For over 35 years, the annual PPMA Show has been a highlight of the processing and packaging industry’s calendar. This event, taking place this year between 24-26 September at the NEC in Birmingham, is renowned for bringing together thousands of visitors and exhibitors from the FMCG sector. It is anticipated that Hall 5 will once again be filled with excitement and anticipation, providing visitors with a perfect platform to network with well-known exhibitors and learn about their latest state-of-the-art technologies and solutions.
Owned and organised by Automate UK, the PPMA Show is recognised as the industry-leading event. It brings together the very best suppliers of processing and packaging machinery, robotics and industrial vision systems with the capability to deliver significant benefits to a wide range of businesses. These include cost reductions, increased efficiency, quality improvements, and reduced downtime and turnaround, all of which can deliver a healthy return on the investment in these technologies.
The show provides a unique opportunity for visitors to experience a complete production line with every aspect of it being represented, from labelling, filling and packaging to processing, robotics, automation and industrial vision systems.
Visitors will be able to see the latest innovations from an impressive line-up of over 350 exhibitors, comprising over 1,500 brands. These exhibiting companies will be showcasing their latest cutting-edge solutions for the full spectrum of the manufacturing industry, including pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, building materials and suppliers, pet care, and microbrewers and distillers.
The show floor is expected to be vibrant, with live demonstrations and product launches, along with experts on hand to help the visitors find the right solutions for their needs. It is anticipated that the show will deliver impressive results, with many business transactions taking place during the three-day show.
Talking about the 2023 PPMA Show, Aaron Moore, Asset Maintenance Manager at Nestle, said: “Fantastic day here at the PPMA Show, lots of suppliers that we work with. Some really innovative solutions and a lot of relatable things for us, so we are taking lots of lessons home.”
Technology
Here are just some of the hundreds of exhibitors taking part in the show:
Reiser (D110)has been a leading supplier of processing and packaging equipment for the meat, food, pet food, bakery, and cheese industries for over 60 years. From single machines to complete process-to-packaging production lines, their solutions combine specialised equipment, custom engineering, and in-depth expertise to meet customer challenges.
Videojet (E30) is one of the world-leading manufacturers of coding and marking systems. The company’s portfolio includes its full end-to-end suite of primary, secondary and tertiary equipment, including printing date or batch codes onto a food package and labelling full traceability information on a pallet.
ULMA (B20) provides the most extensive selection of packaging machinery and applications on the market. ULMA’s product range also includes fully automated solutions encompassing crate/case loading, product handling, pick and place, palletising, end-of-line, and comprehensive turnkey project management.
Ishida (B50)is a world leader in the design, manufacture and installation of end-to-end weighing, packing and safety solutions for the food industry. The company helps manufacturers increase automation and compliance, reduce cost and downtime, increase operational efficiencies and brand protection, and maximise profits.
The comprehensive exhibitor listing is available online to help visitors plan their visit at
Seminars
One of the show’s highlights is its informative and inspiring expert talks, which provide visitors with a wealth of knowledge to take with them and help them consider how they can apply this knowledge to improve their businesses. This year’s keynote speakers are:
Jessica Sansom from Huel on the subject of ‘The manifestations of climate change – rising to the challenge and adapting to a new normal’.
The food industry is responsible for more than a quarter of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Without significant change in this industry, it will be impossible to limit global warming to under 2 degrees.
One hundred thirty-four countries at COP 28 signed a declaration on sustainable food systems, meaning that they must now include food in their national climate action plans, including a commitment to shift from higher greenhouse gas-emitting practices to more sustainable production and consumption approaches.
Jessica’s presentation explores what needs to happen in the processing equipment and packaging machinery sector in order to meet those targets.
Stefan Casey from Nestlé will be exploring ‘The digital transformation of FMCG industry: How digital technology is bringing both challenges and opportunities in packaging across the whole value chain’.
Stefan’s talk will focus on affordable personalisation and customisation in packaging design through to production. His presentation will cover points such as the need for more flexible packaging production solutions, cost-effective solutions by optimising end-to-end from design through to manufacturing, and quality control and safety.
Visitors will also have an opportunity to hear from leading industry speakers, including Dr Martin Kidman – SICK UK Ltd, Adam Dickins – AD Frameworks Ltd, and Chris Whyborn – Thornton Tomasetti. The seminars will provide a wealth of valuable insights covering a wide range of topics, such as industry standards, CE and UKCA marking, automation to reduce carbon footprint, and many more inspiring subjects.
Discussion
In addition to the seminars, the UK Automation Forum will be hosting a panel discussion on ‘What would make UK food businesses adopt more robots?’ The discussion will focus on the positive impact that adopting automation can have on the sector, as well as share advice and learnings that can help deliver successful outcomes.
In addition to discovering and exploring various innovations and solutions, experiencing live demonstrations, seeing product launches first-hand and learning at seminars, visitors will have plenty of opportunities to make new business connections and network with industry peers.
Automate UK wants to ensure that visitors have a standout show experience; one of the new features at this year’s show is the free PPMA Show app. This will allow visitors to plan their day, have easy access to their entry ticket and discover all aspects of the show, from exhibitors and products through to a complete list of seminars and speakers.
Scott McKenna, Chief Operating Officer at Automate UK, said: “We’ve been working hard to ensure that the PPMA Show continues to live up to its reputation as the UK’s largest event showcasing innovative technology from the processing and packaging industry. Our aim is to ensure that the show continues to evolve, and as such, we’ll be introducing new features to enhance the show experience for both visitors and exhibitors.”
