In search of innovation

13 January 2011



The packaging industry is set to meet on 16 and 17 February at the NEC, Birmingham, UK, for easyFairs’ packaging event. Brand managers, marketers, manufacturers and retailers seeking the latest innovations will be heading to the ‘four in one’ show.


There are four exhibitions in one, each focusing on a particular packaging area. For those looking for new packaging concepts to achieve shelf standout, the latest designs, trends and materials, there is easyFairs Packaging Innovations. While easyFairs Ecopack will be focusing on recyclable, reusable and lightweight materials; low waste packaging design; and low energy manufacturing techniques.

Packtech focuses on all that is new in the world of packaging machinery, printing systems and converting technology. And for those looking for the very latest developments in digital print, the Print for Packaging Zone is the place to head, where many products will be displayed and demonstrated for the very first time in the UK. Contract Pack will provide visitors with an ideal opportunity to meet professional companies in the contract packing and contract manufacturing arena.

Many visitors will attend trade shows seeking innovation, and there promises to be an array of new ideas, technologies and suppliers on show.

ICC UK (Stand A29) will be showcasing the ‘revolutionary’ Cyclero flexible packaging. This compact system offers new ways for packaging liquid and dry contents.

Cyclero is said to be environmentally friendly, made of lightweight material and aiming to optimise conventional stand-up pouches by avoiding sealed seams.

New Vision Packaging (Stand A10) will also be exhibiting its latest designs, which are being sold across Sainsbury’s stores nationwide. Katie Rolfe, Creative Solutions Manager, comments: “We specialise in retail packaging solutions for confectionery, toiletries, drinks and general gifts. So when Sainsbury’s asked us to create packaging for their UFO fizzy children’s sweets, we knew it had to be distinctive and environmentally friendly.”

The shaped Vac forming made from recycled PET and finished with brightly coloured sleeves has been ‘flying off the shelves’, according to New Vision. The company plans to offer all visitors a ‘free packaging MOT’ to make sure their firm’s packaging is set for the future.

Debuting in the UK is Ecolution, said to be the first ‘green’ airless dispensing system, which will be showcased by Promens Packaging (stand A14). Ecolution cuts down on CO2 emissions and is considered more easily recyclable than piston based airless packages because it is made entirely out of plastics: polypropylene and polyethylene.

“Ecolution combines smoothness, ergonomics and comfort of use. The bottle diameter has been studied for perfect handling and thanks to its easy lockable option, it can be carried safely,” explains Isabelle Orhan, Innovation & Marketing Director at Promens Packaging.

Sustainable packaging

With green issues high on most agendas, there are plenty of new ideas and inspiration to be found at easyFairs Ecopack, too.

National Flexible Packaging (Stand F23) will be illustrating its Zero-Zero-One value proposition.

Andy Smith, Marketing Manager at National Flexible Packaging, comments: “This is part of a packaging reduction strategy which eliminates the need for our customers to hold any stock of packaging materials at their factory (zero stock). We will deliver to them from our factory on a just in time basis for their packing requirements (zero lead time), as well as offering fixed pricing (one fixed price).

“We believe this is a very different approach in our industry and has already proved to be a success, with a number of high profile customers including Nestle´, Premier Foods and many other well-known FMCG manufacturers.”

Another exhibitor to look out for at the show is Polythene UK (Stand F32), the largest broker of PE film in the UK and claimed the first company in the UK to stock 100% compostable checkout bags known as Polycomp bags.

James Woollard, Managing Director at Polythene UK, explains: “I figure that as checkout bags are something we all use and as we are all about to start having to buy rolls of compostable bags due to changes in the way our food is being recycled, then why not make one bag that does both jobs? That way consumers will be able to buy their compostable bags at the checkout for the same price as they would spend on the rolls of bags, use them to take their shopping home, then reuse them in their green bins, so their food waste can go for anaerobic digestion or other composting methods.”

Packaging technology being exhibited at Packtech will turn innovative concepts into tangible packaging products.

Hewlett-Packard (Stand G17), one of the world's largest technology companies will be showcasing diverse innovative, high-quality applications, printed on the HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press and the HP Indigo 7500 Digital Press. Used by many of the world's leading converters to produce labels and packaging for blue-chip companies, HP Indigo digital presses will print on flexible packaging, shrink sleeves, folding cartons and a wide variety of labelstocks.

Julia Cole, UK & Ireland Marketing Manager, HP Indigo Digital Press, Graphic Solutions Business, comments: “With the new HP ElectroInk White, the industry's first white ink for sheet-fed digital presses, HP Indigo 7500 and WS6000 Digital Press users can print full-colour images on transparent, coloured or other substrates, further expanding the variety of products within their portfolios. Both presses also feature a wide colour gamut, with 4, 6 or 7-colour Pantone Emulation, and this capability, coupled with high print quality, has enabled the production of some outstanding products on show at Packtech 2011."

At the opposite end of the technology scale, Enercon Industries (Stand E11), one of the world leaders in induction cap and capless foil sealing, will be at the show explaining the benefits and cost savings involved in the inductions of foil sealing.

Dawn Levack, European Marketing Manager, comments: “The food industry is the largest market for foil sealing applications and it comes with literally thousands of different types of products, requirements and interests. One of the biggest is fresh milk in plastics screw capped bottles.

“Across all industry sectors, foil sealing can create an environment that offers so many advantages - freshness is sealed, shelf life extended, transport conditions improved and cost reduction directly to the user’s fridge or store room; it really is surprising that foil is not already on all containers,” concludes Ms Levack.

LearnShops

For those keen to keep up with latest issues and trends, there are 50 scheduled free learnShops spanning every aspect of packaging, delivered by industry experts. Participating in the Ecopack learnShops will be WRAP, which will be delivering a two-day programme focusing on several core areas from the role of packaging to sustainability and educating the consumer.

The Brand Summit focuses on the challenges for brand managers over the coming year; and finally, The Packaging Society Student Design Challenge where young designers are given an opportunity to develop and showcase their concepts against a live, fast moving consumer goods packaging brief.

Whatever sectors you operate in, if you are a packaging engineer, production or operations manager, or a buyer of packaging and printing equipment, this is an ideal show to attend.


Packtech Ecopack Innovations EasyFairs welcomes visitors to the 'four in one' show. EasyFairs Ecolution is a ‘green’ airless dispensing system. Ecolution James Woollard, MD of Polythene UK. James Woollard Contract Pack

Packtech Packtech
Ecopack Ecopack
Ecolution Ecolution
EasyFairs EasyFairs
Contract Pack Contract Pack
James Woollard James Woollard
Innovations Innovations


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