Canmakers to have their own plaza at Interpack

Google Reader (1000 ): "Canmaking companies will be able to promote themselves to an international audience as part of a special forum being staged at the Interpack show in Germany next year from 12-18 May.

The Metal Packaging Plaza at Interpack – the biggest trade show of its kind, and held every three years – will be part of the Innovationparc Packaging which is focusing on the Quality of Life, says the organiser Messe Dusseldorf."

Centre of the 2,500 sq m Metal Packaging Plaza will be an Empac (European Metal Packaging) booth from which the industry group will provide general information that promotes metal packaging. Canmakers such as Impress are taking booth space around this central point.

The Plaza is being co-ordinated by Jörg Höppner, president of the German metal packaging federation Verband Metallverpackungen EV, who is also a Messe Düsseldorf board member.

It is thought to be the first time that Messe Düsseldorf has tried to attract the canmaking industry to the show as a group in more than two decades, although leading canmakers such as Ball, Crown, Impress, Massilly and Rexam have exhibited individually in recent years.

“This is a brave attempt to raise the image of metal packaging,” said a source close to the organisers, “but the only problem is that there is a date clash the Metpack show, which is being held from 10-14 May at Essen.”