Achieving the highest number of visitors, biggest floorspace, most adjacent events, and an influx of international exhibitors, AUSPACK 2019 has wrapped up in Melbourne as a resounding success.
Mark Dingley, Chairman of the Australian Packaging & Processing Machinery Association (APPMA), which owns AUSPACK, said, “This year’s event just broke every record. The entire Packaging and Processing Week has been a fantastic success.
“It was excellent to hear feedback about the vibrancy on the show floor, both on the stands and in the aisles.
“This year we had the largest floor space we’ve ever had – it was close on 20,000 square metres. Not only did floor space sell out nearly six months before the event, but we attracted 105 international exhibitors, which is the most ever and a 15 per cent increase compared with the previous edition.”
But it wasn’t just those exhibiting who came in record numbers: AUSPACK 2019 attracted nearly 8000 trade visitors, which is up 25% compared with the previous-largest show.
Dingley said, “This year also saw the APPMA continue to expand AUSPACK in line with industry demands. Working hand in hand with Exhibitions & Trade Fairs, 2019 featured the highest number of adjacent events running alongside the free exhibition.
“For instance, we launched the inaugural Business & Industry conference. More than 40 speakers from around the world and right here at home, presented extremely informative sessions during two days to a sold-out attendance of over 300 people. This is a monumental achievement for an inaugural conference and truly speaks of how relevant the depth and breadth of content was to industry.”
Dingley said another achievement was re-instating the APPMA Awards of Excellence.
“Receiving more than 50 entries – again a record – reinforced that bringing back the Awards was right for the industry. It was fantastic that more than 400 guests then attended the glamorous Gala Awards Ceremony to celebrate the winners and the industry as a whole. That night, as did the other planned social events throughout the week, provided excellent networking opportunities.”
Another first at AUSPACK 2019 was the NextGen Breakfast forum.
“Around 50 people heard how to attract and retain the next generation, Gen Z, into the workforce. The panel of business leaders are all experts on best practice around utilising the next generation in the workplace. Addressing skill shortages in the manufacturing industry is paramount to business success, and this informative event was a great way to begin the closing day of Packaging and Processing Week 2019.”
Strong exhibitor feedback
Dingley said, “With IIOT very much becoming part of the vernacular in Australian manufacturing, it was excellent to see the interest in newly formed Industry 4.0 user group, Open IIOT, comprising prominent Australian automation brands SMC Corporation, Beckhoff Automation, NORD Drivesystems, Balluff and ZI-Argus. It was also excellent that this first-time exhibitor group found AUSPACK was the perfect way to reach their market, both as an exhibitor and as part of a panel about Industry 4.0, ‘Taking the Next Step’.”
A spokesman for Open IIOT said, “We were very excited to use AUSPACK as the launch platform for our new initiative, which promotes the real-world implementation of Industry 4.0. We chose AUSPACK because of the quality audience it is known for – smart buyers who are key in the decision-making process within their business. As Industry 4.0 is a relatively new and complex topic, we felt that choosing the right audience to get our message across was key.
“The show is really well organised. As newcomers, it was important for us to have confidence that our investment would be valued, and, in turn, carry value for us! We saw that at AUSPACK. We had a large amount of interest in our project and, with the help of the APPMA and the organisers, our new initiative is now firmly on the manufacturing map.”
ETF’s Anne-Marie Mina said, “AUSPACK 2019 has continued to build on its reputation for being ‘the place’ to launch new technology. This also included the very popular livestreaming videos on AUSPACK’s Facebook and LinkedIn pages, where suppliers showcased the benefits of their solutions. These videos are a great way for people to learn about potential new suppliers, and are just one more reason visitors and exhibitors find AUSPACK so informative.”
Mina said, “For four consecutive shows, we have continued to grow the event and continued to break records. It’s so very exciting that the entire Packaging and Processing Week 2019 offered absolute value to both visitors and exhibitors.”
