Sweet packages

Very interesting the trends for packaging showed at ProSweets Cologne. Buyers ask for: shorter changeover times to ensure greater flexibility when changing products. This trend also is having an impact on suppliers of packaging equipment and packaging materials. Here too there is a growing demand for faster product changeovers and above all for more complex packages.

For packaging producers and users one of the priority is the sustainability. well-attended feature was the special show "LOHAS" - Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability, which was realized in cooperation with the German Packaging Institute. The theme of the special show was the growing demand among certain consumer groups for ecological, healthy and economical products and services, a trend that of course also affects the packaging segment. Presented at the show were solutions for sustainable packages and visionary packaging ideas.

There was also a large turnout at the ProSweets Cologne presentation forums, which were organized by the DLG (German Agricultural Society), the BDVI (Association of German Packaging Engineers) and the trade publication Food Design. The participants presented and discussed the topics "Sensor-related issues in confectionery production", "Packaging" and "Confectionery ingredients and packaging".

A total of 325 companies from 30 countries, 57 per cent of which came from abroad, participated in ProSweets Cologne 2010, occupying a gross exhibition space of 19,000 m². Of these participants, 141 companies came from Germany and 184 were from abroad. Including estimates for the last day of the fair, ProSweets Cologne attracted around 19,000 trade visitors from 60 countries, approximately 11,400 of whom came from abroad. The next scheduled event: ProSweets Cologne 29th January to 1st February 2012. www.prosweets.com