Some 1,150 representatives from the corrugated board industry and its suppliers heard about the latest innovations and process optimization at the FEFCO Technical Seminar in Lyon on October 25-27, where ideas, policies, and new technologies in the sector were debated.
Fady Gemayel, FEFCO President.
Sustainability improvements, optimized energy consumption, production of lighter and stronger board systems, and other smart technologies were showcased at Lyon's Centre de Congrès, which this year had the headline, "Shaping our future through innovations."
This event brought together dynamic representatives of the corrugated sector, suppliers, customers, and industry visionaries to debate how intelligence and digitalization can transform manufacturing processes, enhance supply chain management, and drive overall efficiency. The conference included specific sessions on energy efficiency and energy reduction, light paper grammage, artificial intelligence (AI), digital printing, logistics flows, bio-based coatings, cybersecurity, and EU legislation. For more interactivity, the program was built around four-panel discussions with leaders and experts from the industry and the sector.
On the exhibition floor, 165 stands and 110 exhibitors from 41 countries showed off their products and services. The 2023 event set an attendance record, and all numbers are up from the previous FEFCO events in Copenhagen (2021) and Geneva (2019).
The FEFCO Technical Seminar kicked off after a key European Parliament Environment Committee vote on the EU's proposed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which aims to reduce packaging waste across the entire economy.
FEFCO President Fady Gemayel said the corrugated industry was already in line with the EU's Green Deal objectives. "Our product has proven to be essential to the well-being of the economy and for society. It has demonstrated its unique role in the distribution value chain. Corrugated cardboard is recyclable and recycled," he said.
FEFCO's Director General Eleni Despotou said the event showed how the corrugated cardboard sector is fit for the future. "Our world faces challenges as we move to become more sustainable while continuing to improve customer service and excellence."
Pioneering, inspiring, and environment-friendly innovations in the corrugated sector were celebrated with prestigious awards on October 27 at the end of the seminar.
The most prestigious prize was for Best Innovation, and this year, the Gold Award went to Kyoto Group for their proven method in the electrification of process-heat from renewable sources like wind and solar energy via a thermal energy storage solution.
The Silver Award was attributed to JB Machinery and their Auto Dryer Control (ADC), a system to cut energy consumption on infrared (IR) dryers by automatically taking control of the dryer settings.
The Bronze Award was won by Graco Distribution BV for their work on the replacement of hydraulic pumps with electric double diaphragm pumps. The Sustainability Award went to Kyoto Group.
For more information:
Nathalie Schneegans
FEFCO
Tel.: +32 2 650 08 32
Email: [email protected]
www.fefco.org