Packaging Valley meets . . . Members' Meeting and Networking Event 2023 at Harro Höfliger's in Allmersbach i. Tal
On April 5, 2023, 36 Packaging Valley member companies came together for the regular general meeting of Packaging Valley Germany e.V. and took the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes at member Harro Höfliger Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH as part of this year's first network meeting.
Already last year, hosting the general meeting at a member company followed by a network meeting proved to be a successful concept. In the Packaging Valley cluster, "Achieving more together" is a top priority - exchanging ideas and networking is a way of life. The participants showed how it works once again during the event at Packaging Valley member Harro Höfliger in Allmersbach im Tal. Because at events like this, networking takes on a special quality.
In addition to the report of the board of directors, the annual financial statements for 2022 and the discharge of the board of directors, the general meeting included a review of the activities in the focus groups marketing, technology trends, sustainability and personnel. Projects and measures in the association and in the focus groups for the coming year were also presented. On the agenda are events and trade show appearances such as interpack in May 2023 with a presence of more than 40 Packaging Valley member companies, the Packaging Valley Makeathon in fall 2023, and further focus group meetings during the year. In marketing, the topics of digitalization/automation in marketing, market observation/market research, data protection and SEO with AI will be focused on in particular. Online events and cooperation events are also organized, such as the focus group marketing special "Social Selling" in April 2023, which is aimed at Packaging Valley member companies. Furthermore, the network and the industry are strongly concerned with the challenge of personnel/specialist shortages. Packaging Valley is addressing this issue with the new industry marketing working group, consisting of experts from the marketing and human resources focus groups, in order to exchange ideas and make a difference together.
"The Packaging Valley office and board have set themselves the goal that the topic of "marketing for the packaging industry" is of strategic relevance for the association in 2023 and that a corresponding concept is to be developed, which will provide us as a cluster organization, but also our member companies, with valuable impulses for addressing specialists and managers," says Dr. Marc Funk, Managing Director of Packaging Valley Germany e.V. and coordinator of the Human Resources focus group.
The Sustainability Focus Group will focus on topics such as sustainability reporting and changing customer requirements due to ESG ratings. Workshops, including on circular business models, are also planned. Exciting online events and face-to-face events are organized as part of the Technology Trends focus group, contributing valuable impetus on the topic of AI in packaging machine manufacturing, for example.
The developments in the association speak for themselves: in 2022, the network has grown further by 17 new members: Atio GmbH, beck packautomaten GmbH & Co. KG, Chocal Packaging Solutions GmbH, Christ Packing Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Cognex Germany, Inc, ErgoPack Deutschland GmbH, FPS Flexpack GmbH, Heinlein Plastik-Technik GmbH, HERMA GmbH, HUETHERTECH GmbH, ILLIG Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, Lenze Vertrieb GmbH, Max Schlatterer GmbH & Co. KG, Wirtschaftsförderung Rems-Murr-Kreis, ROTZINGER PharmaPack GmbH, SERVITIZE UG, topometric GmbH. New members in 2023: City of Crailsheim, OCTUM GmbH, Murrplastik Systemtechnik GmbH.
With over 100 member companies, Packaging Valley Germany e.V. becomes visible as the regional mouthpiece of the packaging industry from the southern German region. The cluster is perceived worldwide in the industry and lives its mission as a competence center of the German packaging machinery industry.
During the network meeting, the participants were given a highly interesting insight into the topic of "Trends in the pharmaceutical industry". In a presentation, Thomas Weller, CEO at Harro Höfliger, introduced the company, gave an overview of new pharmaceutical products, and talked about the opportunities to actively participate in innovations and to recognize new trends at an early stage, such as the future technology of sealing pouches (also known as pods or tabs) with water.
Impressive: Customized therapies based on individualized production of printed pharmaceuticals - tailored to each patient and always with the exact amount and composition of active ingredient that the patient needs. As a partner, Harro Höfliger supports the company DiHeSys (Digital Health Systems) in the design of the pharmaceutical printers required for this. And what might the alternative to conventional vaccination campaigns look like? Here, too, there were exciting insights into how microneedle patches (microarray patches) could significantly simplify vaccination campaigns in the future. Together with VAXXAS, Harro Höfliger is working on optimized vaccination protection.
Following the presentation, the members were offered a tour during which Harro Höfliger's slogan ALL YOU NEED became tangible. High-tech machines and highly specialized process solutions, from the development phase to the innovative product. Among other things, the containment concept for capsule filling machines was presented to the participants close enough to touch. The company has designed a compact system for its Modu-C family of capsule filling machines that offers reliable protection for operators and the environment thanks to maximum process stability and a validated safety level.
This is what makes a network meeting so valuable for the cluster - the insight into other member companies and their stories, the exchange of knowledge among each other, the partnership-based interaction. This is where opportunities for cooperation and synergies arise. With finger food and drinks, the network meeting came to an end and the members had the opportunity to further exchange, discuss and have intensive conversations in a relaxed atmosphere.
About Harro Höfliger:
Harro Höfliger specializes in customer-oriented process solutions and production machines for pharmaceutical and medical applications as well as market-oriented consumer products. In addition to innovative machine platforms and packaging systems, the company's core competencies include customized dosing and inhalation technology, solutions for product assembly and the processing of web materials. The systematically built portfolio of upscale-capable test machines, modules and technology platforms results from many years of experience and targeted research and development. In addition, Harro Höfliger offers comprehensive services for all aspects of process development. Thus, all phases from the laboratory stage to high-performance production are covered. Since its founding in 1975, the company, headquartered in Allmersbach im Tal, has been expanding continuously; the export quota is over 80 percent.
For further information on Harro Höfliger, please visit: www.hoefliger.com