In full swing | Weekly Wrap-up #44

Dear readers,

The year is slowly, slowly drawing to a close but businesswise it is still in full swing. After this year’s Fachpack in September we were able to experience SPS focusing on automation and next week packaging experts will show us their innovations all around beverages at BrauBeviale. But before we get to that let us take a look at ALL4PACK Emballage Paris and how packaging solutions were presented in France at the beginning of November.

Also, do not miss the news on Syntegon ’s acquisition of Telstar and Mondi Group ’s new innovation centre. So, there still lies a bit of work before us before the year can finally come to end.

Enjoy reading!

Yours sincerely,

Melanie Sachs , editor packREPORT

Syntegon and Telstar finalise acquisition

Syntegon announced the acquisition of Telstar shortly before Achema 2024 - now it has been finalised: Syntegon and Azbil Corporation have received regulatory approval for the acquisition. The Telstar workforce will now become part of the Syntegon team in the Pharma Liquid division.

With the joint offering of filling and capping machines, isolator systems, freeze dryers, loading and unloading systems and other upstream and downstream equipment, Syntegon now aims to provide a complete technology and service portfolio for the production of antibiotics, vaccines and biologics.

‘Syntegon is the global market leader for filling and isolator systems for liquid pharmaceuticals. Together with Telstar, we will further expand our portfolio of innovative technologies and sustainable solutions, strengthen our strategic growth and increase our global reach,’ says Torsten Türling , CEO of the Syntegon Group. Following the announcement of the acquisition in June, Syntegon had received very positive feedback and several enquiries for joint projects. ‘This confirms that we are on the right track.’

Headquartered in Terrassa, Spain, Telstar has four production facilities, six technology centres and ten consulting and engineering service centres as well as sales offices worldwide. By combining these competences with Syntegon's global reach, the two companies aim to provide both pharmaceutical manufacturers and contract manufacturing organisations (CMOs) with complete solutions for their production lines from a single source. ‘By utilising the synergies of a strong team, we will offer our customers innovative technologies and smooth processes with a single point of contact,’ says Jordi Puig, Managing Director of Telstar.

Quote of the week

“Following the announcement of the acquisition in June, we have received very positive customer feedback and several enquiries for joint projects. This confirms that we are on the right track.”

Torsten Türling , CEO Syntegon Group

All4Pack closes with over 25,000 visitors

The 2024 edition of All4Pack Emballage closed with a total of 27,303 visitors in Paris on 7 November. 1,022 exhibitors had presented concrete solutions and new ideas to help companies commit to a more environmentally conscious future.

Over four days, ALL4PACK Emballage Paris attracted 27,303 trade visitors, 26 per cent of whom were international participants from 88 countries, according to the organiser Comexposium. 63 per cent of them were decision-makers or opinion leaders in the process of selecting and purchasing solutions. The following user markets were represented: Food industry (25 per cent), e-commerce distribution (14 per cent), multi-industry (13 per cent), transport/logistics (8 per cent), industrial goods (8 per cent), health/pharma (7 per cent), beauty/hygiene (5 per cent).

After a relaxed start on 4 November, the trade fair was very popular from the second day onwards. Pascal Hemberger , Managing Director of Labelling Machines at HERMA France , explained that trade fairs are still important for him to develop new and existing projects with companies. ‘Talking to customers, exchanging ideas and generating leads during the four days of the trade fair brings more in one go than travelling around outside,’ said the expert. Herma's exhibits included the Herma 362E for double-sided labelling, one of the best-selling products in France. The machine can label up to 200 products per minute.

Optima presented the MLS Moduline Smart, a line for filling and sealing cosmetic products. Laurence Ryckeboer, Customer Service Group Leader at OPTIMA packaging group , also agreed with Hemberger. ‘All4Pack is the main packaging trade fair in France and a good opportunity for visitors to get to know our company,’ she said. It is equally important to see existing customers and generally show what Optima can do.

Erwann Paugam , Sales Director at Masterpress S.A. , was also extremely positive. The label manufacturer was not at All4Pack for the first time, but has been there since it was still named Salon Emballage. ‘We have big plans for the future,’ said Paugam. ‘We want to go one step further, for example, we need more capacity for customers and are therefore building a new plant in Poland at the end of the year. We are ready to expand. We now want to strengthen our market share, especially in Western Europe.’

All4Pack focussed on sustainable solutions

In numerous presentations at the trade fair's ‘Conferences’, associations and representatives of the user industries showed how packaging can be successfully redesigned for greater sustainability.

In the ‘Innovations’ section, All4Pack presented solutions with the Innovation Awards, which the jury members praised for their creativity and impact on the packaging industry. Innovations from the categories of recycling, reduction, reuse, functionality & use, industrial efficiency and new materials were honoured. Winners included Mondi, Packsize, Raja, Sealed Air, Screen Europe, Releaf Paper and Novatec Industry.

In addition, the ‘Innovations’ area offered the opportunity to see 24 other products from winners of other competitions, such as the L'Oscar de l'Emballage, the SIAL Innovations food trade fair, or the Emballé 5.0, a competition organised by the CNE (Conseil National de l'Emballage) to honour packaging innovations developed by students.

The ‘Circularity’ area introduced companies to solutions that have an impact on the industry's entire value chain in the areas of recycling, reuse or eco-design. The area presented 22 start-ups offering packaging solutions, including new materials, reusable containers and alternatives to plastic film.

The next edition of All4Pack Emballage Paris will take place from 23 to 26 November 2026 in Paris Nord Villepinte.

Mondi opens FlexStudios innovation centre

Packaging and paper supplier Mondi opened a new innovation centre on 12 November 2024 for the development of flexible packaging solutions together with customers.

Located in Steinfeld, FlexStudios has 2,300 m² and three floors of interactive common rooms. The so-called experience studios have been designed so that Mondi Group customers can actively participate in the innovation process.

‘This pioneering centre demonstrates how we work closely with our customers to understand the complexity of materials and how packaging affects the entire product life cycle,’ says Thomas Ott , Managing Director Flexible Packaging at Mondi. With the innovation centre, Mondi wants to help shape the future of flexible packaging and is looking forward to working with customers on their transition to more sustainable solutions.

The top floor of the building is home to FlexStudios Inspire - a collaboration and research area to develop fit-for-purpose, sustainable packaging solutions to meet consumer expectations and goals. It includes an interactive creative area and an exhibition area showcasing Mondi's portfolio.

The ground floor of the centre houses FlexStudios Innovate, a pilot plant to develop and demonstrate the performance of the products, and FlexStudios Advance with laboratory and testing facilities.