ECPA Conference May 17-18 2016

We were delighted to see so many delegates at the ECPA Conference in Dusseldorf and it was a positive step to see new faces joining established members of ECPA to discuss Co Packing and Co Manufacturing across Europe. The common trends and challenges were discussed both formally and informally and there was plenty of time for delegates to network in the comfortable surroundings provided by the NH Hotel.

There was a welcome cocktail and informal networking dinner held the night before and the conference attracted 62 delegates. The moderator, Matt Beadle’s energetic style ensured the day ran smoothly and to time. The event was opened by ECPA Chairman Peter Nieuwkerk, who gave an overview of the progress made by ECPA over the last year and the improved ECPA website traffic. Jay Gouiliard ex. Unilever was the first up and delivered his presentation on ‘How Co-Packers and Brand Owners can work together to accelerate Packaging Innovation’. The presentation was well received by the audience and set a high standard for the rest of the day. There was information from Xeikon on how Digital print can be used to add value to packaging via presentation. Joey Kelly, a hero from the world of Extreme Sports, gave the audience an entertaining overview of his life and how his focus and determination have opened up opportunities and provided the backbone to his success, and Philip Juhellé provided useful tips on what to remember when negotiating with blue chip companies or indeed any situation where negotiation is necessary. There were parallel sessions for the delegates to learn from. CSI gave an overview on robotisation and the benefits for Co-Packers in production. American Express delivered a useful talk on Financial solutions for the supply chain, and the afternoon sessions focused on Innovative Packaging design and Development and Opportunities for 3D Printing in the world of contract packing. The day concluded with a round table debate, chaired by Mark van der Burgt of Vetipak. The session concentrated on the areas influencing co-packing and co-manufacturing across Europe and invited input from the audience.

Release 2016 ECPA Co-packing Report

Peter Nieuwkerk announced the release of the 2016 ECPA Co-Packing Report and this was made available to all the delegates. Anybody wishing to obtain a copy can contact the ECPA office to receive one. The final act of the day was to thank Jan Spiering of Kompak Co-Making and Co-Packing for his dedicated service to ECPA. Jan was a founder member of ECPA and Peter Nieuwkerk made a speech extending the thanks of the ECPA members to him for his input and time over the past years. We would also like to thank all the sponsors for their support and helping to make the ECPA 2016 Conference a success: Acket drukkerij kartonnage bv, American Express, CSI, Domino Benelux,  GBO Innovation Makers, Kompak Co-Making & Co-Packing, MK –Service, Nordex BV,  Parts on Demand, Smurfit Kappa, Xeikon.