The concept of the Cradle-to-Cradle circular economy is set to play an important role at the FachPack trade fair in Nuremberg, Germany this coming September 27th to 29th. FachPack will also feature a wealth of additional innovations in the fields of packaging, technology, processing and logistics on display by 1,565 exhibitors from the packaging industry. The organisers NürnbergMesse Gmbh anticipate some 44,000 industry professionals in atten­dance at this year’s fair, in line with last year’s attendance figures. Halls 4, 5, ­6, 7, 7A and 9 will present packag­ing materials and packaging aids of all kinds. Halls 1 through 4A will feature packaging machinery and labelling technology. Packaging processing and printing will be on hand in Halls 7 and 7A. Hall 4 will host packaging logis­tics, and NCC “Ost” and “Mitte” will present seminars and workshops.
FachPack brings the four central market segments of the packaging ­process chain together under one ­roof. This year’s FachPack will give ­special focus to the topic of sustain­ability which is now growing in sig­nificance in the packaging sector, and which the FachPack Event Manager Heike Slotta sees as more than simply ­a passing trend. The companies on hand in Nuremberg will demonstrate how intelligent product solutions can be used to save resources in the added value chain.
Packaging is being designed in a ­recycling-friendly way in order to ­save resources and feed reusable ma­terials back into the process again. Sub­sequently, sustainable solutions are ­increasingly being applied to the ma­terials. Examples of this include how cellulose is mixed together with plant-based residual materials in order to save fresh fibres, and bio-based plastics are in use. Digitalisation in pack­aging machinery provides a basis for saving energy and reducing material consumption. Manufacturers are also developing machinery to make packaging from environmentally-friendly materials and continue the reduction ­of packaging material consumption.
Even the logistics segment is now subject to the concept of sustainabi­lity, with products such as pallets and boxes being made from recycled plastic or corrugated board in accordance with the Cradle to Cradle® concept. And packaging printing is also now ­using LED UV technology to save energy compared with conventional UV lamps.
Once again, FachPack 2016 will al­so feature an extensive supporting programme including the Corrugated Board Forum, the “Etiketten & mehr” (‘Labels & More’) pavilion, the special shows ”Packaging Design” and the ”German Packaging Prize”, the theme parks “Packaging in Medical Tech­nology and Pharmacies” and “Hu­man – Machine – Future” as well as ­the ­“Process & Materials@FachPack” marketplace and the Tracking & ­Tracing Theatre.