Attracting exhibitors from more than 60 countries, interpack will be housed in 19 halls and cover more than 2 million sq ft.
Held every three years, interpack 2017 is slated for May 4-10 in Düsseldorf, Germany, and expects to attract more than 2,700 exhibitors from nearly 60 countries. It will be housed in 19 halls that cover more than 2 million sq ft, filling the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center to capacity. “Predicting visitor numbers is always a bit like looking into a crystal ball, but I expect that we will welcome back about 170,000 visitors,” said Bernd Jablonowski, global portfolio director, packaging and processing, Messe Düsseldorf, which organizes the event.
The show will feature an array of international products and innovations that range from packaging systems and machinery to packaging materials, with four halls dedicated entirely to the baking, snack and confectionery industries.
“The preparations for interpack 2017 are in full swing, and we are looking at the highest exhibitor demand in the show’s history,” Mr. Jablonowski said. “Much of this equipment will be shown in operation, and executive staff will be available at the stands.”
As in many aspects of bakery operations, innovation is top of mind for packaging. “Visitors can look forward to added value at the special segment ‘innovationparc,’ which will focus on the SAVE FOOD initiative and Industry 4.0, which was designed in collaboration with the German Machinery & Plant Manufacturers Association,” Mr. Jablonowski added.
The SAVE FOOD theme will again address food waste on a global scale through packaging strategies and innovation. In this ever-important context, packaging plays a critical role, hence the international convention that will take place the first day of the show. “The innovationparc is a vital feature at the trade fair as sustainability continues to grow in importance,” Mr. Jablonowski said. “After all, it is more sustainable to improve packaging than to discard spoiled food that has become inedible.”
The initiative goes to a new level this year when interpack features a SAVE FOOD category at the WPO WorldStar Awards — arguably the most coveted prize in the field of packaging. Attendees can view submissions on display in the innovationparc.
Additionally, attendees will not want to miss the “components for processing and packaging” trade fair, which will be held concurrently with interpack and located in Hall 18 at the heart of the show. This event, which follows its 2014 debut, will be easily accessible for the duration of the show.
In 2016, Messe Düsseldorf announced the “interpack alliance,” which includes all the organization’s international events under its Processing & Packaging portfolio. Remaining shows for 2017 include Pack Print International 2017, Sept. 20-23 in Bangkok, and Shanghai World of Packaging, Nov. 7-10 in Shanghai.
“With its unparalleled internationality and high number of innovations, interpack is a must-attend event for professionals from this sector,” Mr. Jablonowski noted. For more information and to register, visitwww.interpack.com.
