Follow
Follow
LinkedIn Facebook X Youtube e-mail
LinkedIn Facebook X Youtube e-mail

packaging journal TV Talk: On the final spurt to Fachpack 2022

Fachpack is coming up soon in Nuremberg. We want to know how the preparations are going and asked Phillip Blass, Director Fachpack.

It's that time again. It won't be long now until the trade fair event of the year for the packaging industry is upon us - Fachpack in Nuremberg. Exhibitors, visitors and the organisers are all looking forward to it. After all, the trade fair offers the opportunity for personal dialogue and deals with topics that move the industry. We wanted to know: How are things going? To find out, we asked the boss, Director Fachpack, Phillip Blass, directly.

It really isn't long now until the trade fair. How much stress is there in these last few weeks?

Yes, for us it already feels a bit like the final spurt. Sales are largely complete and now it's time to start organising the event. The postponement of the PowTech trade fair means that, for the first time, we will be organising the Fachpack and PowTech trade fairs at the same time, which of course means that we will be occupying a total of twelve halls and visitors can look forward to a very successful combination. On the one hand, there will be processing and packaging, i.e. production and process technology at PowTech, and packaging and filling at Fachpack. And yes, the anticipation is growing!
Picture of the entrance of the building of a fair

You organised a trade fair last year despite the pandemic. That was certainly no ordinary Fachpack. Let's dare to compare. How normal is Fachpack 2022, which we are now looking forward to?

That's a good question. On the one hand, 2021 was the same as always, just a little smaller. But on the other hand, it really was amazing and I still get goosebumps today when I think about how visitors were queuing at the entrances on the first day of the fair. The great joy of seeing customers and exhibitors again. So in the end, I think Fachpack 22 will probably feel similar. It will be the same as always, just a little smaller, but above all more intense.

Why can't anyone in the industry afford to miss Fachpack this year?

Fachpack is simply the European meeting place for the industry. And anyone who wants to know what innovations and trends there are, who is looking for professional dialogue and appreciates the exchange of knowledge, must of course be there. We believe that the industry is facing major challenges and is also undergoing change, and we have a lot to discuss. And now more than ever, we need meeting points or marketplaces where the pressing issues can be discussed at eye level. And in this context, Fachpack's slogan „We are shaping the future“ is perhaps more than just a slogan.

Yes, there is a lot to talk about. And if we are shaping the future with packaging, the key theme „Transition in Packaging“ fits perfectly. What exactly do you want to show with this?

With the main theme at Fachpack, we want to raise awareness and clarify what is going on in the industry. In other words, we want to provide orientation and promote dialogue at a time that is characterised by strong currents and environmental influences. With this central theme, we are drawing a common thread through the entire supporting programme of the trade fair: through special shows, forums and daily topics. Another topic is digitalisation. And we will be covering this topic in detail in the PackBox and TechBox specialist programme, in the forums on Thursday, where packaging journal will also be making an exciting contribution.

We are delighted to be part of it. There is also a lot to say about another major topic. That is, of course, sustainability. What is your impression, is the transition already over?

Sustainability is simply a mammoth task. And although a lot has already been achieved - the industry is on the right track - the topic is simply very complex and does not stop at national borders. This means that a holistic approach is becoming increasingly important. What strikes us, of course, is that the circular economy, for example, has become an integral part of the packaging discussion and is now an integral part of packaging design. And we will certainly see many good approaches here again at Fachpack. With the exhibitor PreZero, we have a globally active waste disposal company with us for the first time, with the aim of closing material cycles.

Unfortunately, there are currently completely new challenges for the industry. We have tense supply chains, we have the war in Ukraine, of course, and the fear of a recession. To what extent do you perhaps also sense unease among your exhibitors?

Supply chain bottlenecks, rising energy costs and the threat of a recession are unfortunately a fact of life and are affecting the packaging industry just as much as any other sector at the moment. And we will all have to face up to this challenge. However, knowing the packaging industry as we do, I am sure that it will master it well and perhaps even emerge from the crisis stronger than before.

The Specialist pack will take place from 27 to 29 September in Nuremberg.

Messages from exhibitors at Fachpack 2022