Ocado, Nestlé, Pret A Manger, and Waitrose are just some of the major brands taking to the stage at Packaging Innovations and Empack 2022. They will form part of the event’s most comprehensive seminar programme to date when it makes its long-anticipated return to Birmingham’s NEC on 25 and 26 May.
New for 2022, the seminar programme will be set across three stages; the Innovation and Design stage; the Ecopack Stage; and the Empack Technology Stage. These have been designed to provide visitors from every point of the supply chain with the chance to capitalise on the latest industry developments and solutions, as well as hear predictions for the future of packaging technology from a variety of leading experts.
Innovation and Design Stage
The Innovation and Design stage will analyse the latest industry changes and the knock-on effect it is having on packaging designers, technologists, and agencies.
Day one kicks off with a session by Neil Farmer, Founder of Neil Farmer Associates, to assess the current state of the global packaging market and what will influence the sector in the next 12 months, including developments in sustainability and material innovations.
Day two will host the Packaging Tax Forum, in partnership with The Pack Hub. The UK Plastics Packaging Tax has been in place less than two months, but it is already having a significant impact on the UK’s packaging industry. Speakers from Mondelez and Bantam Materials will explore the tax’s effects on the packaging operations of major brands, retailers, and packaging suppliers.
The Inclusive Packaging Forum will see speakers from 1HQ, Waitrose, and Nestlé discuss the industry’s responsibility to deliver easy-to-use, accessible packaging, alongside being sustainable.
The Innovation and Design Stage will also host the HP Innovation Lab across both days of the event, as well as the E-commerce and Refills Forums.
Ecopack Stage
The Ecopack stage will deliver the latest in green packaging trends and technologies, designed to help brands reach their sustainability goals. On day one, the stage will feature a session from the Cambridge Design Partnership who will discuss the future challenges for packaging sustainability, as well as the role innovation and technology will play in the development of future solutions.
Also on the first day, Chair of IOM3 Packaging Society Jude Allan will lead a discussion on the future of packaging materials, where an expert panel will explore what the industry might look like in 30 years’ time.
Day two will feature a session on the ‘heroic’ status of paper in packaging, delivered by Sarah Lesting, MD of LEIPA. Sarah will explore how paper has become the preferred material for companies seeking to reach net zero, due to its multiple uses and ease of recyclability.
Supplementing this will be The Big Debate, which will delve into the pressing financial implications of packaging legislation, and the return of the Ecopack Challenge, in association with OPRL, which will see innovators pitching their ‘green’ solutions to a panel of judges including Ocado, and Pret A Manger.
Empack Technology Stage
The Empack Technology stage is aimed at arming visitors with advice on logistics, manufacturing, and processing. Talks and discussions will cover a range of integral topics, such as e-fulfilment, energy efficiency, and the use of robotics within the packaging supply chain.
On day one, the BCMPA will host a session covering the value of outsourcing manufacturing, packing, and fulfilment operations. The organisation will incorporate expertise from several industry-leading companies, including Prolog, Lemonpath, and Worldwide Logistics.
Also speaking on day one is Juan Cano, Business Development Director for SCREEN EUROPE, who will highlight sustainable water-based inkjet digital printing solutions for flexible packaging.
Nulogy, GXO, and Nestlé will feature on day two to demonstrate how leading logistics providers and brands leverage purpose-built technology to level up its co-packing.
Other noteworthy sessions include seminars covering ultrasonic sealing, automation in the packaging process, and digitising supply chains for efficiency wins.
Renan Joel, Easyfairs’ Divisional Director, comments: “Our carefully curated seminar programme sets Packaging Innovations and Empack apart from any other packaging event. The sessions allow visitors to hear from an array of speakers that are leading the way in every part of the packaging industry to discover new ideas and gain tangible advice they can put into practice to further push the boundaries of their packaging projects. With just six weeks until the event, the excitement is building! We can’t wait to see you there."
