What to Look Out for at Easyfairs’ Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026

Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 opens its doors at the NEC, Birmingham on 11–12 February, bringing together the technologies, materials, and ideas shaping the future of packaging. Over two packed days, the show offers a comprehensive snapshot of how sustainability, automation, smart design, and local resilience are redefining the sector.

From recyclable films and compostable formats to robotics, AI-powered machinery, premium embellishment, and paper-based alternatives to plastic, the event connects brand owners, converters, co-packers, designers, and suppliers with practical innovations that deliver both operational performance and consumer appeal.

Here’s a guide to some of the standout technologies and solutions on show.

Automation & Smart Manufacturing
Robotic Palletising – RARUK Automation (Stand U150)
RARUK Automation presents the PE10 Robotiq Palletising Solution for Universal Robots cobots, designed to automate repetitive palletising tasks while improving safety and flexibility. Available as the ready-to-run PAL Ready or the modular PAL Series, the system offers compact footprints, intuitive software, and multi-product handling—ideal for manufacturers seeking scalable, adaptable automation.

Smart Manufacturing Platforms – Nulogy (Stand T136)
Nulogy showcases its Manufacturing Operating Systems (MOS), including Shop Floor, Smart Factory, and Quality & Compliance platforms. Live demonstrations highlight how digital tools improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and enhance margins in contract packing and manufacturing. As sponsors of the Supply Chain Stage, Nulogy will also lead discussions on technology’s role in modern co-packing.

Sustainable Materials & Circular Solutions
Biotransformable Cups – eGreen & Polymateria (Stand G40)
VeriGreen^® Plus is a world-first bio-based, biotransformable cup made from recycled cooking oil. Fully recyclable and fossil-fuel-free, it performs like conventional plastic for up to three years before safely transforming into a biodegradable wax—without microplastics or toxins. Early trials, including at Twickenham Rugby, demonstrate high collection rates and real-world viability.

Also on the stand, Atera by eGreen transforms rice husk by-products into durable, food-safe tableware with up to 72% lower CO₂ emissions than conventional plastics.

Compostable Sachets – Futamura (Stand G76)
Futamura, Repaq, and GK Sondermaschinenbau present a fully compostable liquid sachet solution using NatureFlex™ cellulose technology. Designed for condiments, sauces, and personal care products, the sachets offer up to 12 months of shelf life, high-speed production compatibility, and certified industrial and home compostability—addressing one of packaging’s most challenging waste streams.

Recycled Polypropylene – Prevented Ocean Plastic (Stand M160)
Prevented Ocean Plastic introduces Europe’s first food-safe recycled polypropylene (rPP). Collected from coastal communities and processed using Starlinger Viscotec technology, the material enables cups, bottles, caps, trays, and films to be produced with full food-contact compliance. In its first year, the initiative aims to prevent 500 million plastic cups from entering the ocean.

Paper & Fibre-Based Innovation
Translucent Paper Packaging – one.five (Stand Q152)
Glassleaf is a next-generation paper-based flexible packaging material offering transparency, recyclability, and performance. Made from over 90% paper with a bio-based coating, it is PFAS- and PVDC-free, food-contact compliant, and recyclable in standard paper streams—while remaining compatible with form-fill-seal lines.

Green Fibre Flexible Packaging – Tungate x Mondi (Stand B76)
Tungate and Mondi launch ultra-low polymer MG paper extrusion-coated laminates designed for kerbside recyclability and low-barrier applications. FSC-certified and printable in up to nine colours using low-energy LED flexo, the range sits in the lowest taxable EPR band for paper and card.

Labels, Coding & Smart Packaging
Smart Labels – Harkwell (Stand C106)
Harkwell launches InfoPeel™, a newly branded extended-content labelling range designed to simplify regulatory and sustainability communication. From peel-back formats to InfiWrap solutions, InfoPeel™ supports clear messaging while reducing material use. NFC- and QR-enabled options enhance traceability and consumer engagement.

High-Tech Coding – Masca id UK (Stand V110)
iLumiFlex uses UV laser technology to mark flexible packaging directly—without inks, ribbons, or consumables. The result is abrasion-resistant, food-safe coding that improves efficiency and sustainability on complex packaging lines.

Compostable Labels – TIPA (Stand E104)
TIPA, with Bio4Life, introduces certified home-compostable fruit and vegetable stickers. Designed for multiple surfaces and compliant with upcoming EU PPWR regulations, the labels align consumer convenience with genuine end-of-life sustainability.

Foodservice & Logistics
Food-to-Go Packaging – Klöckner Pentaplast (kp) (Stand H72)
Making its Packaging Innovations & Empack debut, kp presents recyclable foodservice solutions including kp Infinity^®, an EPP alternative to banned polystyrene that keeps food hotter while remaining cool to the touch, and kp FlexiStretch^®, a high-performance catering film range designed to reduce food waste and improve hygiene.

Sustainable Logistics – Inter Pack (Stand H154)
The Inter Pack cardboard pallet (1200×800) provides a lightweight, high-strength alternative to wood or plastic. Fully recyclable and automation-ready, it reduces transport emissions and simplifies end-of-life handling.

Premium & Design-Led Packaging
Luxury Embellishment – Scodix (Stand B25)
Scodix introduces Scodix Luxe, enabling digital embellishment on premium substrates such as leather, linen, silk, and canvas. Live demonstrations show how tactile finishes elevate luxury packaging, publishing, and bespoke print applications.

British Sparkling Wine Bottle – Croxsons (Stand B142)
Croxsons launches Sovereign, the UK’s first sparkling wine bottle manufactured entirely in Britain. Made with 77% recycled content, the bottle reduces transport emissions while supporting local supply chains for English and Welsh winemakers. Production begins in March 2026.

A Complete View of Packaging’s Future
Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 offers more than individual product launches—it delivers a holistic view of where packaging is heading, from materials and machinery to smart systems and circular logistics.

To experience these innovations first-hand and connect with the people shaping the next era of packaging, register now for your complimentary ticket and join the industry at the NEC, Birmingham on 11–12 February 2026.

www.easyfairs.com