The latest packaging and machinery developments were in the spotlight last week at the Processing and Packaging Machinery Association (PPMA) Show in Birmingham.
The 2006 event - which featured more than 300 exhibitors demonstrating a range of products including food processing equipment, conveyors, robotics, weighers and labellers - opened its doors on September 26.
The three-day exhibition, designed to give companies of all sizes a platform for demonstrating and selling their products, is the single largest gathering of industry professionals in the UK.
Visitors could compare kit at the Technical Information Centre, and get tips on maintenance, sales and marketing, human resources and staff training at business advice seminars.
A series of talks on radio frequency identification (RFID) were held by experts from leading organisations including the Packaging Federation, Toshiba TEC, PI Group, BT Auto-ID Services and Siemens Automation & Drives. The sessions covered RFID basics and how to integrate tags into different packaging systems, as well as key supply chain challenges, RFID labelling solutions, and the international standards process.
James Coleman, PPMA show marketing manager, said: “The machinery sector is very dynamic, with manufacturers continually responding to new demands from customers for greater efficiencies, higher speeds and further integration, or to devise solutions for new pack and product types.
“Visitors to the PPMA Show have an opportunity to see for themselves the very latest equipment and discuss their specific requirements with knowledgeable suppliers, who are experts in their field.”
The annual show was a success by all accounts. David Jenkins, at Coding Freedoms, said: “It always used to be a show ‘of the industry for the industry’ and the feeling this year is very much of that sort of show. It actually benefits from being smaller and more tightly focused because this allows visitors to cover the show easily within a day, and this of course gives every exhibitor the chance to be seen.”
Steve Perry, sales manager at first-time exhibitor Easypack, added: “Not only have there been numerous enquiries for the pallet wrappers, but also the quality of the enquiries has been significant. I hoped for 25 enquiries on the first day but had 55. It’s been an amazing response, a truly excellent show.”
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