Australian and New Zealand visitors to interpack attended a networking event on the third day of the show, jointly hosted by Messe Düsseldorf, APPMA and the AIP, giving colleagues an opportunity to connect away from the busy show floor and strengthen industry relationships across the region and beyond.
ANZ Messe Düsseldorf representative Robert Laing welcomed guests to the event, encouraging industry colleagues to make the most of the opportunity to reconnect with familiar faces, meet new contacts, and share experiences from the world’s largest packaging and processing exhibition.
Interpack director Thomas Dohse acknowledged the commitment of Australian and New Zealand visitors, noting they travel the furthest distance of all international attendees to reach the show. Despite global travel disruptions linked to conflict in the Middle East, Dohse said interpack 2026 had once again demonstrated its standing as the world’s leading trade fair for processing and packaging, with more than 2800 exhibitors and strong visitor traffic across the exhibition grounds.
Chairman of APPMA, Robert Marguccio, welcomed the gathering on behalf of the Australian and New Zealand packaging and processing community, thanking Messe Düsseldorf, the AIP and APPMA teams for bringing the event together.
“There is nothing quite like the energy, the scale, and the innovation of the biggest packaging show in the world,” Marguccio said. “Walking the halls today, you can feel it – the connections, the machinery, the ideas, it’s all here.”
Marguccio also used the occasion to look ahead to APPEX 2027, describing the Australian trade exhibition as “run by industry, for industry”, and revealing the show is already more than 80 per cent sold or confirmed in exhibitor floor space. He also flagged the upcoming APPMA Awards of Excellence, which will soon open for entries.
Representing the industry’s peak educational body, the AIP, and stepping in for executive director Nerida Kelton, AIP Fellow and Woolworths head of packaging Bryan McKay highlighted the importance of interpack as a global learning platform for the industry. He spoke about the value of seeing emerging technologies and packaging trends firsthand, and the role events like interpack play in helping visitors bring fresh ideas and knowledge back to the Australian and New Zealand market.
The evening reinforced one of the enduring strengths of major international trade shows – the opportunity to connect in person with industry colleagues who are often spread across different regions, sectors and supply chains. For many ANZ attendees, the Düsseldorf gathering provided a rare chance to catch up with peers, customers, suppliers and international partners in one place, while celebrating the strong sense of community that exists across the packaging and processing industry.
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