AUSPACK will be showcasing megatrends for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical sectors, AUSPACK offers face-to-face involvement with the latest in fast and flexible machinery, track and trace, smart packaging, digital printing, Industry 4.0 and robots.
It also covers accessibility and convenience, e-commerce, saving food from waste and sustainable solutions. The 2019 edition of AUSPACK’s Packaging and Processing week will also see a range of new initiatives that offer enhanced opportunities to learn, engage and network with industry and peers. These initiatives will be announced throughout the lead up to AUSPACK, which takes place from March 26-29 next year.
Going digital is one of the focuses AUSPACK has highlighted as being of significance to industries including food and beverage. Digital allows converters to meet the demand for short-run and multiple-version packaging, and sectors such as digital labelling are seeing a rise worldwide.
Compared to the labelling industry as a whole, which experiences roughly four-to-five per cent growth each year, digital labels are expanding by about nine-to-ten per cent annually, AUSPACK indicates.
A new conference focussed on industry key challenges and opportunities around sustainability, innovations in technology and design, systems thinking and factories of the future, will also be a part of Packaging and Processing Week 2019.
With the theme smart, connected, sustainable, the conference is for decision makers, owners and key staff from the packaging and processing, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, along with associated industries such as design and print, marketing and advertising industry associations.
The business and industry conference are all about exploring new ideas and business potential through case studies, interactive Q&A sessions and keynote plenary sessions – of which there will be seven, along with 18 breakouts across two streams, which are packaging and processing, and business growth. Sub-themes include innovation and technology, sustainable solutions, smart packaging, e-commerce, future consumer, export and distribution, blockchain, design trends and strength through diversity.
Several prominent speakers for the event include Michael Okoroafor, vice president global sustainability and packaging at McCormick USA. Responsible for the strategic direction, policies, development and execution of agricultural, ingredient, product and packaging sustainability, plus packaging innovation capabilities globally, Okoroafor was inducted into the Packaging and Processing Hall of Fame at PACK EXPO International. In addition, he has over 40 patents to his name. Okoroafor will be the opening keynote on day one.
Economist Stephen Koukoulas will kick off day two of the event. He was the senior economic advisor to the prime minister and the chief economist of Citibank. His presentation will break down complex economic analysis into easily understandable terms.
Katie Spearritt, CEO of Diversity Partners, will speak about “Innovation and Strength through Diversity”. Spearritt’s session aims to have participants talking about diversity and inclusion in ways they might not have previously considered.