Leading innovators to take centre stage at Packaging Innovations

British Gas, Mintel, Cambridge University, Blippar and Knowledge Transfer Network are among the major names set to speak as part of Packaging Innovations 2017’s newest show feature, The Ideas Factory.

This brand-new theatre will welcome an array of non-packaging based experts to share skills, experience, knowledge and the newest techniques from their sector, in order to see how they can be applied to the packaging sector.

On day one of the show, Wednesday, March 1, Tom Guy, Hive global product director at British Gas, will kick things off with his session ‘Hive: Different for a reason’. He will explore the latest technological advances and wireless products that allow you to control your home from your mobile, tablet or laptop.

Making sure that people want to talk about and share pictures of products on social media is an important part of any brand’s design process, particularly when it comes to the packaging. With this in mind, David Glenwright, head of training services at JC Social Media, will discuss the nature of ‘user generated’ content and showcase product packaging designs created specifically to encourage social sharing.

Ritchie Bosworth, founder and head brewer at Twisted Barrel Ale, will use his session to explain ‘How craft beer has turned premiumisation on its head’, analysing the pitfalls and mistakes made, and how to best learn from them.

Following this will be Brian McCarthy, Knowledge Transfer manager – advanced materials for functional systems at Knowledge Transfer Network, who will discuss ‘Smart technologies in the UK packaging sector’.

Continuing on Thursday, March 2, Regina Haydon, food and drink analyst at Mintel. Haydon will reveal Mintel’s 2017 Global Packaging Trends, detailing how new active and intelligent technologies hold out the promise of extended shelf life, improved products and brand security and a more positive consumer experience.

Steven Bagshaw, business development manager at the Centre for Process Innovation, will discuss its development of a simple breathalyser that will give diabetes sufferers a non-invasive method for monitoring glucose levels. Bagshaw will also outline the use of smart packaging in healthcare – one of the fastest developing areas in the sector.

Closing the Ideas Factory stream will be Geert Berckmans, commercial director – strategic partnerships at Blippar. He will present ‘What the packaging industry can learn from FMCG adoption of AR’, showcasing a series of ‘best in class’ examples, whilst discussing the key lessons learned from working with thousands of brands to bring their products to life through augmented reality.

The Ideas Factory will run alongside four other theatres packed with educational content, delivered by major names including Amazon, Innocent Drinks, Jaguar Land Rover and Mondelēz International. There will also be a series of interactive show features, including The Innovation Showcase, The Drinks Symposium, The Great Innovation Debate, The Packaging Consultancy Clinic and The BIG Print Debate.