After six long years, interpack is back. 

The international packaging show is set for May 4-10 in Düsseldorf, Germany, the first since 2017 following the cancellation of the 2020 show due to COVID-19. More than 2,700 exhibitors from across the globe are expected to fill the 19 halls and 2 million square feet of the Düsseldorf Exhibition Center for a trade fair that’s “simply unique,” said Thomas Dohse, interpack director. 

“What does that mean? It means that interpack gives you a complete overview of the market, that this is where you see the most important innovations, that this is where you jointly set the course for the future of the industry at a global level,” he said. “Since its launch, interpack has always played a pioneering role.”

This year’s show will debut a host of new formats for attendees. Tightly Packed TV will feature talk shows, interviews and news live from interpack’s TV studio in the North Entrance. And at the Spotlight Talks and Trends lecture forum, speakers will cover the key technologies and approaches reshaping packaging through sustainability and digitization, two megatrends for the industry, Mr. Dohse said. 

“Digitalization is changing our processes at all levels,” he explained. “And sustainability will remain the topic of the future. Packaging is under scrutiny, we know that. We also know that packaging has such an essential protective effect that it has a sustainable impact. But how do we deal with waste problems, how can we increase the recyclability of packaging, which materials are most sustainable for which products? We need to find this balance.”

The four “hot topics” of discussion at interpack will be a circular economy, resource management, digital technologies and product safety, Mr. Dohse said. These topics will inform attendees how to make packaging safer, more sustainable and adaptable to new technology. 

The show will also feature an area dedicated to startup companies, as well as a section centered on contract packaging. 

“In this highly relevant area, we will offer a special area together with the European Co-Packers Association,” Mr. Dohse said. 

The World Packaging Organization Awards, one of the premier awards in the packaging industry, are returning to the show as well. 

After so many years apart, Mr. Dohse said what he’s looking forward to most is reuniting the industry and experiencing the interpack atmosphere again.  

“Trade fairs are indispensable for all industries, especially for the mechanical engineering sector and customer industries that are willing to invest,” he said. “So, this will be a very special interpack for all exhibitors and visitors and also for us as a team.”

For more information and to register for the show, visit www.interpack.com.