Gerry Sherwood, Easyfairs

Premium Beauty News - How many exhibitors do you expect for this new edition?

Gerry Sherwood - There will be over 350 leading suppliers from right across the packaging supply chain at the show this year. By bringing all of these organisations together under one roof, visitors will have unique access to the very latest packaging solutions, print finishes, innovative techniques and advancements in both technology and machinery.

The show continues to be the biggest and most important event for the entire packaging supply chain. As well as more exhibitors, we’re expecting more visitors this year and we will have more features than ever before, as well as the return of favourites such as the Packaging News Theatre, the Great Innovation Debate and many more.

Premium Beauty News - What categories are growing faster than others?

Gerry Sherwood - We’re seeing much more interest from the printing sector which is relevant across all categories; partly because of the increased innovation in personalisation but also because packaging print is becoming increasingly attractive in relation to other forms of print. This year we will have big brands such as HP, Epson and Agfa at the show.

Cosmetics and beauty continues to grow as an important category in the show. This year Quadpack will be sponsoring the VIP Lounge, raising their profile as well as their product range following their recent acquisition of Collcap. Baralan will be exhibiting their innovative new Otty 15 nail varnish bottle; Tinplate Products will have its range of beautiful cosmetics tins as well as product packaging for the male beauty market; and Vivid Laminating Technologies will be showcasing finishing processes that give the ‘wow’ factor the beauty and cosmetics sector is looking for.

Premium Beauty News - What is the percentage of local vs international exhibitors?

Gerry Sherwood - I would say that about 25% of our exhibitors come from outside the UK, which is really exciting for the show, bringing packaging innovation from all over the world to the NEC. The main area non-UK exhibitors come from is continental Europe, but we will also have exhibitors travelling from the US and Hong Kong to be part of the show.

Premium Beauty News - What is the focus of this year’s show?

Gerry Sherwood - Innovation is, as always, at the heart of the show. Because we boast three co-located events it means that our focus has to be on innovation across the entire packaging supply chain.

Packaging Innovations 2017 will focus on primary and secondary packaging, but it also has a dedicated area for sustainability, called Ecopack, and a dedicated area for contract manufacturers and packers, called. All very much worth a visit.

Simultaneously, Empack 2017 will play host to suppliers with the latest technologies and machinery, whilst Label&Print 2017 will allow its visitors to explore the latest finishes and techniques available for printing, labelling and converting.

Premium Beauty News - Are there any new developments for this year’s show?

Gerry Sherwood - Absolutely! We always make sure the show has something fresh to offer its visitors. We have 10% first time exhibitors this year, new theatres and some really exciting new interactive features. David Wiggins who works for DRW Packaging Consultants, will be hosting our brand-new Inclusivity Feature, where he’ll be exploring the hidden potential of inclusive design in packaging. This is a really hot topic in the industry at the moment and a lot of companies are considering the impact their packaging design has on consumers. I think this session will make a lot of our visitors take stock of their designs, and how they can become more inclusive.

We’ll also be launching The Ideas Factory at the 2017 show which we are really excited about. Here, visitors will be able to learn from non-packaging based companies, like British Gas, Mintel and Cambridge University, to get fresh ideas and hopefully be inspired! This session will give visitors a unique opportunity to hear the newest techniques that are being used in other sectors, allowing them to see how they can be applied to the packaging industry. I really do think visitors are going to be spoilt for choice!

For the first time at the event, Campden BRI will be hosting its very own ‘mini theatre’ which will be geared towards the food and drink industries. As part of this, sessions will cover a wide range of subjects including packaging defects and labelling updates, through to food contact materials and openability.

Premium Beauty News - In your opinion, what are the main current packaging trends for the beauty market?

Gerry Sherwood - This is a tough one because there are so many trends sweeping the industry at the moment. However, we’re definitely seeing a rise in sustainable packaging due to consumer demands. Consumers are more conscientious than ever before and they really want to see that their favourite brands are producing environmentally friendly packaging. In fact, Ecopack, the show area that I mentioned earlier, will allow all those eco-conscious buyers to explore sustainable packaging solutions.

Actually, many consumers are now leading more eco-conscious lifestyles and to reflect this the beauty industry has seen a surge in organic based products. These products are sparking a new trend in the industry with ‘minimalist’ packaging on the rise. This is a trend that I envisage continuing throughout 2017.

Premium Beauty News - What is your strategy for the years to come in terms of exhibitors and visitors?

Gerry Sherwood - For our visitors its simple, we want to continue to provide them with the most up to date technologies and solutions that will benefit their business. We are providing them with a platform to future proof their organisations and remain relevant in this ever-changing market. In order to do this, we need to attract industry leaders to share their latest knowledge and developments, whether that be through exhibiting or hosting a speaker slot. So, our strategy with exhibitors is to further expand our showfloor so that we remain the UK’s leading packaging event.

If you are a packaging professional, make sure that you are at Birmingham’s NEC on 1 & 2 March 2017. It is going to be a cracker!