Interpack always closes the same way, with full bags and a head full of ideas. Seven days among more than 2,800 exhibitors at the world’s largest packaging trade fair means conversations, live demonstrations, surprises, confirmations, and things you did not expect.
This year, back from Düsseldorf, we sat down and asked ourselves a simple question: if we had to explain Interpack 2026 to a customer who was not there, in three points, what would we say?
⚡ Energy efficiency is no longer an option. It has become the primary purchasing criterion
Luca, Area Sales Manager
“Three years ago, energy costs appeared at the end of the negotiation. Today, in several cases, it is the opening slide of the technical specification document.”
What has been most striking is not the data itself, but the speed at which this topic has moved to the top of the procurement agenda. Speed of line used to come first, then format flexibility, then price. Energy consumption now precedes them all.
What this means for your operations?
The energy cost of a packaging line is no longer a marginal item in the operations budget. With industrial energy prices at their current levels across Europe, every hour of oven operation carries a measurably different economic weight than it did a decade ago.
Zambelli Packaging shrink wrappers are engineered with low-thermal-inertia shrink ovens that reach operating temperature faster and maintain it more consistently, delivering significant energy savings compared to conventional, non-optimised systems.
🤖 Automation has reached where no one expected it: small-batch production.
Where end-of-line automation was once the exclusive domain of high-volume production lines, Interpack 2026 made clear that the conversation has shifted decisively towards new territory: small batches, format variability, and on-demand production.
Sandro, Sales Manager
“We presented our pick-and-place system to a number of prospective customers at the show, a solution configurable to a new format within minutes, without any technical intervention required. The level of concrete interest we encountered would have been unlikely five years ago at these production volumes”
A recurring theme throughout our conversations was the shortage of skilled labour. This is no longer primarily a question of labour costs, it is a question of availability. In numerous European facilities, certain positions remain unfilled for months at a time. Those who have already automated these operations no longer face that challenge.
Danilo, Area Sales Manager
“A beverage customer put it plainly: ‘We are not automating to reduce headcount. We are automating because we cannot find the staff.’ This represents a fundamental shift in how the business case for automation is constructed and it changes the conversation entirely.”
What this means for your operations?
Zambelli Packaging pick-and-place robots and palletisers are not designed exclusively for high-speed lines. The meaningful evolution lies in their ability to automate operations that were previously performed manually, even at medium and variable production volumes.
A robotic palletiser does not fatigue, does not require continuous training, and maintains consistent output across extended shifts. Return on investment depends on volumes, shift patterns, and the complexity of formats handled, but on operations with repetitive cycles the business case typically closes in a manageable timeframe, before even accounting for the value of redeploying operators to higher-value tasks.
🧠 Artificial intelligence has moved from roadmap to reality. The applications are already running
AI was present throughout the show, but with one important difference from previous editions: this time, many manufacturers were demonstrating applications already running in production environments, not just concepts or future roadmaps. The response from visitors had shifted accordingly, less “interesting” and more “when can I have it?”
What resonated most strongly, however, was not any single technology on display. It was the shared recognition, expressed by customers across sectors, that AI adoption succeeds when the entire team, not just technical specialists, is equipped to use it confidently. Companies that approach implementation with structured operator training alongside the technology are already gaining a measurable competitive edge.
Danilo, Area Sales Manager
“A plant manager we spoke with put the opportunity clearly: understanding the technology is the starting point, but the real value is unlocked when the entire production team can work with it confidently. That is why our customers increasingly ask not only about the machine capabilities, but about the training and support framework that comes with it.”
What this means for your operations?
The degree of concrete, operational AI deployment at this edition of Interpack exceeded our expectations. Applications in visual quality control, automatic machine parameter adjustment, and predictive maintenance are available now, they are not a five-year promise, they are a present-day competitive advantage.
The question is no longer whether to adopt AI-driven tools, but when and how to integrate them effectively. Based on what we observed at Interpack, the determining factor is not the technology itself, it is the capability to equip the people who will use it day to day. This is precisely where a well-structured implementation pathway makes the difference.
Zambelli Packaging machines support integration with Industry 4.0 supervisory systems and real-time data collection, providing a solid foundation on which intelligent analytics layers can be added progressively, at the pace that suits your organisation, without the need to replace existing infrastructure from the ground up.
What now?
Interpack is over, but the questions it has raised remain. These themes do not exist in isolation, they intersect every day in the concrete decisions you make across your operations.
If any of these points has prompted a specific question about your line, we would welcome the conversation. Not to sell you something, but because this kind of dialogue is exactly the work we find most valuable.
See you at Pack Expo Chicago 2026!
