Ethical entrepreneurship and sustainable strategies at the 8. German Packaging Congress
A pioneer and leader of sustainability It was reserved for the 8. to open German Packaging Congress: Prof. Dr. Claus Hipp, managing director of HiPP works, Entrepreneur of the Year and winner of several Merit and environmental prices recorded in his presentation a blueprint ethical entrepreneurship and sustainability in practice. The main objective is about to make life for future generations worth living. The packaging falls while the challenging task to obtain the values of the packed Guts and express outwardly. They should not become a burden to use or destroy values, but should on the contrary be valuable as possible for further use.
Recycled PET and insights from the POS
After the pioneer of sustainability, who was announced as the "Big Shot" by moderator Norms Odenthal, Reinhard Schneider, another entrepreneurial personality, took the stage. Following on from the concept of respectability, the managing director of Werner & Mertz GmbH - known for its brands Erdal, emsal and FROSCH - emphasized the trustworthiness of the sender of a "green message". This trustworthiness is no less important than the message itself and must be built up holistically. If you want to make sustainability something you can experience, this includes not only the product itself, but also the packaging to an increasing extent. The difficulty here is that there is not enough high-quality, recycled PET, because the corresponding R-PET can currently only be taken from the functioning cycles of the beverage industry. With a recyclate initiative started in 2012, Werner & Mertz is trying to change this situation in association with cooperation partners. A central element of the initiative is, among other things, the use of new and better sorting technologies for high-quality reuse of PET from the yellow bag.
Following the panel discussion on sustainable packaging concepts and sustainable corporate philosophy, Line Kerrad, Managing Director of Stratégir, lifted the curtain on the findings of packaging and shopper research. According to Line Kerrad, every package has two lives: it has to appeal to the shopper in the competitive environment of the POS and, beyond that, to the consumer. Findings from neuroscience could help to address both shoppers and consumers rationally and emotionally.
Unique Design Language and Marketing by Machines
Since January, Beiersdorf AG has been gradually introducing a new design for the entire Nivea portfolio in over 200 countries. The new design language was developed under the direction of Andreas Schabert, who gave exciting insights into the underlying processes and decisions at the German Packaging Congress.
According to Andreas Schabert, the new packaging also offers ecological advantages. For example, it was possible to save up to 15% material on the bottles, and even up to 23% on the labels, while all the materials used are fully recyclable.
Johannes Linden from Mall+Herlan GmbH spoke about marketing through machines and the technical possibilities for successful products. For the managing director of the world market leader for production systems for the manufacture of one-piece metal packaging, every brand profile through packaging is a positioning in the force field of differentiation, sustainability and best cost / best label. Using examples, Johannes Linden showed how each of the three fields can be served by choosing the right machine technology.
Integrated perspective and the courage to think in new ways
In his plea for an integrated view of packaging and for the courage to think in new ways, Thomas Reiner, CEO of dvi and managing director of Berndt+Partner GmbH, spoke out in favor of not focusing on polymers and machines when developing packaging, but on emotions and needs of consumers. Using the example of the outlet, Thomas Reiner showed that it is no longer just about different sales channels, but about sub-worlds within the sales channels. In order to be able to provide the right product in the right quantity and size, a high degree of flexibility is required. Corresponding tasks would arise in the supply chain, which, driven by the market and costs, have to run as many offers as possible through one system. Requirements that have increased with the trend towards customization and individualized packaging as a marketing tool. Overall, it can be said that packaging and product have long since become one. Whether quality and safety, ecology and sustainability or innovation: the packaging must serve all aspects and can do so if we think boldly, design holistically, trust interdisciplinary teamwork and have the needs of the consumer as our goal from the very beginning.
After a day full of information, intensive networking and good discussions among colleagues, partners and competitors, the majority of the participants continued the congress at an atmospheric evening event in the capital's Story of Berlin location. The reunion is already planned: On March 20, 2014.
The German Packaging Congress was sponsored by Mall+Herlan GmbH and Deutsche Beteiligungs AG. The website www.PACKAGINGKONGRESS.DE provides information and impressions of the congress.
Source: Berlin [ dvi ]
