I think we can all agree that sectoral fairs are frequently more than mere sale showcases. They act as drivers to revitalise markets, attracting innovation and "forcing" companies to devise a series of advances, new developments or improvements to show any professional visiting their stand that they are looking at a first class company, fully committed to the evolution of the sector.

 

Although this is mainly the case with all trade fairs in the world, especially those whose technological component is crucial, this is a given when we talk about interpack. Just a few days ago, it closed its latest edition with the magnificent news that it had almost returned to pre-pandemic figures.

 

However, beyond the spectacular figures - 2,800 exhibitors, 143,000 visitors! - it is worth noting, in line with our initial reflection, the sector's ability to adapt to a whole series of market demands: resource and energy efficiency to improve equipment performance and become "green", the "crucial topic" for the industry; automation to optimise processes and reduce costs; safety, ergonomics and convenience of the containers for the end consumer; anti-counterfeiting systems to protect brands; flexibility to meet the rapid product cycles of the market; and quality and creativity to stand out on the product shelf, with a special emphasis on digital printing. During the fair, there were many innovations aimed at responding to these concerns that saw the light of day, and the power and potential of the packaging sector was there for all to see. And this is the where the true value of interpack shows its strength.

 

However, we will talk more about this in our next issue, but in this one that you, dear reader, are holding in your hands, we would like to draw attention to the cover, and our featured company, Pernod Ricard, the distributor of some of the greatest and most recognised wines and spirits in the world. It operates in a sector where packaging - and the attractiveness it is capable of transmitting - provides a highly important differentiating factor at the point of sale; as it does in the cosmetics and perfumery sector. “Without a doubt, the key to our packaging lies in the high quality of the materials we use, to create innovative, high quality designs,” explains Carmen del Río, Head of Industrial Development at Pernod Ricard Spain. This is recommended reading if you want to learn more about this interesting and innovative sector.

 

Finally, after our recent visit to the first edition of Labelexpo México 2023, where we were able to experience first-hand the dynamism of the Mexican graphics market - an event which could become a centre of attraction for the Latin American market - the AIFEC 2023 Congress awaits us. This will be held in Marrakesh from May 25 to 28 and, as always, will be the umpteenth demonstration of the innovative capacity of the Iberian label industry.

Fco. Javier Romero

Editor Infopack Magazine