interpack 2005: all expectations exceeded / International packaging industry on track for further growth

“In our numerous discussions, we repeatedly heard praise – not only that visitors numbers rose above the high level of attendance at interpack 2002 but also represented a broad international sweep and, best of all, that visitors were willing to invest. More than two thirds of visitors were executives with decision-making powers. It’s therefore not surprising that the mood in the halls throughout the fair’s run was sunny. interpack 2005 was able to further expand its position as the premier global platform for the packaging industry,” says Wilhelm Niedergöker, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, summing up the trade fair’s high-calibre run.

Some 176,000 visitors from 106 countries (2002: 174,042 from 103 countries) flocked to interpack 2005 in Düsseldorf between 21 and 27 April. There, they encountered 2,668 exhibitors, and a huge opportunity to gather information and make investments. Another three-percent increase in the share of experts arriving from outside Germany’s borders meant they accounted for 55 percent of visitors. At 107,360, the largest contingent came from Europe, followed by 31,680 packaging professionals from Asia, most of them Indians. Sizable visitor delegations hailed from China, Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico and Russia. For its visitors from around the world, interpack in Düsseldorf once again proved to be the global marketplace and highlight on the industry calendar.

Not only was this the biggest interpack of all time, but it covered the largest amount of exhibition space in the history of Messe Düsseldorf. The net exhibition space at interpack 2005 was roughly 16,000 square metres bigger than at the previous event in 2002, equivalent to an increase of about eleven percent.

A feature of the event particularly worth emphasising is the high degree of satisfaction both exhibitors and visitors expressed regarding their time at the fair. Almost 86 percent of the companies interviewed rated the business results of the fair as very good to satisfactory. And brisk post-fair business is expected by as many as 89.6 percent of them. In the visitor poll, 98 percent gave interpack 2005 top marks.

The majority of visitors (65 percent) were interested in the packaging machinery and equipment section, which boasted 1,362 exhibitors spread over some 98,000 square metres of net exhibition space – making it the largest segment in terms of floor space. Runner-up in the competition for visitor attention was the packaging materials, packaging and packaging aids section. Some 45 percent of respondents in the survey were heading for this second largest showcase with its 837 exhibitors occupying some 35,000 square metres. Offerings of confectionery machinery and equipment also experienced a dramatic growth spurt. At home in Halls 1 to 3, this section featuring 340 exhibitors spilled over into part of Hall 4, laying claim to more than 25,000 square metres of space. This amounted to an increase of around 16 percent over 2002. Roughly 16 percent of trade visitors indicated this segment was their focal point. What’s more, interpack also significantly expanded the scope of its food processing section on both the exhibitor and visitor sides.

Exhibitors from the packaging industry – i.e. producers of packaging machinery, packaging and confectionery machinery – were extremely pleased with the outcome of interpack 2005. “As at every interpack, the exhibitors once again put their best foot forward. The mood was upbeat at all the stands we visited. Visitors from abroad comprised an impressive proportion of attendees and the response from Eastern Europe, Turkey, South and South-Eastern Asia exceeded expectations. Exhibitors also spotlighted visitors’ decision-making powers,” says Ernst H. Berndl, President of the interpack 2005 exhibitor council, praising the fair’s excellent run. “Another gratifying point to note is that many new, previously unknown projects were raised in discussions around the stands. That gives us reason to feel confident that the growth recorded over the past few years by manufacturers of packaging machinery is set to continue,” added Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the Fachverband Nahrungsmittelmaschinen und Verpackungsmaschinen (specialised section for food processing and packaging machinery) within the VDMA.

The packaging associations for the aluminium, glass, plastics, paper/board and steel/tin plate sectors, which cooperate under the umbrella of the Gemeinschaftsausschuss Deutscher Verpackungshersteller (German packaging manufacturers association – GADV), have rated interpack 2005 a success. “Our cautiously optimistic prognosis of further economic development was confirmed by our numerous discussions at the fair,” says Stefan Glimm who, as managing director of the Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie (aluminium trade association of Germany – GDA), also currently heads up the GADV.

“The wealth of innovative solutions exhibited, representing all packaging materials, will kindle new vigour in the market in the coming weeks,” explains Glimm. “It is precisely the variety of solutions which, particularly in the increasingly saturated markets of Western Europe, our customers depend on to make their products stand out. Thanks to the broad international reach of the latest interpack, it undoubtedly also provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the performance of the German packaging industry to visitors from export markets in growth regions such as Eastern Europe and Asia in particular.”

Concerns regarding the costs of raw materials, energy, transport (truck tolls in Germany) and labour, some of which have escalated sharply, were, however, not assuaged. “If the industry hopes to retain its innovative power and ability to deliver, passing these costs down the supply chain will be unavoidable,” maintains Stefan Glimm. “We are nevertheless confident that the German packaging industry will still be able to provide compelling evidence of its performance and innovative power at the next interpack.”

True to form, interpack showed off manufacturers of metal packaging in their best light, successfully generating a new wave of demand. The visitor survey clearly conveyed the user industry’s desire to see the metal packaging segment at the fair enlarged. The two special presentations were magnets for international trade visitors eager to acquaint themselves with packaging applications for bioplastics and radio frequency identification (RFID), the contactless identification technology relevant to every link in the retail logistics chain.

The “Innovationparc Bioplastics in Packaging” featured over 20 exhibitors spotlighting their products and services for all things biopackaging. In many European countries, these biodegradable polymers can now be found as packaging on supermarket shelves. Leading retail chains are either testing products or have already made the switch for part of their range. The response to the special presentation was correspondingly enthusiastic. Exhibitors reported strong results as well as intensive discussions with visitors from around the world. Of the visitors interviewed, 87 percent gave their thumbs-up to the offerings at the Innovationparc Bioplastics.

What new packaging challenges and what changes to the packaging process will the use of RFID technology bring? This was the question at the heart of the “Innovationparc RFID – Supply Chain Solutions” presentations and talks. These highly topical themes were eagerly welcomed by visitors. Technologies and market opportunities were explored in detail by international experts. Eighty-six percent of visitors were satisfied with the topics investigated.

In response to a request made my exhibitors and visitors, plans are underway to complement the interpack offerings with annual symposia devoted to the topics of packaging and food processing, and accompanied by corresponding exhibits. These innovation forums will be organised in collaboration with trade publishers, starting in spring 2006. Already, the course for the next interpack has been plotted and a date set for the Düsseldorf event: 24 to 30 April 2008.

April 2005
interpack 2005 Press Office
Babette Schneider/Corinna Kuhn
Tel.: +49 (0) 211/4560-464/-598
Fax: +49 (0) 211/4560-8548
E-mail:SchneiderB@messe-duesseldorf.de or KuhnC@messe-duesseldorf.de

www.interpack.com editorial office
Tania Vellen, VellenT@messe-duesseldorf.de
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The GADV
With some 800 member companies, the GADV’s supporting associations represent over 80 percent of the German packaging industry’s production value. The GADV serves as the mouthpiece of the German packaging industry, particularly on issues that transcend individual materials as well as economic policy and technical matters.

The GADV’s supporting associations:
- Fachvereinigung Behälterglasindustrie e.V. (container glass industry association)
- Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie e.V. (aluminium trade association of Germany – GDA)
- Hauptverband Papier- und Kunststoffverarbeitung e.V. (Central Association of the Paper, Board and Plastics Converting Industry – HPV)
- Industrieverband Kunststoffverpackungen e.V. (Industrial -Association for Plastic Packaging and Foils – IK)
- Verband Metallverpackungen e.V. (Metal Packaging Association – VMV)

GADV managing director for 2005:
Stefan Glimm
Gesamtverband der Aluminiumindustrie e.V.
Am Bonneshof 5
D-40474 Düsseldorf
Tel.: +49 (0)211 / 47 96 150
Fax: +49 (0)211 / 47 96 408
E-mail: stefan.glimm@aluinfo.de