Members of the Australian packaging supply chain voiced their opinion on the need for cross-company collaboration at a joint AIP/APPMA meeting held in Melbourne last night.
The group of over 80 packaging professionals had gathered to hear five colleagues share their insights on the international packaging and processing trade show interpack that took place in Dusseldorf in May. Although roughly half of the audience had attended the trade exhibition, the level of interest in the speakers' findings was nevertheless high because, as anyone who has visited interpack can attest, the sheer size and scale of the event with its 19 halls filled to capacity by 2700 exhibitors, makes it impossible to cover all the innovation on show. And each speaker certainly shared a unique view.
Confoil's Steve Flaherty touched on developments in plastics, including Kortec's retortable Klear PP can, Amcor's N-Gage mono-material lid and tray solution, and compostable and renewable PLA meat trays from Bio4Pack.
Matthews' Mark Dingley covered innovation and trends in the domain of machinery, pointing to the increased evidence of 'convergence ready' solutions - the merging of automation and information technology, enabling access to line and site data and the provision of real-time information to businesses.
Murray Goulburn's Ian Hayes showed some cool examples of packaging that marries art and science, like the attractive air-driven continuous dispensing system for personal care products from AiroPack. But what made the biggest impression on Hayes was the evidence of the rise of digital printing, especially as demonstrated by HP not only in the label space but in folding carton, flexible and corrugated packaging too.
Hayes said: “I'm not sure we [the packaging industry] have quite worked out what to do with digital print to take full advantage of what it offers, but we've got to do something!
“And not just because we can, but because it allows you to deliver the message you want to,” he added, referring to the potential for customisation on packaging that digital delivers.
Innovia Films' Claude D'Amico added some interesting perspectives on bioplastics, including the new NatureFlex HK1 lidding film, and talked about the relatively high number of Australian visitors (per capita more than from any other country) to Innovia Films stand, and the importance of having a familiar face on the stand for visitors from your home market.
And Simplot's Jason Goode provided a round-up of great ideas, especially in the ready meal and sauce container space, including Sealpac's EasyLid that eliminates the need for an outer lid over top of a film seal thanks to its unique seal-and-lid in one solution.
But it was during question time that Goode made the most important comment of the evening. Against the backdrop of the shared interpack insights, he emphasised the value of industry, even competitors, working together to improve efficiencies and drive innovation in the face of fierce competition from retailers.
“We don't talk to those brand owners we consider our competitors, he said, and yet we share our innovation openly with supermarket retailers.”
We need to work together at removing effort that doesn't add value, he added. For example, as an industry we could work at developing specifications for standard packaging formats.
Mark Dingley, who is also chairman of the APPMA, concurred with Goode saying that industry has to lead the change, and it starts in forums like this one, facilitated by two leading industry associations in a bid to foster information sharing.
Claude D'Amico ended the discussion by reminding the audience that we shouldn't have too parochial a focus. “Look beyond Australia. It's a global market,” he said. “Don't be afraid to innovate and sell your innovation to the world.”
