FachPack 2016: continuing on its successful course

• Central sector meeting point for the packaging specialists in Nuremberg

With 1,542 exhibitors in a total of eleven exhibition halls, FachPack is continuing its success of recent years before it signs off in 2017 for its traditional break-year. From 27 to 29 September, the exhibition centre Nuremberg will once again be the meeting point for inspiration and specific solutions across the entire packaging process chain. Again this year, a broad range of products and services in the packaging, technology, processing and technology sectors is being opened up to the total of around 40,000 expected trade visitors. The total of over 500 new products and innovations presented in 2016 at FachPack represent the innovativeness of the sector.  
Once again this year, with 1,041 exhibitors, the high-performance German packaging industry represents the core of FachPack. The trend towards Europeanization is again continuing this year. It is particularly exhibitors from Germany's immediate neighbours who are travelling to Nuremberg, primarily Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic and Poland. Not only established companies are presenting their products and latest developments. This year, over 20 start-ups are seizing the opportunity to present themselves to the highly qualified trade visitors and make valuable contacts in two BMWi (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy) pavilions for young innovative companies in Halls 3A and 9.

Specialist range represents the packaging process chain under one roof

According to “the FachPack Plus” motto, FachPack covers the four central market segments of packaging, technology, processing and logistics under one roof and is presenting technologies and ideas for industrial and consumer goods in equal measure. This year the core segments are provided by packing materials, supplies and ancillaries with a total of 891 exhibitors. In the packaging machines, marking and labelling technology areas along with machinery and appliances on the packaging peripheral, 696 exhibitors are showing innovative solutions for labelling, monitoring and recycling packaging. Over and above that, FachPack is the address for efficient logistics processes and services, because packaging and logistics are inextricably entwined. 332 exhibitors are showing how packaged products can be stored, loaded, order picked and transported. Services covering all aspects of packaging and packaging logistics are also essential for the packaging industry. That is why 413 exhibitors are presenting ranges in this sector. Packaging printing and processing along with the latest design trends round off the packaging process chain. 241 exhibitors are showing their expertise and competence in this area, which extends from the pre-press stage through to design up to packaging and label printing. Here, many companies are presenting solutions in various segments: around one fifth also have ranges of products and services allocated to several sectors.

Visitors from packaging sectors and packaging-oriented sectors

A creative working atmosphere and space in which individual solutions are discussed in a pragmatic and expert approach – that is what makes FachPack special. In this connection, information and cultivating contacts are just as much the focal point as are answers to specific technical questions. As a result, the trade fair is of interest to everyone who is involved with the production or packaging of consumer or industrial goods. For this reason, the specialists come from both the packaging as well as packaging-oriented sectors such as food and beverages, pharmaceuticals and medicine, cosmetics, non-food (furniture, jewellery, sport, DIY centres), chemicals, paper and printing industry, electrics and electronics, automotive, from the metal-working and plastics processing sectors, mechanical and apparatus engineering, packaging logistics, the wholesale, retail and mail-order trade sectors as well as media and advertising.

Trends and innovations the focal point

Over 500 new products and innovations are being featured by FachPack in 2016. They are structured in seven Trend Clusters and present the current developments in the packaging industry – both in the exhibitor and product database on the website as well as at the event. Visitors can thus find innovative product solutions extending beyond all product groups. In this context, the latest developments connected with the themes efficiency, sustainability, product safety and Industry 4.0 form the focal point. Central trend themes are: production networking, attractive limited editions, handle with care, marking technology, controlling and networking within the logistics process, signals at the POS as well as adaptable modules for packaging machines.

Support program: imparting know-how in a popular and free approach

The trends and innovations, which can be discovered at FachPack, are also continued in the supporting program. Numerous special shows and forums are inviting the participants and interested parties to participate in further training and extend their know-how. The Forum PackBox in Hall 3A is dedicating itself in the usual way to the trio of innovation, inspiration information. In this connection, renowned sector partners are imparting know-how on the entire range of products and services at FachPack – and doing so without participants needing to register and also free of charge. Issues such as the future of packaging in Industry 4.0, the “talking” packaging machine, packaging printing and design along with digitization and career opportunities promise a diverse presentation program. Another highlight is provided by the “Berge versetzen” (Moving Mountains) lecture. No less a figure than extreme mountaineer Reinhold Messner, who is synonymous with sustainability, quality, safety, strength and his ecological approach, will be speaking about his life’s work on Wednesday in the Forum PackBox.

Outstanding and innovative solutions from the entire value-added chain in the packaging sector are recognized by the German Packaging Award. The most renowned European competition covering all aspects of packaging will be presented on Tuesday evening by the German Packaging Institute (dvi) at FachPack.

Further highlights from the supporting program:

• Corrugated Cardboard Forum

www.fachpack.de/programme

German packaging market stable in 2015

The German packaging manufacturers have not reported any major changes in comparison to the same period the previous year and can look back on a consistent 2015. As the Gemeinschaftsausschuss Deutscher Verpackungshersteller (GADV, German Packaging Manufacturers Association) reports, sales of packaging materials increased in 2015 by 1.1 percent to around 32 billion Euro, while production volume declined slightly by 0.3 percent to around 19 million tons. As in the previous years, with a share of around 45 percent, plastic packaging generated the most turnover, while, in terms of volume, paper, carton and cardboard packaging, also with a 45-percent share, accounted for the largest packing supplies segment. In terms of production, in 2015, the picture in the packaging materials sector was predominantly uniform: with the exception of plastic packaging, which, compared to the same period the previous year, increased slightly by 0.5 percent, while production of all other packaging forms declined at a moderate rate. At 2.0 percent, metal packaging (steel) registered the largest decline, followed by aluminium packaging, glass packaging and paper, cardboard and carton packaging. In terms of turnover, the picture is divided: here too plastic packaging increased the most at 2.7 percent, glass also produced a positive display (plus 1.4 percent). In contrast, the other packaging materials recorded a slight decline.

Packaging machine manufacturers on the move worldwide

The companies in the German packaging mechanical engineering sector expect good demand in all customer sectors for the coming months. In view of uncertain economic trends in several customer countries and regions, the total of around 300 companies with approx. 28,000 employees are benefiting from the fact that over 80 percent of production is exported to more than 100 countries. Last year, according to the VDMA Fachverband Nahrungsmittelmaschinen und Verpackungsmaschinen, (German Engineering Association, Food Processing & Packaging Machinery Division), the production value of packaging machinery increased by around 1 percent to 6.3 billion Euro. Domestic sales rose at an above-average rate by 16 percent to almost 1.1 billion Euro. In 2015, exports reached a level of 5.2 billion Euro. In the first half of 2016, there were 4 percent less incoming orders compared to same period the previous year. Foreign business remained stable, while domestic orders recorded a clear decline.

In 2015, the slump in business with Russia was contrasted by strong increases in exports to Poland. As a result, Poland has taken over from Russia as the largest Eastern-European single market; the neighbouring country is now the fifth largest customer for the German packaging machine manufacturers. The largest customer market continues to be the USA, which once again increased its imports in 2015. In contrast, exports to China, the second-largest sales market, declined. Third and fourth places in the list of the largest customer countries are occupied by France and Great Britain respectively.

On the packaging machine world market, which is estimated by the Fachverband Nahrungsmittel- und Verpackungsmaschinen (Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Division) to be worth 32 billion Euro (2014), the German manufacturers continue to have a clear lead at the top. They are underlining this position with targeted high investments in research and development. Special focus is being placed on digitization and automation of production in packaging companies. Today, on average, German mechanical engineering products already contain around 30 percent software and automation technology.