With a capacity of 400 exhibitors set to pack Birmingham's NEC next month, we look at some of the brand-new products and machinery and businesses making their debut at the UK's flagship packaging exhibition.

With just under a month to go until Packaging Innovations & Empack 2024 gets underway, organisers Easyfairs have confirmed a capacity of 400 exhibitors will pack every inch of Halls 6,7 & 8 at the NEC in Birmingham.

The two-day showpiece, which takes place on 21 & 22 February, aims to connect brands across FMCG with hundreds of suppliers and prides itself on creating unrivalled networking and learning opportunities for the whole community.

An expected 7,000 visitors, including representatives from the likes of Aldi, Asda, Britvic, Boots, Cadburys, Costa Coffee, Diageo, DHL, Heinz, Holland & Barrett, Hovis, Iceland, KFC, M&S, Molson Coors, Nestle, Sainsbury's, Superdrug, Tesco, Unilever, and Waitrose will scour the 20,025m2 space, exploring a diverse array of suppliers offering a comprehensive range of packaging products and services.

Here, we look at some key highlights, the latest innovations and some of the businesses making their debut at the UK's flagship packaging exhibition.

Zeus Packaging (F54), a global leader in manufacturing and distributing sustainable packaging solutions, will make its debut. February's event, renowned for driving innovation and business across the packaging industry, represents a pivotal moment for Zeus as it introduces its pioneering sustainability initiatives to a broad audience of packaging professionals.

Visitors to the Zeus stand can expect diverse, sustainable packaging products. From food and beverage packaging, luxury packaging, and point-of-sale units to retail bags, labels, e-commerce boxes, and transit packaging, Zeus's range is as vast as it is environmentally conscious.

On Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) will be ready to greet you on their stand (Q120) and happy to discuss any labelling enquiries. Plus, they will give one year's free membership to one lucky visitor.

SONOCO (R22) will showcase its rigid paperboard packaging solutions, EnviroCan and GREENCAN. The company's Gravy paperboard drum solution, which won Supply Chain Solution of the Year at the 2022 UK Packaging Awards, will also be displayed.

Kieren France, VP of sales and marketing at Sonoco Europe, said, "We always enjoy exhibiting at Packaging Innovations at the NEC, and we're delighted to return to the event in 2024. Visitors will be able to see our highly recyclable solutions in person and will have the opportunity to speak with our team members about how they can convert their packaging to more sustainable options, such as Sonoco's EnviroCan and GREENCAN."
TIPA (K86) will present a wide range of fully compostable packaging, including coffee pods, zipper bags, net packaging, and resealable bags. All of TIPA's compostable packaging is fully certified to biodegrade in both home or industrial composters, leaving no trace on the environment and offering the ultimate convenience for end consumers.

Empack exhibitors Papier Sprick (C80) will use Packaging Innovations & Empack to launch the VariMailer® Pro. The system automatically packs and labels products - in just three steps, the product is ready for shipment. Using size recognition, the system adapts the packaging to the product and thus reduces the amount of material used.

Rowlinson Packaging (A100), a family-owned company specialising in designing and manufacturing standard and bespoke timber packaging, will look to articulate the merits of using its wooden wire-bound shipping containers and its sought-after clip lok cases.

Nature Line Cutlery (M102), a privately-owned, innovative Finnish company manufacturing unique reusable cutlery made from renewable materials, will be on hand to talk about the next generation of reusable cutleries with negative CO2 footprint before end of life.

COLPAC (K106) will highlight its paperboard food-to-go packaging solutions in the Food Service Zone, including extending its Stagione range. Aegg Creative Packaging (K62) will be showcasing its extended range of glass food jars, glass sauce bottles, glass water bottles, and off-the-shelf glass spirit bottles, and Enercon Industries (E60) will show its range of manual and automatic machines that seal billions of containers annually across the automotive, agrochemical, beverage, chemical, cosmetics, dairy, food, household chemicals and pharmaceutical industries.

Visitors to stand (F96) will be able to find out about Nulogy's brand new 'Essential Package', which is designed specifically for smaller contract packing operations. The specialist software helps organisations improve performance, traceability, and visibility in today's evolving market. Contract packers can implement costing, production, and warehouse management modules in just 15 days, maximising the return on investment and minimising disruption to their manufacturing operations.

Yorkshire Packaging Systems (YPS) (D50) will demonstrate compostable shrink film and show the 'excellent' finish achievable as sample products are wrapped live at the show. The compostable film will be combined with an l-sealer for a high-gloss finish and strong seal, described as 'ideal' for display packaging.

Item Products (H60) will spotlight Corru-loc, which provides a secure yet easily releasable fastening solution, perfect for both double-wall and triple-wall corrugated boxes, while complete packaging solutions provider NPP (E50) will make their debut and will look to demonstrate its best-in-class packaging, high-performance machinery and systems, as well growing market awareness about its team of engineers in the UK, who stand ready to service and maintain machinery when required.

Schur®Star Systems GmbH (F76), a leading European flexible packaging provider, will display its latest innovation: The Schur®Star Pure Paper Bag - applicable for Schur®System Machines, produced of pure, non-coated paper material – based on a raw material structure specially developed for the Schur®Star Concept.

Skymark Packaging (Q50) will showcase its latest innovations in flexible packaging solutions, including its SKYMAX range, offering diverse PE materials ideal for the personal care, technical, and food sectors, as well as SKYMAX R, its environmentally conscious line featuring up to 50% Post Consumer Recyclate.

Leading tear tape solutions provider Filtrona Tapes (B80) will aim to shed new light on flexible packaging and prove why Supastrip® Prism is the answer. Having recently reintroduced Supastrip® Prism to the market to assist brands and their packaging suppliers in delivering on pack impact and security for a new age, this must-see product is designed to tear through various flexible packaging types, providing quick and easy access.

A. Hatzopoulos S.A. (P46), one of Europe's fastest-growing flexible packaging converters, will present its flexible packaging films designed for the circular economy, including the X-LOOP family of PCR and Biocircular packaging solutions. At the same time, the Constantia FFP (N62) team will promote its sustainable range of products, which continue to make positive changes within the industry, including its Recyclable Laminates and Pouches, Recyclable Lidding Film, EcoPaper Packaging and Recyclable Flexible Microwave Packaging.

FACER. Progressive Printed Packaging (F84) will reveal its Plastic-Free Blister Pack, designed to eradicate single-use plastic whilst keeping the fundamental packaging pros that a blister pack offers. Created in collaboration with Mitsubishi Pencil Company UK Ltd, it represents a commercial first in the UK market, with the plastic-free solution continuing to support brands on a more sustainable packaging journey.

IntegraMATERIALS (E96), an exciting new UK-based brand offering innovative, environmentally conscious packaging solutions, will make its groundbreaking Cycle Pack available in the UK, while Coveris (Q46) will demonstrate its breakthrough solution, MonoFlex Thermoform, a sustainable alternative to non-recyclable materials currently used for thermoforming packaging in the food sector.

There's still time to register your attendance at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2024, where you can craft tomorrow's packaging today.