As I recovered from the exhausting week-long Interpack exhibition in Düsseldorf, I took the time to pause and ponder exactly what I got out of the experience, together with many of the other 179,000 attendees. Sore feet, certainly. The final press release from the organisers was relentlessly upbeat: 97 per cent of exhibitors indicated that they intend to be back in 2011, 97 per cent of visitors gave the show top marks. It is wonderful to see 2744 of the world's top manufacturers showing their new developments across 19 halls.
So what will the visitors do to keep up-to-date for the next three years? Every serious company has its own website and every brochure can be downloaded, so is it simply a case of typing in your request on the internet and seeing what you find? The packaging press does a great job of keeping us abreast of developments, both in print and on-line. For example, you can look at winning entries in such competitions as the Starpack Awards, showcased later in this issue of Packaging Today.
The big European showcase exhibitions seem to go from strength to strength. In the UK, Packex has evolved into Total Processing and Packaging, a triennial event; PPMA remains popular and EasyFairs' Packaging Innovations has grown up to reach a slightly different audience. Attendances vary, and I consider that the exhibitions industry is under unprecedented pressure to offer relevance, immediacy and to attract increasingly reluctant visitors. In all industries, people have to produce results and no longer have time to 'go and see what's new'. More importantly, it is very easy to see what's new with the click of a mouse, rather than having to traipse all over the NEC. A company's website is now at the heart of marketing communications, rather than merely an 'extra'. Furthermore, a big exhibition may not be the best way to pick up golden nuggets of information, simply due to the sensory overload.
At Interpack, I was after the latest information on packaging materials and processes, the emphasis being placed on visual media. I need to explain how things work for use as visual aids and teaching materials shown to Packaging Society students - as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. I guess I could have picked up most of the information with a couple of days on my computer - sore eyes instead of sore feet.
But I think there is no substitute for face-to-face conversations, getting to know people and building up relationships. So I suggest you pencil these exhibitions into your diary and, judging from Düsseldorf hotel prices, perhaps it would be wise to book early for the next Interpack!
