Interpack 99: World's Largest Trade Fair for Packaging Machinery, Packaging and Confectionery Machinery

The No. 1 trade fair for the packaging and confectionery industry worldwide, Interpack 99 rolls into Düsseldorf, Germany, May 6-12. The exhibition, which has taken place once every three years since 1958, is the premier showcase for the packaging industry. The show will highlight the very latest in packaging machinery, materials and containers as well as confectionery processing equipment.

As in years past, all 1.4-million-sqft of exhibition space in the Düsseldorf exhibition halls has been booked. Interpack 99 will feature more than 2,200 exhibitors from 50 countries, with 59% of all exhibiting companies coming from European countries other than Germany and abroad. Italy is sending 387 exhibitors, the United Kingdom 164, France 129 and the Netherlands 117. The United States, with 99 participants, will make up the largest non-European contingent at Interpack 99. Asia is also well represented by companies from India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Taiwan.

Interpack's internationality is also demonstrated in the visitor statistics. At the last Interpack in 1996, half of the 188,000 visitors from 113 countries were from outside Germany. Two-thirds of all foreign visitors came from industrial countries of Europe. Other major groups of visitors included contingents from Asia, which comprised 11% of all visitors, and some 9,000 visitors came from North America (9% percent of the total). Roughly 6,500 attendees were from Central and South America (7%).

Packaging Machinery is King
Packaging machinery typically occupies the bulk of Interpack's exhibition area. In 1996, this segment accounted for 1,115 exhibitors, while packaging and packaging materials accounted for 868 exhibitors. Confectionery machinery exhibitors totaled 247 and service providers tallied 71 exhibitors. Similar numbers are expected at Interpack 99.

Key trends to be presented at this year's Interpack, according to show producers Messe Düsseldorf, include innovations in labeling technology, bulk/sales packaging and automation. In the area of automation, packaging machine manufacturers are constantly developing new ways of accelerating the steps of production. Current developments involve linking the packaging process physically and digitally to warehousing technology.

The Messe Düsseldorf web site, http://www.messe-duesseldorf.de, offers further details of Interpack 99.