Regarding interpack 2022 – Andrew Manly’s open letter to Thomas Dohse

Thomas Dohse project director of interpack since showtime September Photograph interpack

Nosotros are taking the liberty to publish Andrew Manly's open alphabetic character to Thomas Dohse, the projection director of Messe Dusseldorf regarding his concerns on persisting with the interpack 2022 exhibition. This is a widespread concern for many exhibitors and visitors around the world as the Covid-19 pandemic persists and flares up in Europe. In addition, at the moment, although the rules modify according to circumstances and reciprocity, Germany is non allowing visitors from Prc, India and the USA. – Editor

Dear Herr Dohse,

The question currently is simple: Should interpack go ahead adjacent Feb? Cases of Covid-19 are exploding through Europe and many other parts of the world once again and governments are slamming on the brakes and restricting travel, social and business organization gatherings, etc. So is it irresponsible to fifty-fifty consider property an event of this nature early next year?

While Messe Dusseldorf has been making confident statements well-nigh its hygiene plan — with the motto PROTaction – Dorsum to Business, it does not seem to be because the fundamentals of running a huge global machinery fair. You point to the contempo experience of Caravan Salon which ran successfully in September. But is this comparison apples with apples? This is non simply virtually Germany.

The Salon is a largely German matter with a straightforward build upwards involving comparably few contractors. On the other hand interpack is a highly complex build up, requiring engineers, electricians, lifting and stand building contractors, plus caterers and security staff, to work in shut proximity for many days. So the stand up personnel get in and, of course we would hope, the visitors. These contractors, engineers, stand up staff and visitors volition be expected to come from all over the world, from every continent. Really?

Are we really expecting Chinese, Indians, Americans, Japanese, Koreans, Russians, Africans and Arabians, fifty-fifty those from other parts of Europe, to overflowing into Dusseldorf for x days prior to the opening and then another calendar week beyond that? Even if they are allowed to travel by their governments, companies may take a dimmer view of putting their employees at risk or facing long quarantines.

My ain experience is that many of my fellow journalists are either definitely not coming or are being told they cannot come. Also, there is a major outcome in Japan the aforementioned month which could mitigate against attendance from many parts of Asia. No country has completely opened its borders and currently nearly everywhere has fresh restrictions as Covid-xix cases rising again.

More often than not, every packaging event has been 'postponed', 're-scheduled' or, more honestly, canceled until its next scheduled appointment in the calendar – for example, Pack Expo International in Chicago volition not now happen once again until 2022. Many other shows now accept new dates well away from Bound 2021. This has been a difficult decision to brand, specially for smaller organizers. But it does seem responsible and generally, exhibitors are supportive.

We all enjoy meeting at interpack. Whether in that location is yet a demand for such a huge and expensive issue in the packaging agenda is a debate for another mean solar day. But the early 2022 date could hateful a very much smaller event in every respect and therefore of less value to everyone. So would it not be better for Messe Dusseldorf to have a responsible and statesman-like position and look forwards to welcoming everyone to a fully functioning show in 2023? Nosotros are all stakeholders subsequently all.

Every bit a veteran of almost every interpack since 1974 until the present day, it gives me no pleasure to make these observations. But the industry needs certainty in an uncertain world and, in my personal opinion, postponing until 2023 would exist the best way to attain that. Messe Dusseldorf must consider what is best for the industry, both economically and strategically.

Sincerely,

Andrew Manly
By Publisher, Editor, Show Organiser and currently Freelance Commentator on Packaging Technologies
18 October 2020

As you join us today from India and elsewhere, we take a favour to ask. Through these times of ambivalence and challenge, the packaging industry in India and in most parts of the world has been fortunate. We are now read in more than ninety countries as our coverage widens and increases in bear on. Our traffic as per analytics more than doubled in 2022 and many readers chose to support u.s. financially fifty-fifty when advertisement cruel to pieces.

As nosotros come out of the pandemic in the next few months, we promise to again aggrandize our geography and evolve our loftier-impact reporting and authoritative and technical information, with some of the all-time correspondents in the industry. If there were always a fourth dimension to support united states of america, information technology is at present. You lot can power Packaging South asia's balanced manufacture journalism and help to sustain us by subscribing.

Subscribe Now

nelsonsatifer.blogspot.com

Source: https://packagingsouthasia.com/events/regarding-interpack-2021-andrew-manleys-open-letter-to-thomas-dohse/

Share this post