FDBusiness.com

Packaging Innovations and Luxury Packaging London closed its doors to record numbers. Over 3,930 visitors, an increase of 10% on last year, 180 exhibitors, 80 product launches, 50 seminars and two new show features all packed into the Business Design Centre in London to celebrate the most innovative in the world of packaging.

The event, which took place on 30 September & 1 October 2014, witnessed a hugely successful fifth year with the likes of Johnson & Johnson, Hotel Chocolat, Tommy Hilfiger, Molton Brown, Harrods and Procter & Gamble walking through its doors. Alison Church, Event Director for easyFairs’ packaging events, comments: “The attendance figures are absolutely spectacular and we couldn’t be more delighted with how this year’s show turned out. Packaging Innovations and Luxury Packaging combined have truly established themselves as the exclusive event for branded and inspirational packaging, attracting world-class visitors, speakers and international exhibitors from all corners of the globe. Each year to date the show has grown exponentially, but now with a sold-out venue we are focusing on delivering the utmost quality of events to both our exhibitors and visitors in the coming year.”

Maria Almeida, Exports at Leca Graphics, visiting the show, remarked: “Great show, very well organised, much bigger than last year with a huge variety of exhibitors. It’s great to see the luxury side expanding, definitely a packaging show worth attending.”

The sell-out show featured a packed learnShops programme, with speakers from DHL Supply Chain, Taylors of Harrogate, Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, Tesco and many other leading brands.

Among the speakers was Stirling Murray, CEO and Founder of The Red Tree introducing the Beauty Symposium, who commented: “We are delighted that The Beauty Symposium is back at Packaging Innovations and Luxury Packaging London for a second year. In such a crowded and competitive market, anyone launching a beauty brand needs to get the branding and packaging absolutely right. They need to make their product look distinctive – and that requires innovation. That’s why a visit to the show is so valuable, it’s an incredible way to get a real injection of new ideas and possibilities.”

Also speaking at the show on day two was Christine Mau, EMEA Design Director at Kimberley-Clark who discussed the importance of no boundaries – transforming ordinary products into extraordinary brand experiences. “We are becoming so good at our jobs, packaging is become formulaic – we need to break the boundaries and think outside the box. Setting your vision further out will help you reach additional innovation. You can sit behind the glass and listen to the consumer, but it will prevent innovation. You learn from consumer research, you win in the market – Dream, Dare and Dance.”

In addition to more exhibitors, visitors and world-class speakers, the successful complement of The Luxury Packaging Conference, sponsored by Raison Pure NYC, provided an illuminating insight into the world of luxury brands. Expert speakers from industry leaders including Godiva Chocolatier, Diageo, Harrods and Procter & Gamble explored the vital role packaging plays in positioning and promoting luxury and prestige brands.

Bruce Langlands, Director of Food at Harrods stated: “Packaging is always overlooked in comparison to the product, but unless you get the packaging right the product will fail. Every discussion should start with the consumer, if you think about your customers’ needs you’ll start ticking the right boxes.”

If that wasn’t enough many of the exhibitors used the show to launch products or services: Solutia Packaging unveiled its 100% recyclable folding eyewear cases; SACO lifted the lid on its new Jar Cap range; Airpack Systems its new beer bottle inflatable packaging solution; Benson Box debuted its revolutionary meal solutions carton packs; and SERAM launched a service to help its customers decorate shop windows according to their packaging – the list was never ending!

Stewart Serls, Commercial Director at Label-form, exhibiting at the show, said: “This is the first time we have exhibited at Packaging Innovations London and it has been a great way to celebrate our 50^th anniversary, in one day we received 72 potential enquires from the likes of Harrods, Birds Eye, Games Workshop and Johnson & Johnson.”

Also exhibiting at the show was David Lowry, Operations Director at Fleet Luxury who remarked: “It has been brilliant! It has exceeded all expectations, so many people have come onto the stand and we’ve made some great contacts. As first time exhibitors we couldn’t be more delighted.”

Plus the inaugural Drinks Symposium saw an erudite panel outlining case studies on how original thinking and creative packaging design can create a strong brand identity and build desirability, which was a hit with attending brands from the drinks industry.

Speakers featured: Felicity Murray, Editor of The Drinks Report: Daniel Szor, Owner of the newly opened Cotswolds Distillery; Craig Mackinley, Founder of Breeze Creative; Stephen Marshall, Bacardi Global Marketing Director for single malts; and Sharon Crayton of Ardagh Glass, who commented: “Personalised products have raised the emotional appeal in the eyes of the consumer. It is a growing phenomenon and the progress in digital print means it is going to grow even further.”

The show also provided a mass of interactive show features including the Innovation Gallery showcasing the top ten packaging innovations at the show, the Marketing & Brand Directors’ Networking Breakfast, the Lions’ Lair competition, and the Packaging Consultancy Clinic.

A show favourite was The BIG Packaging Debate, where a large audience gathered to hear a panel of packaging experts discuss: Is Legislation stopping you innovate?’ This year’s panel, chaired by Kevin Vyse, Head of IoPP UK, who remarked: “Currently EEC legislation is a drag on innovation so in the short term both graphic and structural packaging is going to have to work harder than ever before; eventually the use of technology will prevail and smart technology solutions will become normal to every consumer. In a few years’ time we won’t need to put all this legislation on the packaging – the technology will be there and change the way we give consumers the essential information.”

The next easyFairs UK packaging events will be Packaging Innovations, Empack and Label&Print, taking place at Birmingham’s NEC on 25 & 26 February in 2015. For anyone interested in exhibiting, more information can be found at www.easyFairs.com/PIUK, www.easyFairs.com/EmpackUK and www.easyFairs.com/Label&Print or via the show team on +44 (0)20 8843 8800 or PackagingUK@easyFairs.com. Packaging Innovations & Luxury Packaging London will return on 29 & 30 September 2015 at the Business Design Centre, Islington.