Interpack visitor numbers increase

Visitors to the Düsseldorf packaging exhibition came from 121 countries and numbers from outside Germany increased to 62% of the total. Of these, 62% were from European countries, while Asian nations accounted for 20%.

There were 2,744 exhibitors, up 3.4% from the 2,654 in 2005.

The quality of visitors to stands was high, according to exhibitors. Many, including RPC, felt that numbers had been lower than previous years, but there were more genuine enquiries.

RPC Containers general sales manager David Baker said: “If you’re going to do an exhibition, it has to be Interpack.” However, he argued that people were not at the show to see new technologies, but to see their suppliers. “The companies with the technology will have already knocked on their doors.”

However, Autobox UK sales engineer Rob Garvey said visitors numbers to its stand were around 25% higher than in 2005, although very few were from the UK. The company completed two deals with new customers, worth a combined total of EUR160,000 (£126,000).

Multivac head of technical sales Helmut Sparakowski said Orthodox Easter had limited the number of visitors from Russia or Greece.

Wymbs Engineering, which manufactures depositing systems, was exhibiting in the PPMA pavilion. Commercial director Barry Sharples said that next time the firm would prefer to have its own stand. “There aren’t many other process companies in the PPMA pavilion, so I don’t think it is the best place for us.”

Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association administration manager Debbie Clements said many of its members had chosen not to have their own stands. “Companies such as Crown know who their customers are and feel it is too expensive to have a big presence at Interpack,” she said.

The next Interpack will take place from 12-18 May 2011 at the Messe Düsseldorf.

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