6 minute read
PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL and inaugural CorruTec ASIA exhibitions in full force come October
It’s long overdue, we need to get back face to face as we come out of COVID-19 hibernation. PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL and CorruTec ASIA exhibitions held in BITEC Bangkok in October will give us all a chance to catch up and talk shop, no Zoom or Teams needed! We talked to Mr Gernot Ringling, Managing Director, Messe Düsseldorf Asia.
Q. Its been 3 years (or thereabouts) since we last had the regional PPI and this year will also see the debut of CorruTec ASIA exhibition in Bangkok. Then came along the Pandemic. How has Messe Düsseldorf Asia been able to survive as exhibitions were 100% the hardest hit of any business areas.
GR. The last edition of PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL was in 2019 - and due to the pandemic and travel restrictions, we had to postpone exhibition dates a couple of times over the last two years. We are looking forward to staging the exhibition this year and again next year – odd years is when the exhibition typically takes place, so it returns to its regular exhibition cycle in 2023.
There is no doubt it has been a challenging period for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) sector these last few years. It is probably fair to say that the MICE industry, the world over, has been one of the most affected sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic, apart from tourism and the aviation sector. International travel restrictions, border control measures, and national restrictions on large-scale events posed multiple challenges.
Q. What impact has this had on the exhibitor support for the exhibition at Bitec on 19th to the 22nd October this year.
GR. As the first physical edition since 2019, we are very optimistic, positive and looking forward to PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL happening at BITEC in October. Our project teams are still hard at work and our usual line-up of exhibitors are all on board, and compared to the previous edition though there is the lack of participation from China, we are generally happy to be at this pace and look forward to welcoming more than 200 exhibitors.
International participation remains strong, and we are encouraged by the response which is testament to the relevance and appeal of PPI, the willingness to travel for business, and more importantly the significance of the Southeast Asian region.
Q. Do you have any COVID restrictions being mandated at the show, i.e: mask wearing etc.
GR. We will adhere closely to the stipulated rules and regulations by the Thai authorities and BITEC as our venue partner on the mandated health, hygiene and safety requirements, and we will follow the recommendations and advisories of the Department of Health where masks are concerned.
Q. What do you feel the attendees are thinking, do they want to meet at a trade show now it’s possible or has Zoom, Microsoft Teams etc become the new norm for doing business in our region.
GR. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was thrust almost entirely into a digital space - from weekly online department meetings to webinars to social gatherings. In many cases we were working, talking, recreating, and socialising in an entirely digital world. So much so, there was some level of zoom / video call fatigue across many sectors – including MICE.
I think it is also interesting to mention that with online events, visitor registration also tends to lack urgency with many people registering a few days before the event. This is very unlike physical events where most visitors tend to sign up weeks and months ahead of the exhibition. On that note, looking at visitor registration numbers to date for PPI, we are encouraged and look forward to healthy attendance throughout the 4-day event. The strong list of participating companies from around the world including leading brand names, are also very encouraging and testament to the industry’s trust in the PPI brand. interactions will remain powerful and unlikely to be replaced by digital events in a dominant way. In fact, in many ways the pandemic has magnified the value and power of human connection and importance of face-to-face interactions, and how all of us miss those magical interactions that make the world of exhibitions so unique.
There is merit to having an online presence and a digital extension to the physical trade fair, but purely digital does not work. B2B is still
Gernot Ringling - Messe Düsseldorf Asia
predominantly an in-person and faceto-face activity. The pandemic has taught us many things, and high on the list is the value and importance of human-to-human contact. Technology definitely helps on many fronts, from management, control, to sustainability. We continue to learn best ways to combine the aspects of technology while respecting the value of in-person events.
Q. What other activities have been organised to help make PPI remain the most important trade event for Packaging and Printing in the Asian region.
GR. PPI 2022 will include a line-up of knowledge-driven conferences and seminars with highlights that include the 2022 Asian Print Awards – Held annually since 2002, the Awards are a highlight of the printing calendar, where printers and leading suppliers from around Asia are awarded for their print production excellence. There will also be conferences with Food Focus Thailand – centred on design and innovation, as well as a conference on sustainable package design by GS1 Thailand.
Q. What has the feedback been like from the trade associations, in the past they have been very strong supporters, bringing many trade visitors to the show.
GR. We continue to work closely with our partner industry associations and the industry at large – in fact it is important to reiterate that PPI is jointly organised by The Thai Packaging and The Thai Printing Associations, so it is an exhibition for the industry by the industry.
After a decades-long partnership, we continue to be collaborative and have a positive relationship that continues to strengthen with each edition. Together, we are optimistic and confident of a strong showing this year with some of the best packaging and printing technology and innovations on show for the entire regional industry.
With the inaugural edition of CorruTec Asia – International Corrugated Technology Exhibition for Asia, happening alongside PPI, this firsttime collaboration with the Thai Corrugated Packaging Association is also testament to the confidence and trust in Messe Düsseldorf Asia and the Messe Düsseldorf group’s elaborate network of over 100 representatives and subsidiary offices around the world.
Q. Do you think that the exhibition will reach its projected attendees target, in the past this has been the largest event in terms of numbers for our industry in the region.
GR. With exhibition highlights that include machinery, technology and equipment under the categories of; Artificial Intelligence, sustainability, digital economy, 3D printing, security and safety, to premium design; PPI 2022 will showcase industry heavyweights from international brands such as: Bobst, CGS Publishing Technology International, Epson, Fujifilm, Heidelberg, HP, Konica Minolta, Kyocera, Riso, Tsukatani, Siegwerk, Zund, as well as Comprint, Cyber SM, Nationwide, Sansin Printing Machine Material to name a few.
Q. Looking ahead from PPI you have several other trade events for our industry in the region, how are these progressing and are you confident they will deliver the goods!
GR. We have a number of trade fairs coming up in the next few months and we are happy to share that they are all progressing well and we are confident that we will see strong and promising turnouts. Though we won’t see preCOVID sizes returning as yet, we are optimistic that by 2024 we will get there.
