AIPIA Covers Key Issues in Active & Intelligent Packaging
- Published: October 11, 2013
NUREMBERG, GERMANY | AIPIA: The Active and Intelligent Packaging Industry Assn. reports more than 180 delegates attended the recent Congress in Nuremberg, where the agenda included key issues relating to the implementation and commercialization of active and intelligent packaging.
More than 40 presentations covered almost every area of development, from RFID/NFC and printed electronics, through nano-materials to anti-microbial and active solutions for shelf-life extension.
AIPIA director Eef de Ferrante, was pleased with the result. “Last year we tested the temperature for A&IP technologies at our first Congress in Tokyo. This year we proved beyond doubt that these new forms of packaging have great potential and are generating enormous interest among brand owners, retailers, and major packaging manufacturers.”
Bruno Ponsard, AIPIA’s chairman, director of institute of packaging and food engineering (ITEGA) based in Montreal, QC, Canada, adds, “Delegates came from every continent to listen to what our speakers had to tell them and to network in a very focused way on the issues and challenges of A&IP development. It was a very positive atmosphere and great progress was made in many areas.”
Reportedly, the key theme to emerge from the forum was that the consumer will manage the relationship between himself or herself and the product in a very different way. Traditionally, packaging communicates in only one direction. Because of A&IP, there can now be a dialogue-based system that enables consumers to register their preferences and wishes directly to the manufacturers.
The speakers put a timeline of five years on the A&IP “revolution.” Guido Schmitz, head of packaging and technology innovation at Bayer Health Care, laid down a challenge to packaging companies to understand the consumer better and the culture in which they exist and develop these new aspects of packaging accordingly. Daniele Scotti, packaging research manager at food supplier Barilla, suggested that each product requires a tailor-made solution and that A&IP can provide these answers if the suppliers and manufacturers work together.
Summing up the Congress, de Ferrante said, “Last time we talked about how we might introduce A&IP. This time we talked about when and where and with who we are going to make it happen. I expect the next Congress, during Pack Expo in Chicago, will be very exciting!”
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