Interpack confirms exhibitor space sold out already, over a year before the event
The organisers behind the major Interpack global packaging and processing event in Germany have confirmed that next year’s iteration of the show has already sold out its exhibition space, reports Neill Barston.
According to the Dusseldorf trade fair, which returns between 7-13 May 2026, its core elements of smart manufacturing, innovative materials and future skills will be at the heart of the show.
Among its features, there will also be a number of special feature areas including a spotlight forum highlighting key trends, a start-up zone offering a boost to emerging enterprises, as well as a women in packaging focus celebrating female professionals within the sector.
Confectionery Production was on hand to report on the last edition of the mega-event in 2023, which had attracted huge interest and seen a six-year break due to the pandemic (see our exclusive video review of the show below).
The event attracted a reported total of 143,000 visitors from 155 countries for that edition, including from the confectionery, snacks and bakery segments. This lending a strong buzz across its week-long series of showcases, despite being slightly down on its previous figure of 170,000 back in 2017, with the early major sales success heralding a positive sense that the event could return to its previous highs of nearly a decade ago.
As its organising team has noted, the show returns ‘full throttle’ in 2026, with “dynamism, a passion for innovation and a busy exchange of ideas within the global processing and packaging community,” which will include a grand total of 2,800 exhibitors.
Thomas Dohse, Director of interpack, commented: “Packed halls, high-impact presentations, genuine innovations: anticipation is building for the sector’s no. 1 event. If you’ve missed the registration deadline, I can only encourage you to get in touch with us again’ ‘Floor planning is still in flux. We are examining each request individually and trying to find the right solutions.’
The planning provides for a focus on interpack’s eight main visitor target groups: exhibitors offering solutions for the food, beverages, confectionery, baked goods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, non-food and industrial goods sectors can be found in their own respective areas, which makes orientation easier. And the expansive section at the heart of interpack – packaging materials and packaging goods – along with machines for labelling and marking, production of packaging material and integrated packaging printing, are brought together in their own halls as well. On top of this, there is the accompanying suppliers’ trade fair ‘components’, with two halls of its own for the first time.
Pic: GEA’s stand at the last Interpack event
In times of societal and geopolitical upheavals, dialogue within this global community is more vital than ever. Digitalisation, resource prices, supply chains, new regulations, altered consumer behaviour and the call for more sustainability – all of those are having an impact on the sector and changing business models and production processes. At interpack, forward-looking solutions will be presented, impetuses provided, and sustainable, efficient and safe packaging and processes methods will be worked on jointly.
Hot Topics set clear thematic focuses
As Interpack noted, in order to meet these challenges, interpack 2026 is placing its focus specifically on forward-looking topics. These form the thematic framework for dialogue, innovation and inspiration. The Hot Topics in 2026 are: Smart Manufacturing, Innovative Materials and Future Skills.
Smart Manufacturing is synonymous with more intelligent, sustainable and economical producing. The amply filled machinery section at interpack presents new solutions for this – for instance, in the areas AI-supported systems, robotics, automation, intelligent controlling, ‘value from data’ and resource efficiency.
Notably, its major topic of innovative materials places the focus on around 1,000 exhibitors in the packaging section. Highly developed plastics, fibre-based materials and intelligent coatings optimise product protection and shelf life. Monomaterials, bio-based solutions and Design for Recycling promote circular use and reduce use of material.
As for its future skills focus, this will centre on the transformation of the working world in the sector. The focus lies on qualification, promoting young talent, digital know-how and the skills that are required for future-proof processes and technologies.
The significance of these topics is underlined by Markus Rustler, President & CEO at Theegarten-Pactec and President of interpack 2026: “The sector is being shaped by two central trends: sustainable packaging solutions such as cellulose-based or monomaterials, plus rising automation, also in order to reduce dependency on qualified personnel in certain fields. Something is becoming evident at the same time: well-trained employees remain crucial. The main thing companies can do to stand out is offer their employees meaningful tasks that allow them to make a genuine impact.”
