Packaging exhibitions around the world: discover global innovation
It has to be said: packaging ‘moves’ the entire global economy. The sector is constantly growing, driven also by the continuous technological innovations affecting the supply chain. This is why there are numerous international packaging exhibition events every year: a unique opportunity for sector operators to network and keep up to date with the latest developments in an industry that is constantly on the rise.
With the exception of the last few years, when the Covid-19 emergency put a brake on the busy calendar of appointments around the world, from 2022 and 2023 full steam is back with the trade fairs and events dedicated to packaging, finally bringing together leading companies, stakeholders and international buyers.
The most important packaging exhibitions
Participating in international packaging exhibitions is an important opportunity for those of us in the packaging industry.
These are events where you can network, meet new partners, keep up to date with the technological innovations affecting the supply chain and discuss the new challenges imposed by the market, from environmental sustainability to smart technologies.
There are many international packaging exhibitions, including those dedicated to other sectors, such as chemicals, paper, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, etc., which offer considerable space for automation, logistics, packaging and end-of-line solutions. Let’s take a look at the main ones together.
Interpack, Düsseldorf (Germany)
Interpack is the world’s most important packaging exhibition, being the only international event representing the entire packaging supply chain.
The event is held every three years in Düsseldorf, Germany, involving numerous companies and professionals called upon to discuss the themes of sustainability, digitalisation and technological innovation. The next edition? Waiting for us in May 2026.
LogiMAT, Stoccarda (Germany)
We remain in Germany with LogiMAT, the largest intra-logistics and process management trade fair in Europe. The event is held annually in Stuttgart and offers a 360-degree view of solutions for optimising internal processes, with a special focus on topics such as digitisation, interconnectivity, IoT, Artificial Intelligence and Big Data.
EXPO PACK, Mexico City (Mexico)
EXPO PACK is not just a packaging exhibition, but a set of “trade shows” organised around the world by PMMI (Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute), the association for packaging and processing technologies that represents more than 950 North American manufacturers and suppliers related to the sector.
Among the various EXPO PACK exhibitions, in 2022 we participated in EXPO PACK México, a biennial event that brings together suppliers and buyers from more than 40 vertical sectors. For the next event in June 2024, EXPO PACK México plans to establish itself as Latin America’s most comprehensive trade fair in the packaging and processing sector.
IPACK-IMA, Milan (Italy)
IPACK-IMA is a historic exhibition dedicated to all the processing stages of the production chain: a true international reference point for professionals and companies in the food and non-food industry. Although smaller in size, the fair is very similar in form to Interpack, capturing the southern Mediterranean’s interest in the packaging sector.
The fair is in fact an exhibition platform that brings together thousands of visitors and exhibitors at each edition, becoming a springboard for the most innovative materials and processing and packaging technologies in four target markets: cereal-based foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and the technology and packaging sector. The next edition is scheduled for May 2025.
Upakovka, Moscow (Russia)
Upakovka is a renowned Moscow trade fair, the only one in the whole of Russia dedicated to the converting, packaging and printing industries. We can say that it is a Russian version of Interpack, smaller but equally interesting.
The event is mainly aimed at manufacturers of packaging for food and beverages, confectionery, bakery products and cosmetics, and brings together exhibitors of innovative technologies and materials for their production. The next event is scheduled for January 2024.
Eurasia Packaging Fair, Istanbul (Turkey)
The Eurasia Packaging exhibition is the largest trade and exhibition platform in the Eurasia region of the packaging industry. The event takes place annually in Turkey to present all the latest innovations in machinery and materials for packaging and plastics processing. Target sectors of the fair include the food and beverage industry, automotive, printing, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and personal care. The next edition will be held from 11 to 14 October 2023.
ProPak China, Shanghai (China)
China’s leading packaging exhibition is ProPak China, an event dedicated to the world of packaging machinery and food processing. Other sectors covered are cosmetics, consumer products and electronics. The event always takes place in Shanghai, within the NECC, the world’s largest exhibition centre.
ProPak China is popular with trade visitors for its numerous conferences on industry innovations and awards recognising outstanding technological achievements in the world of processing and packaging. The last edition was held in June 2023.
Gulfood manufacturing, Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
Although it is not a packaging exhibition, Gulfood manufacturing is an important event for the packaging industry, being the most authoritative annual event on global food and beverage manufacturing.
The trade fair in Dubai, which mainly targets the Middle East market, will be held from 7 to 9 November 2023 and will provide an opportunity to discover the latest solutions for food and beverage production and processing, establishing itself as a reference point for companies and buyers interested in improving efficiency and productivity through the adoption of new technologies. Gulfood manufacturing is indeed very focused on food smart tech and sustainable development solutions, so much so that it has awarded the industry’s most revolutionary pioneers with the prestigious Gulfood manufacturing industry excellence awards.
Drinktec, Munich (Germany)
Among packaging exhibitions, Drinktec stands out as the world’s leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry. The trade fair takes place every four years in Munich and deals with the beverage world in its entirety, also exploring topics such as beverage marketing, packaging safety and packaging design.
Pieri attended the last edition of the event, while the next one will take place in 2025.
Fispal Tecnologia, São Paulo (Brazil)
Fispal Tecnologia is one of the most authoritative exhibitions for the food and beverage sector. With the next edition set for 18-21 June 2024, the fair will launch the ‘Futuro Sustentável’ campaign, with which Fispal hopes to stimulate the growth of the industry with greater social and environmental awareness, in line with the sustainable development goals defined by the UN.
Expoalimentaria, Lima (Peru)
Expoalimentaria is the most important international food and beverage fair in Latin America, a meeting place for operators involved in distribution, retail and horeca. The exhibition also includes companies specialising in machinery, packaging and foreign trade services. The next event will be held from 27 to 29 September 2023.
Cibus Tec, Parma (Italy)
Finally, we return to Italy with Cibus Tec, the trade fair in Parma that for 80 years has brought together food and beverage industry operators from more than 118 countries. Parma has always been an important reference point for the food industry, with its district producing world-famous foodstuffs.
The message of its trade fair is ‘Inspiring Innovation in Food and Beverage Technologies’: a statement that makes clear its mission to present the best solutions for processing, packaging and logistics technologies for all sectors of the food and beverage industry.
Pieri’s innovation stars at packaging exhibitions
For us, packaging exhibitions are always an important opportunity to keep abreast of what is new in the market, but above all to present our innovative solutions, to establish new business connections, and to make ourselves interpreters of the needs and latest trends in the sector.
In our 40 years of activity we have taken part in several international trade fairs, not only as visitors, but as exhibitors, bringing all the quality of our innovative packaging and end-of-line solutions to our stands.
For example, at our last participation in Interpack 2023, we presented a preview of our latest creation, UNICA: an arm wrapping machine made up of no less than 5 patents, integrated into a single solution capable of wrapping pallets of any shape and size, offering high performance and maximum efficiency for the end-of-line.
In our international participations, we also like to forge partnerships with important companies, as demonstrated by our co-exhibition at this year’s Fispal fair in São Paulo with Pavax, a leading South American company for the design of high-tech industrial equipment, or our experience with Omega Packing at Expo Pack 2022.