The National Technical Forum to be held alongside AUSPACK PLUS in Sydney this year will take on a decidedly international feel as it adopts the theme “Global Packaging Trends” to mark Australia's first hosting of the World Packaging Organisation's (WPO) WorldStar Packaging Awards.
Organised by the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), the National Technical Forum is a traditional highlight of the biennial AUSPACK PLUS week, providing a technical overview of packaging trends and issues to complement the packaging systems on display – and the business being done – on the show floor.
This year, to mark the hosting of the WPO's WorldStar Packaging Awards, in which Australian entrants claimed six category wins, the AIP has invited a high profile line-up of international speakers to discuss the chief global trends that will affect the local packaging industry in the years ahead.
Heading the line-up will be the president of the WPO, Tom Schneider from the United States, who returns to this country after addressing last year's AIP National Conference to speak to delegates on the topic “WPO – A Global Advantage”.
Also from the WPO will be the organisation's general secretary, Keith Pearson from South Africa. Pearson's presentation will focus on sustainability advances in the packaging supply chain.
Expanding the environmental theme, the executive director of the US-based Institute of Packaging Professionals, Patrick Farrey, will make the trip to Sydney to address attendees on the economic, social and ecological aspects of packaging. Farrey will also help delegates get a feel for the domestic US packaging market, and its potential.
From South America, the executive director of Brazil's Packaging Association, Luciana Pellegrino, will instruct delegates on the opportunities of taking a global approach to packaging and marketing.
Europe, meanwhile, will be represented by Dr Johannes Bergmair, the head of life sciences at Austria's Lebensmittel Packaging, a specialist in pharmaceutical and medical products. He will use his expertise to tackle the topic of packaging and food safety, outlining a number of global approaches to the issue.
Covering Asia-Pacific, the business development director of the Indonesian Packaging Federation, Ariana Susanti, will outline trends in the region in general, and her home Indonesian market in particular.
Finally, from India will come the director and principal executive officer of the Indian Institute of Packaging, Professor Narayan Saha, who will speak on the potential of the Indian market, and the economic, social and ecological trends driving it.
The Brazil Packaging Association's Luciana Pellegrino will address the AIP National Technical Forum on global approaches to packaging and marketing.
