interpack

The conversations that shape an industry don't happen on the showfloor alone. 🌍 The interpack SPOTLIGHT Forum delivered. Over 3,300 visitors. More than 120 international speakers. Over 80 sessions, panels and discussions across seven days - on AI and intelligent systems, the PPWR, circular economy, sustainable materials and Smart Packaging. The full breadth of where the processing and packaging industry is heading, addressed in one place, in real dialogue. ⚙️ What made it exceptional was the mix in the room. Industry leaders, brand owners, start-ups, researchers and technology providers - exchanging perspectives not across a screen, but face to face. That open, cross-sector exchange is what turned the SPOTLIGHT Forum into something more than a programme. It became a genuine driver of ideas for the industry as a whole. To every speaker, partner, visitor and contributor who brought their thinking, their challenges and their energy to the forum: thank you. You made it what it was. A special thank you to our partners who helped make the SPOTLIGHT Forum possible: Mary-Ann Sallmann and Christian Kuhn from dfv Conference Group, who co-organised the forum with us. And to the associations whose expertise and networks shaped the programme: Judith Binzer and the team at VDMA, Guido Aufdemkamp at FPE - Flexible Packaging Europe and Mara Shirinda Hancker at IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e. V.  - your commitment and collaboration made a real difference. 🤝 We are already looking forward to what comes next.

Let’s take a look back: insights from the closing interview on interpack TV, live from the Düsseldorf exhibition grounds 🌍 After three years of preparation, one question was top of mind: How would the global situation affect attendance, atmosphere and business at interpack 2026? In the closing interview, Thomas Dohse, Director of interpack, shares why the answer became clear quickly: the industry came together with energy, curiosity and a strong will to do business. A key topic this year: innovative materials — driven by PPWR, regulatory uncertainty and the need for practical answers. Many thanks to our partners from packaging journal and to our hosts Jan Malte Andresen and Matthias Laux for bringing interpack TV to life. Watch the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/db2wubyJ

161 countries. One trade fair. One shared heartbeat: packaging and processing. 🌍 For a few unforgettable days, interpack 2026 became a meeting place for the world. From Asia to the Americas, from Africa and the Middle East to every corner of Europe, people travelled thousands of kilometres to be here, bringing with them new ideas, different perspectives, countless languages and one common passion. You could feel it everywhere: in every conversation, every handshake, every smile, every moment of connection on the show floor. Because what makes interpack Simply Unique is not only the technology, the innovations or the machines. It is the people behind them. The global community that comes together, inspires each other and shapes the future of packaging and processing. Thank you to every visitor, exhibitor and partner who made interpack 2026 a truly global experience. See you in 2029. 🌍🤝

Seven days. One industry. Simply Unique. 🌍 interpack 2026 is over - and what remains is more than the memory of a trade fair. It is the signal of an industry that showed up with conviction: ready to invest, ready to collaborate, and ready to shape what comes next. The halls were dense with decisions. Material, machine and process were no longer discussed in isolation - they were shown as integrated systems, live and in operation. Smart Manufacturing, sustainability and Future Skills moved from agenda items to concrete applications on the showfloor. The Spotlight Forum, SAVE FOOD Expert Talks, Women in Packaging, the Start-up Zone and Young Talents Day added dimensions that went well beyond the exhibition itself. 🤝 Thomas Dohse, Director of interpack, put it simply: intense exchange, strong attendance and concrete projects demonstrated the strength of this global community. The packaging and processing industry faces significant challenges ahead. interpack 2026 showed it is meeting them with innovation, collaboration and the will to actively shape the future. ♻️ The next interpack will take place in 2029. We will be ready. The full closing report is available here: https://bit.ly/4dD9eNz

Seven days. Countless memories. One unforgettable interpack 2026. 🌍 Looking back, it is hard to capture everything that happened in just a few words: the first moments on the showfloor, the buzz in the halls, the reunions, the new encounters, the ideas sparked over coffee, at booths, on stages and in conversations that will resonate far beyond Düsseldorf, across the entire global processing and packaging community. For seven days, the industry came together in all its breadth and energy , from smart manufacturing and sustainable materials to the future skills of the next generation of talent. There were innovations to discover, conversations to begin, networks to grow, partnerships to build, and investment decisions that will shape what comes next. But above all, there were people: exhibitors, visitors, speakers, partners and teams who filled interpack 2026 with life, purpose and momentum. From the opening day in Düsseldorf to the final moments of Young Talents Day, every day had its own rhythm, its own highlights and its own stories worth remembering. Watch the full recap above and relive some of our favourite moments. 🤝 Thank you to everyone who made interpack 2026 what it was. This was your show. See you at interpack 2029.

7 out of 7. That's it. Last Day of interpack 26! ⭐️ Young Talents Day highlights interpack 2026 the right way - with the next generation on the showfloor. Students, trainees and young professionals meeting the companies and people shaping the industry. ⚙️ Seven days. Thousands of conversations. One industry, at its best. See you at interpack 2029. 🌍

🎉 That's a wrap on interpack 2026. 🎉 What an incredible week. From groundbreaking innovations across all sectors of packaging, to conversations that will shape the next decade of our industry — this was truly something special. A heartfelt thank you to every exhibitor who brought their best, every visitor who showed up with curiosity and energy and the entire team behind the scenes who made this event run like clockwork. You are the ones who make interpack what it is. The packaging world came together — and it was extraordinary. We'll see you in 2029. 👋

Last day. Best energy. 🤝 Young Talents Day highlights interpack 2026 the right way - with the people who will carry this industry forward. Students, trainees and young professionals on the showfloor, meeting the companies and teams shaping the future of processing and packaging. ⚙️ Seven days. Thousands of conversations. One industry, at its best. See you at interpack 2029. 🌍

🚀 The future of pharma packaging isn't coming. It's already here. We had the chance to sit down with Thomas Fricke, Commercial Director of IMA Pharma, at interpack 2026 — and the conversation was a wake-up call. 💡 "The traditional way we've done it in the past is over." IMA Group isn't just showing machines. They're showing cognitive manufacturing — where assembly lines talk to humanoids, Cyber Dogs respond to machine commands and operators are replaced not by robots, but by a completely new set of skills. Three shifts defining the next 5 years: ⚙️ Smart Manufacturing → Machines that self-optimize, reduce waste and protect operators from hazardous therapies (gene therapy, obesity pens) 🌱 Eco-Friendly Materials → CO₂ reduction baked into every packaging decision 🧠 Future Skills → The old engineer archetype is fading. The industry needs people fluent in data, automation and adaptability Thomas put it best: "In five years, we won't be talking about big data and cognitive manufacturing — because it will simply be part of life." High-speed production alone? No longer the differentiator. Intelligence. Sustainability. Adaptability. That's the new race. Thanks for the exciting insights! 🙌

🔎In pharma packaging, there's no margin for error. 💊 At Interpack 2026 we spoke with leaders from OPTIMA pharma and Strobel — and the message was sharp: the industry is entering a new era of precision, driven by AI and Digital Twin technology. Highlights from the floor: → AI-powered machine panels that support operators in real time → Digital Twins that debug software before it ever touches a filling line → Fully integrated turnkey solutions — one partner, one line, zero compromise → The first-ever aseptic vial filling line with an in-house isolator The next 3–5 years? Integrated solutions become the standard. AI moves from buzzword to backbone. What technology do you think will have the biggest impact on pharma packaging next? 👇