As Autumn arrives in the northern hemisphere, the attention of most Smart Packagers and those who are stakeholders in the technology – wherever in the value chain they may be – turns to Amsterdam and the AIPIA World Congress. For this sector, it is the most important meeting of the year, on 18 and 19 November, at the new venue of the Novotel Rai in Amsterdam.
This year the Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association (AIPIA), along with its partner AWA Associates, is serving up a packed agenda across four major themes: Smart Packaging for Sustainability; Driving Innovation in Connected Packaging; Food Safety & Security – the Smart Food Chain; and Powering Supply Chains & Data Management. Capping off the event will be the Brand Owner Challenge, and this year we are delighted to announce that Unilever is the brand laying down the challenge to a dozen AIPIA members who must pitch their ideas in just three minutes!
Already several major brands and retailers are involved, as well as some of the leading developers of smart packaging technologies. Regular innovators who are returning include Avery Dennison, Checkpoint, Digimarc/EVRYTHNG, Laava, NXP, Systech, Toppan and Wiliot. Brands already signalling their participation include AB InBev, Friesland Campina, KraftHeinz, Nestlé, Johnson & Johnson, Merck MSD, Vion Food Group and, of course, Unilever. While Retailers will be represented currently by Amazon and Auchan.
Some exciting new participants will speak and demonstrate their technologies during the Congress, these include Absortech on moisture control technology and Bl.INK, delivering flexible links, QR codes and microsites. Delegates will also get a chance to update themselves on the latest news on Holy Grail 2.0 and GS1 Digital Link.
The Congress will also host the inaugural meeting of the Smart Food Chain project which was initiated by AIPIA and Berenschot and is set to receive the go ahead for a €40 million, three year project, funded by the EU Horizon and Chips Joint Undertaking. A consortium of more than 40 companies is scheduled to meet to discuss next steps for the anticipated start date of January 2025.
Commenting on the Congress agenda, Eef de Ferrante, managing director of AIPIA said, “We are still building the program and there are a lot of exciting presentations and demonstrations in the pipeline. But there is an intense program already which will only get better in the next few weeks.”
For full details of the latest agenda and speakers for the AIPIA World Congress 2024 and to register as a sponsor or delegate follow the link here.
