The ‘place to be’: interpack 2023

May 11, 2023

interpack proved “the place to be” as the show concluded on the 10th May, after a week of showcasing the best of the packaging and processing industry under the heading ‘Welcome Home’.

Visitors from 155 countries attended the show, as 2807 exhibitors showcased the power and creativity of the packaging industry with their technologies and solutions.

“With interpack we were able to finally hold one of the Messe Düsseldorf’s most important events again,” commented Bernd Jablonowski, Executive Director at Messe Düsseldorf. “It has reported back impressively and reinforced its position as the global platform for the exchange amongst all players in the packaging sector, related process industries and all user industries. Our targets were exceeded by far.”

The show reported a staggering 143,000 visitors who travelled to the show in Düsseldorf with two thirds representing visitors abroad. Among many European countries, the largest visitor nations were India, Japan and the US, with around 75% of visitors coming from middle or tap management.

“interpack 2023 will reverberate with us for a long time – both in business and personal terms,” said Thomas Dohse, Director of interpack after seven trade fair days, adding: “The mood in the halls was great and the inter-cultural exchange enriching for all sides. It was ‘simply unique’ again.”

Feedback given by visitors was overwhelmingly positive, as 96% stated they had achieved their trade fair objectives.

“We thank Messe Düsseldorf for the outstanding organisation. I’m confident that I’m speaking on behalf of all companies here. interpack 2023 is simply a must for suppliers and users from all over the world to exchange experiences and do business,” said Markus Rustler, President of interpack 2023 at the conclusion of the event.

The show proved especially important and timely as the industry faces growing challenges. Talking points were the need to automate, the will to act sustainably and changed consumption habits, all as indicators of transformation.

interpack’s orientation towards its four hot topics – circular economy, resource management, digital technologies and product safety – were seen reflected in several innovations on display.

“Many companies in the consumer goods industry have set their own sustainability targets,” explained Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association within VDMA at interpack. “Over the past few years, packaging machinery manufacturers have succeeded in implementing sustainable packaging concepts by means of corresponding technical adaptations and newly developed machinery solutions. interpack is the showcase for innovations and, at the same time, the point of departure for developing further towards a sustainable circular economy.”

A total of 50 talks were hosted at the TV studio of interpack to generate additional visibility and reach of top themes and trends through live streams. The Spotlight Talks & Trends forum focused on seven themes over the seven-day period include logistics, circular economy and e-commerce.

The next interpack will be held in Düsseldorf, taking place on 7-13 May 2026. Look out for an exclusive, four-page interpack review in the June/July issue of International Confectionery magazine, as the team were on the show floor and had the privilege of speaking to a number of manufacturers about latest innovations and developments in the confectionery industry.

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