpak, but I'm I'm sure your your audience is already aware.

SPEAKER_00 17:10

I I believe so. Like we said when we started, uh, everybody who's anybody has to be at Interpak, right? You can see everything there, there's all the new innovations, uh, everything uh connecting to people. Uh I think also very uh important at a fair these days. Yeah, to to to uh share knowledge, to experience everything like this.

SPEAKER_01 17:34

Yeah, that's true. So we are we are ready and we're expecting many of our friends from your side of the border. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:43

Well, I think there will be there is no border anymore. No, no. Um we we're uh targeting Interpack right now, but um it's just uh there's more to Interpack, right? You also have a broader network known as uh the Interpack Alliance. Um how does this alliance extend Interpact's reach and what opportunities does it create for companies looking to grow internationally?

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Yes, we found out some years ago that um, well, it's very important to attend Interpak, but there are several gross markets, interesting markets around the world, and we would like to offer for our exhibitors also access to these markets. And there are many other shows competitors around the world, but we said, okay, let's go with our quality, with our idea to those interesting markets. I could mention, for example, China or Egypt, where we both have renamed our former shows Shanghai World of Packaging and Pack Process Middle East Africa into Interpak China and Interpak Middle East Africa, just to show more the close um um network of Interpak Alliance, as you just mentioned. And yes, you you have to go to Interpak, but if you really want to do business in those nations, you have to be on the ground and have to talk to the people there, because still a number of people from China or from Egypt are not traveling to Düsseldorf. So if you do want to make um business in those markets, you have to go there and it's it's quite successful. China is is growing. Uh the show in Egypt is next to our Food Africa show, the largest food show in the whole of Africa, and it's developing very good. And if those companies do business in these markets, they should attend also those shows on another on a different scale than Interpak, sometimes without machinery, just with an information booth. But it's important from our point of view to be in those markets.

SPEAKER_00 19:44

So you have a global platform for your customers there.

SPEAKER_01 19:47

Yes, and we are also trying to find even new spots now. Saudi Arabia is is on our target list. We will start in even in April before the show, a new um uh joint venture there. And uh although at the moment we just know what's going on in the region in Iran right now, but we are optimistic in the longer run that this will be a very interesting market as well.

SPEAKER_00 20:11

There's a lot of developments uh going on in the world right now, of course. And uh we will definitely hear a lot about it uh at Interpak because uh everybody is there, of course. Is there something you personally look forward to at Interpak?

SPEAKER_01 20:24

Oh, I look forward to so many things to see the innovations, but if you ask me for one special thing, it's the startup area. We have uh now 22 startups um in Hall 7A, and this could be of interest on how, for example, things like AI or new materials uh will enter the market. Also interesting for the existing exhibitors to find out what these newcomers will present and how the next steps of the industry are. So I would recommend to watch out hall 7a for the startup zone, have a closer look there, and but then to see everyone again from all over the world to shake hands again will be just great. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:05

Okay. Um, well, maybe uh final uh final question, uh Thomas. Uh for professionals who may be unsure whether to attend. Are there still someone who yeah, I don't know. What would you say is the strongest reason to experience Interbuck?

SPEAKER_01 21:20

Yeah, you have to be there. They have to see the whole world of processing and packaging on this global stage. Everyone is there, every market leader, and you will see the latest innovations. You will you are in the heart of Europe as we are together, and we you have also your audience, as I said, we are it's just one hour drive away or two hours, so easy to access. Uh it's absolutely worth it, and uh it would be great to see you all at Interpak.

SPEAKER_00 21:48

Yeah, there's no reason not to go. Of course. Okay. Well Thomas, uh, thank you very much for sharing your insights. Uh it's clear that Interpak is much more than a fair, and I think uh everybody uh who's listening should uh go there. I will be there myself, of course, and I hope to meet you there. Dank je voor je time.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

Dank u wel en tot ziens at Interpak.