The converting industry faces diverse challenges of sustainability, individual customer demands and new technologies. ICE Europe and CCE International will be a showcase of how the industry is addressing these challenges.
From 12 – 14 March 2019, the converting industry will gather for the 11th edition of ICE Europe, the exhibition for paper, film and foil converting, at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany. This year’s ICE Europe will be bigger than ever with 11,500 m2 of floor space.
A total of 455 exhibitors from 25 different countries have booked their stand space at ICE Europe 2019 an increase of 4% compared to the total floor space at ICE Europe 2017. The number of exhibitors has also grown compared to the previous show in 2017. A great majority of the exhibitors at ICE Europe 2019 come from Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the United States.
The trade show continues to cover the most important trends and the focus of this year’s ICE Europe will be the digitalisation of manufacturing, the individualisation of products and the sustainability of materials and processes. ‘The converting industry faces diverse challenges: On the one hand, a growing demand for sustainable products and tighter regulatory requirements, e.g new legislative proposals. On the other hand, the consumers’ desire for individualised, high-quality products and packaging solutions as well as new developments and opportunities, that Industry 4.0 offers’, explained Liljana Goszdziewski, exhibition director of ICE Europe, on behalf of the organisers, Mack Brooks Exhibitions. ‘ICE Europe 2019 is the central meeting point for the international converting industry to find the best possible ways to turn these diverse challenges into promising opportunities,’ continued Ms Goszdziewski.
Digitalisation and associated smart products and packaging remain an important trend in converting. Therefore, for the first time, ICE Europe 2019 will present a dedicated Special Film & Extrusion Area for the growth market sector of special films.
The new area comprises of special films (battery films, biopolymeric films, high barrier films, optical films, weather resistant films and other special films) as well as the area of extrusion (extrusion lines for blown films, extrusion lines for flat films and sheets, welding machines and calendars).
Next door to ICE will be CCE International, a trade fair solely focusing on manufacturing and converting corrugated and cartonboard where visitors will have the chance to discover more than 150 exhibitors from 23 countries.
The corrugated and folding carton industry benefits from the booming online trade, and the trend towards recyclable and sustainable packaging is boosting significant growth. ‘The economic situation of the industry is thoroughly positive, but it is important to catch up with the latest trends, such as the customers’ demand for individualisation and the new opportunities that digitalisation offers’, explained Ms Goszdziewski. ‘CCE International indicates future trends to the corrugated and folding carton industry and remains the most important meeting point for
industry experts.’
CCE International continues its successful series of open seminars in 2019. These will focus will be on range of topics such as sustainability and converting techniques. Among many other presentations, British Converting will hold a session on ‘Digital Print Trends in Short-Run Boxmaking’, Sun Automation Group will cover the topic ‘Digital Corrugated – Creating Value from the Same Box’ and EFI Electronics for Imaging will discuss the topic ‘Driving Sustainability with Trailer Planning Solutions’.
For the second time the ICE Awards return. Exhibitors have the chance to win an award in one of four categories that are currently most relevant in the industry: Digital Converting Solutions, Sustainable Products and Manufacturing Processes, Efficient Production Solutions and Special Film Innovations.
