easyFairs has unveiled a prestigious line-up of packaging and print experts for this year's learnShops seminar programme at Packaging Innovations, Birmingham NEC 26-27 February 2014, with presentations from the likes of packaging Guru Lars Wallentin, DHL Supply Chain, Iceland Food and Procter & Gamble.
The two-day seminar programme running throughout Packaging Innovations 2014 will also feature experts from Recoup, Marks & Spencer, Wilkinson, Tesco, Asda and olive brand Oloves.
These free-to-attend learnShops provide visitors with the latest thinking and developments, plus real-life examples of innovation in action that just might help their own business or packaging idea evolve.
Paul Young, head of packaging services at DHL Supply Chain, will open Day 1 with ‘Packaging in 2050: A Scenario study’. By using DHL-commissioned research, Paul will divulge five visions of the most critical factors – including trade and consumption patterns, technological and social trends as well as climate change – and an estimation of their probable impact on people’s behaviour and values in 2050.
Lars Wallentin, founder of Packaging Sense, will be drawing upon his experiences after a 40-year career at Nestlé as head of packaging design, as he talks ‘Packaging Sense’ at the show. His learnShops session will take you on a 220-image trip from the very beginning of positioning through to the development of a concept and the execution of packaging design.
Retail giants will be out in force. Phil Huggett, own brand packaging manager at Wilkinson, will share his company’s insights into ‘How we made a million’ drawing on his experience in general merchandising and non-food packaging to explain what retailers want when commissioning packaging design and how to understand what the customer actually wants, as well as giving some common pitfalls to avoid.
Paul Earnshaw, packaging manager at Tesco, will provide ‘Tesco’s view of the packaging supply chain’.
Correspondingly, Ian Schofield, own label manager at Iceland Foods, will also cover the ‘Packaging Challenges for Retail’, and with online becoming a new driver, how packaging must change to reflect this trend. This key topic will also be discussed at this year’s BIG Packaging Debate, where a panel of packaging experts will form a lively Question Time style session.
Also talking at the show will be Shane Monkman, head of packaging at Asda; and Peter Singleton, principle engineer package development, global B&R, at Procter & Gamble.
Sustainability is a theme that runs through the seminar programme. Kevin Vyse, packaging technologist at Marks & Spencer will be focusing on ‘The Imperative of doing the right thing – a business philosophy’. Whereas Dominic Box, managing director, at Tangible Branding will be focusing on the consumer perspective when it comes to saving waste via packaging. Plus, Andy Sweetman from Innovia Films will provide an insight into where bioplastics fit best in packaging, and how to measure the benefits.
Recoup will be delivering two learnShops at the show. The first will be presented by Steve Morgan, who will give visitors a clear idea of the ‘Plastics Recycling Agenda - 2014’ looking at the UK's progress against its plastic recycling targets and how this will be affecting compliance costs. On Day 2, Paul East will take attendees through ‘Plastic recycling – what happens to your packaging'.
Pack differentiation has certainly been a key driver for the packaging industry; we have all witnessed the success of the Coca-Cola campaign with its personalised packaging to win market share against competitors. So appropriately, Julia Cole, UK and Ireland marketing manager at Hewlett Packard, and Trevor Smith from Amberley Adhesive Labels will be hosting a two-part seminar describing how digital print helped to deliver the on-going ‘Share a Coke’ campaign within the UK; followed by a broader discussion about how digital can facilitate brand marketing initiatives.
Building on the theme of labels, sales manager of CS Labels, Nathan Daniel, will be presenting a seminar dedicated to ‘peel and reveal’ labels. Plus Mike Fairley, managing director at Labels & Labelling Consultancy, will be discussing the latest print technologies – new brand and marketing opportunities.
Sun Branding Solutions will present its case study on the redesign of Mondelez International’s European chewing gum brands, Trident, Stimorol and Hollywood, in the biggest cross-territory branding project undertaken by Mondelez to date. RPC Containers Corby will be teaming up with Bart Ingredients to divulge their latest packaging revolutions.
Perhaps something we’d all like to know is: ‘What consumers really think about your packaging?’ Peter Burgess, head of consumer & sensory sciences at Campden BRI, will discuss how specialist analysis of qualitative and quantitative research, combined with advanced eye tracking systems, can help understand how the product, packaging and context work together to generate consumer emotions, memories and perceptions, and how these link to consumption decisions.
Also presenting during the two days will be Neal's Yard Remedies, Pragma Consulting, Harrison Goddard Foote, Ticketyboo and RS Components, Idipac, Essentra Packaging and The Packaging Society, plus many more.
These independent seminars and case studies are selected to provide inspiration and practical guidance on packaging and print issues. To see the full learnShops line-up and to register for free entry to the exhibition visit www.easyFairs.com/PIUK
Visitor registration is free and now open via the Packaging Innovations website www.easyFairs.com/PIUK
