Abhay Avadhani's Interpack Diary Day 2

Day two of Interpack and it’s proving a very busy show indeed! After a strong start covering sustainability narratives on Day One, Day Two in Düsseldorf has been just as rewarding. It has been a day of reviewing real case studies, exploring tailored packaging solutions, and engaging in many hands-on discussions. The energy across the halls confirms that the global packaging ecosystem is rapidly consolidating around two non-negotiable pillars:

My personal highlight was a critical afternoon interaction with Vaibhav Jha, the chief executive officer of Ester Industries. This engagement is part of WhatPackaging?'s focus on showcasing key Indian players who are successfully repositioning India as a “partner in engineering”. Ester’s display focuses heavily on specialty film solutions like Ultra Heat Seal Films, Transparent High Barrier Films, and White Opaque Film, directly addressing the industry’s need for superior barrier properties and mono-material readiness.

I was struck by the focus on advanced materials was pervasive, with R-PET sheets and food-grade recycled materials spotted throughout the halls.  

The UFlex Group has a strong presence at the show. I spotted vice chairman and CEO Anantshree Chaturvedi and director Apoorvshree Chaturvedi engaging with partners. The stall underscored India’s material clout. UFlex is displaying a wide range of films designed for the new reality, including high-barrier met & transparent films, PCR PET & OPP films, and bio-degradable films [user query].

Beyond materials, the narrative shifted sharply towards seamless integration. Esko and Videojet Technologies stood out by uniting under one booth to showcase a connected “Design to Production Line” story. This fusion of software and hardware innovation perfectly illustrates the "Phygital" shift in the industry. Similarly, Heidelberg reinforced its role as an end-to-end system integrator for packaging production. Collaborating with partners like Metsä Board, the German print majors are connecting printing, logistics, and digital intelligence into integrated workflows for crucial sectors like food and pharma.

In the pharmaceutical space, two giants demonstrated comprehensive strategies. IMA Group, presenting its 'Sound of Pharma' concept, showcased itself as an All-In-One Pharma supplier managing complete lines—from aseptic processing to final packaging—all engineered to perform in perfect harmony. Meanwhile, Syntegon presented its vision for the “Factory of the Future”, supervised by an AI-supported human control centre. Their innovation highlights include the first-of-its-kind high-speed gloveless liquid pharmaceutical filling line, SynTiso.

The continuous push for green solutions was further explored at the Comexi Sustainable Packaging Seminar. A rewarding second day in Düsseldorf was packed with insights and meaningful exchanges, confirming that innovation in materials, efficiency, and digital integration are the forces shaping the future of packaging.

If you have any news which you want WhatPackaging to cover, please send any news to me, Abhay Avadhani at abhay.avadhani@haymarket.co.in or to divya.subramaniam@haymarket.co.in