interpack 2014 builds on successful special themes

Monday 23 January 2012

The next interpack, which will take place at the Düsseldorf exhibition grounds from 8 to 14 May 2014, is again building on the INNOVATIONPARC PACKAGING and METAL PACKAGING PLAZA, the special themes that were so successful at interpack 2011.

“The elaborately planned and organised special themes have now become a hallmark of interpack and attracted much acclaim. We shall therefore continue to do all we can to carefully prepare forward-looking topics with our partners from industry and present them visually and thematically to the highest standards,” explains Bernd Jablonowski, interpack Director.

INNOVATIONPARC PACKAGING SAVE FOOD
At the last interpack, the INNOVATIONPARC PACKAGING was devoted to the theme of Quality of Life, the content of which had been developed in cooperation with the partners EHI (European Retail Institute), the Pan-European Brand Design Association and the Zukunftsinstitut. Geared to the individual, the concept directly addressed consumer behaviour. In the special show, this found expression in various shops with best-practice examples of packages on an oval stand area. At the next interpack, the INNOVATIONPARC PACKAGING is turning to SAVE FOOD, another successful theme of the 2011 fair.

The SAVE FOOD initiative, a cooperation between the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Messe Düsseldorf, kicked off at interpack with a congress on the subject of global food loss that attracted over 300 participants from all over the world. The delegates and speakers from the food value chain, i.e. everyone from producers and the packaging industry through to retailers, as well as political representatives (including German Federal Minister Ilse Aigner as a speaker), social groups and non-government organisations, highly appreciated this opportunity for critical dialogue. The scale of the problem of global food loss along the food value chain was also spotlighted by a special exhibition at interpack. Since the beginning of this year, the SAVE FOOD initiative has been open to companies and private individuals who wish to not only lend financial support, but also contribute ideas. Along with companies from the packaging industry, virtually all leading trade associations of the sector have already signed up.

The goal of the initiative is to bring together stakeholders from business, politics and research and thus encourage constructive dialogue in the search for solutions to curb food loss along the food value chain. “The branches of industry concerned with food, packaging and logistics play a very special role in the SAVE FOOD scheme. Ultimately, it is the products developed by these companies that serve as the germinal ideas for concrete solutions. SAVE FOOD is to act as a kind of catalyst so that even more can be made of these ideas through contact with other companies and organisations,” Director Jablonowski stresses.

In the run-up to the planned special show at interpack 2014, packaging designers and industry will work together in devising intelligent solutions that can help to reduce food loss. These will then be presented at the trade fair according to the tried and trusted concept of the INNOVATIONPARC PACKAGING.

METAL PACKAGING PLAZA 2014
Also being staged at interpack 2014 is the METAL PACKAGING PLAZA. This special theme celebrated its premiere at interpack 2011 as well and formed a new meeting point for the international metal packaging sector and its suppliers. A total of about 40 companies from the metal packaging industry made their appearance at the plaza, whose stand design echoed the theme with its distinctive use of metal. In addition to its function as a showcase for exhibitors, it also served as an information platform comprising a forum, bar lounge and meeting points. This special theme, which is supported by the German Verband Metallverpackungen e.V. (VMV) and Empac, the organisation representing the interests of European metal packaging producers, is now being developed further for interpack 2014. Numerous companies of the metal packaging industry that exhibited elsewhere at interpack 2011 have already announced their interest in joining the METAL PACKAGING PLAZA 2014.

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