From May 24 to 27, Fira de Barcelona will host Hispack , the leading container, packaging, process and logistics show, which has raised great expectations among companies and professionals in the packaging ecosystem in our country.

More than 600 exhibitors participate, including Codimar. We spoke with Xavier Pascual, director of Hispack for 16 years, about this next edition that wants to leave the pandemic behind and focus on the results of applying innovation in the packaging industry in multiple industrial and consumer sectors.

How has the organization of a post-pandemic Hispack been with almost two years of problems?

Hispack has a triennial periodicity. By calendar, it should be held in 2021 but we had to change dates twice due to the pandemic and move the hall to May 2022. It was a wise decision, because Now we are back with a large industrial fair, with more than 600 direct exhibitors and 1,100 represented brands.

After the complexity of these last two years that Covid-19 has brought, obtaining these company participation records is a success. We came from a great edition in 2018, marked by the increase in exhibitors and contracted space. The pandemic disrupted the growth projection that we had foreseen in our strategic plan, but, even so, we are satisfied with the response of the companies and Hispack will have a very good commercial offer and a dimension of more than 30,000m2 net. We note that there is a desire to meet again and show the market the novelties that our exhibitors have in their portfolio, contact face to face with their customers again and expand business contacts.

Has there been a change in strategy?

There has been an adaptation of Hispack to the situation. We believe that , more than ever, the context in which we are requires results. We come from two years of enormous complexity and the current moment adds new derivatives that also influence the world of packaging. For this reason , Hispack must have a very practical approach that allows our visitors to explore, select and acquire the best solutions for the entire life cycle of containers and packaging that help them to innovate.

How can you get the most out of a fair of these dimensions?

Preparing very well before, during and after the fair and making the most of all the tools that we make available to our exhibitors. It is very important that all companies and entities communicate their presence at Hispack at the same time to convene the largest number of professionals interested in packaging and give visibility to this powerful industry. Also that send electronic invitations to their clients, that use contact management to keep track of the people who pass by the stand, that announce their novelties, that they participate in the business meetings of both national and international buyer programs, that they attend the conferences and networking activities to update themselves, see new ideas or exchange experiences. Hispack is the great event of the packaging industry and the commercial, training and professional relationship opportunities are enormous.

Can the associative culture that structures an exhibition fair in sectors such as packaging and logistics be measured?

Yes. In fact, Hispack has extensive associative support that proves it. Thanks to the support and collaboration of more than a hundred entities (including professional associations, clusters, technology centers or foundations from all over the country) Hispack has configured a huge ecosystem around packaging. An ecosystem where innovation, industry and market converge and that will provide a global vision of the entire life cycle of packaging: from design to recycling through materials, manufacturing machinery, the process, logistics, arrival at the point of sale and consumption.

Can a fair like Hispack be a turning point in a company?

Yes, totally. Hispack can mark a before and after. The Hispack effect will be felt in many companies in the months after the fair. It can be a revulsive for sales, to generate new business contacts likely to translate into orders; a gateway to new markets abroad or a boost to export activity; and it can also be a source of inspiration to learn about trends and know how to adapt to the coming regulatory framework or to technological and consumer changes.

Has there been digital transformation in the trade fair environment?

The pandemic has accelerated the digitization of the fairs and congresses sector, providing virtual or hybrid formats that can be an interesting complement to physical events.
However , it has been shown that the differential value of the events is and will continue to be the contact and face – to – face meeting . Face to face is the best way to do business, find partners, customers and suppliers, present products and services.

Fortunately, the return of the fairs helps to recover normality. It is confirmed that there is a desire to participate in events again since fairs are a necessary instrument in business strategy, above all, for companies to regain visibility in the market after the covid break and promote commercial relations and sales. In this sense, after this time in which we have communicated so much through screens, I am convinced that the events will put even more focus on the person and will reinforce aspects related to emotion, experience and knowledge.