This year's 27th German Packaging Dialogue is all about the effects of the crises of recent years on the packaging market. Under the motto „Leading brands, feeling markets“, four prominent business leaders will speak about the opportunities that lie in changing markets and how brands need to be managed in these times.
On 24 October, the German Packaging Museum to the 27th edition of this cult event, which has been attracting entrepreneurs to Heidelberg for decades. How do brands behave in such difficult times? Can they maintain their strengths, perhaps even build on them? As always, the Strength of personal dialogue.
Ludwig Fresenius, the senior member of the long-established family, who lives in the USA and Switzerland, looks back on over 170 years of history in educational mediation (since the founding of the Fresenius Chemical Laboratory in 1848, which was dedicated to education as well as practice from the very beginning). Fresenius University of Applied Sciences is part of the Carl Remigius Fresenius Education Group and, with 17,000 students, is one of the largest and most renowned private universities in Germany. It is represented throughout Germany and in New York. The preferred co-operation partner is ASU, Arizona State University (USA). Through the „Institut Fresenius“, which he set up and managed for many years, Ludwig Fresenius is also the Food and brand industry personally for decades.
Dr Friederike Driftmann is also an entrepreneur in the family tradition, who - coming from the Kölln family - founded the popular Cult brand „Kölln flakes“ introduces. As managing partner of Peter Kölln GmbH & Co. KG, she heads a company that can look back on over 200 years of experience in food processing. The Kölln family began writing food history in Elmshorn (since 1795) even before it was entered in the commercial register (1820). With cereals and vegetable fats („Livio“, „Mazola“, „Biskin“, „Palmin“), the company is one of the established branded goods manufacturers in Germany.
Since 1689 the Elmendorf distillery in Hamburg. The company has been run by the family for over 333 years. What were the specific strategies and strengths that kept it adaptable and resilient through times of war and changing eras? Kai Elmendorf will be on hand to answer these questions in his capacity as managing partner and will use powerful images to guide us through the history of the distillery. Ancient barrels bear witness to centuries of tradition. An open-minded brand leader will talk about „Korn and Gin from Hamburg“ and turn his attention to modern marketing concepts. Whether it's a „Ladies“ Afterwork„ aperitif or the “Feiner Kerl„ Korn for Father's Day, whether it's the “Harbour Princess„ or the “Gin School". Kai Elmendorf never runs out of ideas.
One of the world's finest stationery brands has started its triumphal march around the world under the name „Lamy“. Characterised by the Bauhaus philosophy and the Ulm School of Design, the company speaks cautiously of „writing tools“. Fundamental to the design brand „Lamy“ was the introduction of the „Lamy 2000“ fountain pen in 1966“, who revolutionised the writing instrument market. After the death of Dr Manfred Lamy, one of the most important German entrepreneurs in the design sector, in 2021, the company founded in 1930 was sold to the Japanese group Mitsubishi Pencil Company in 2024 in favour of strategic synergies in global sales. Steffen Rübke has led „Lamy“ as CEO since 2022. The former CEO of the Mairdumont travel publishing group can contribute experience as a brand owner at Procter & Gamble and a global horizon.
Source: German Packaging Museum
