The WhatPackaging? visited the stalls at the ProPak show from 17-19 August, 2023. One senior industry leader said, "Most of the technology was the same as it is every year."  There was a lot of focus on addressing challenges and maximising efficiency with packaging solutions.

We found the packaging of Star Pac and Holostick quite attractive and innovative. Also some very innovative food packaging displayed at the stalls of Innova Market Insights. And Konica Minolta impressed with their digital spot coating which produced 3D effects on the print. The other theme that resonated at the ProPak and co-located Fi show was packaging design. The glam quotient was very high. As discussed during the panel discussion, the packaging industry is constantly evolving. Today, it is driven by consumer preferences, sustainability concerns, and technological advancements. A show like this is very helpful for professionals working in packaging to be kept up to date.

When we headed to the Holstik stall, what impressed us were the range of hologram samples. Manish Tripathi, Holostik told WhatPackaging, "Propak has been one of the potential business generating events. We make sure that our presence is noticeable. The food and pharmaceutical industries have been our target audience and co-locating Fi was a good idea."

Meanwhile Pravin Pisal of Thinking Fork said, "The show has been a good opportunity for us to connect with the target audience. What surprises us is the number of budding businesses trying to figure out the packaging and showing interest in finding out more and more options. We are here to come up with solutions for such businesses."

Pisal said, "We realised that consumers have started spending on packaging. Especially with food packaging, selecting a package is a process that starts while you build the product. The ultimate goal is to increase the shelf life of the product.

Pisal added, "Being in the industry for more than 30 years, I have realised that adapting to the new technologies to reduce the delivery time is a key aspect.

There were conversations with converters who said, "Exports to the USA have not impacted." That was an interesting trend, as the normal complaint is that exports are under pressure."

The packaging industry is looking forward to ProPak 2024, which will be held in Bengaluru (the dates are yet to be decided).