Successful Staging of Shanghai World of Packaging 2024

The recent staging of Shanghai World of Packaging (swop) in Shanghai closed to positive results and established the trade fair as an essential platform for products, business and networking  across the entire packaging value chain. Covering more than 65,000 square meters of exhibit space, 903 exhibitors from many countries and regions (including  China, Germany, Spain, Finland and the U.S) showcased their latest technologies to 33,192 trade visitors from around the world.

Evian Gu, General Manager of Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., said: “As an essential bridge connecting production and consumption, the demand for the packaging industry continues to grow. This surge not only highlights the vitality of global trade but also reflects the ongoing drive across industries to innovate and elevate the quality of product packaging. As a member of the interpack alliance, swop benefits from extensive support that boosts its international reach and influence.”

Rita Chu, Vice Chairman of The Adsale Group, stated: ”swop has always been an indicator for industry hotspots and trends, and this year is no exception – it offered an impressive array of highlights. “Sustainability” can be seen as a consensus within the global packaging industry, while international expansion is a promising new growth area for many companies. Participants at this year’s swop were not only able to gain valuable insights into the latest developments and technological trends in the packaging industry, but also find customized solutions for their individual development needs.”

Innovations for digitalization, sustainability and brand strengthening

In response to the growing demands of the packaging market, swop 2024 featured a range of innovative solutions, covering product production, transportation and supply chain traceability. On-site demonstrations included advanced digital factory models and comprehensive strategies designed to enhance competitiveness, with a particular focus on product traceability and food safety. Leading companies such as Youngsun, Hualian, Wuhan Renpak, Zhongya, Eiahe, Brother, GURKI, SDW, Soontrue, RESURE, Acepack, WANERX, Warsonco, FULLTECH, Songben, Litai, BOHUI, Haomingda, Ruiji Jinhong, Jerry, JOSO, Vixdetect, Techik, and BHI presented their products and breakthrough technologies, making significant contributions to driving progress within the packaging industry.

Focus on packaging containers and tableware production lines: Presenting innovative technologies and eco-friendly materials

This year’s swop brought together an impressive lineup of renowned exhibitors, including Haitian, FCS, Lisong, Jwell, Liuzhou Jingye, Huayan, ONGO, Yuto, Malex, Fangbang, HOME-LINK, Huawei, Royal New Materials, ZHONGKE PRECISION MACHINERY, MAIWEI, LITAI, RuiDa, DISCOVER, Mingguo, SINI MACHINERY, Chengda and SABIC. The exhibits included flexible case opening, sealing and palletizing integrated machines, fully automatic one-stage plastic injection blow molding machines, intelligent multi-component food packaging solutions, fully automatic intelligent production lines and other innovative solutions focused on automation, environmental sustainability and functionality.

Leading the green revolution in packaging: showcasing innovative eco-friendly materials

As environmental compliance and green packaging continue to take center stage, swop 2024 embraced this transformative trend by focusing on the green revolution in raw packaging materials. The trade fair highlighted advanced packaging materials, including MDO-PE and EVOH, demonstrating their applications in sectors such as food and daily chemicals. These materials stood out for their eco-friendly, sustainable, and high-performance qualities. Additionally, bio-based and biodegradable materials were prominently featured, offering innovative solutions for food packaging and driving the industry toward a greener future.

FMCG Packaging Pavilion at swop 2024

The FMCG Packaging Pavilion placed consumer needs at the forefront, emphasizing key factors such as user experience, visual appeal and sustainability. The pavilion showcased popular FMCG products that not only provide effective product protection but also elevate brand value and foster consumer engagement. The pavilion also highlighted “E-commerce Express and Logistics Packaging”, presenting innovative, eco-conscious packaging solutions designed for both convenience and sustainability.

The International Pavilion at swop 2024 was supported by the “interpack alliance” and included exhibitors such as Multivac, Metsä Group, Herma, UNITED CAPS Kulim, Novexx, KOCH Pac-systeme GmbH, Wippermann Jr., Langguth, Cintas Adhesivas Ubis and the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) presenting cutting-edge packaging solutions from around the globe.

Thomas Dohse, Director interpack at Messe Düsseldorf, noted: “Shanghai, as a crucial business hub for China and Asia, serves as an exceptional platform for showcasing innovations in the packaging industry. The processing and packaging industry is evolving rapidly, driven by an ongoing pursuit of innovation and excellence. swop 2024 provided an ideal platform for visitors to explore the latest industry trends and gain insights into the key factors driving its development.”

Expert Ancillary Program

The expert forums and technology exchange formats ensured even more industry exchange and networking. Highlights included a seminar on digital trends in packaging development, conferences on green packaging solutions and advanced plastics as well as the presentation of sustainable results in the field of e-commerce packaging. A particular highlight was the SAVE FOOD Forum, which was held for the fourth time in cooperation with the FAO China. Here, experts discussed the key role of packaging in reducing food losses along the value chain.

In addition, the SAVE FOOD Design and Sustainability Design Awards China were presented for the first time. Organized by Messe Düsseldorf, the World Packaging Organization (WPO), FAO China and UNIDO, the awards recognized outstanding achievements in the field of sustainable packaging solutions. Among the award winners were UNITED CAPS Kulim, KOCH Pac-Systeme, Multivac (Shanghai) Trading Co, Ltd. and CINTAS ADHESIVAS UBIS, S.A.

swop 2024 Introduced Customized Routes to Optimize Buyer-Exhibitor Connections

To optimize networking between buyers and exhibitors, swop 2024 introduced personalized visitor routes for the first time. With the help of detailed navigation maps and themed routes, trade visitors were able to discover specific innovative solutions for key challenges such as traceability, increased efficiency and precision.

The next staging of swop will take place from November 25 – 27, 2025  in Shanghai, China. For further information on visiting or exhibiting at swop 2025, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; Telephone: (312) 781-5180; E-mail: info@mdna.com; Visit www.swop-online.com and www.mdna.com. Follow us on https://www.linkedin.com/company/mdnachicago/

Exhibitor Statements

Jiang Jing, Marketing Director of Hualian Machinery Group, commented ;  ‘The packaging industry is increasingly focusing on efficiency, intelligence, and personalized customization. At swop, we showcased our cutting-edge packaging solutions and connected with numerous buyers with relevant needs. We look forward to returning next year.”

Lai Jisheng, Sales Manager of Guangdong Yuedong Machinery Industry Co., Ltd. added: “By participating in swop 2024, we have conducted in-depth exchanges with numerous professional buyers and visitors from all around the world, gaining abundant insights. We are extremely satisfied with the high quality and professionalism of swop.”

 Visitor Statements

Udomsuk Limwongthong, Managing Director of The One Point from Thailand, noted: “This year’s exhibition was impressive in scale, with numerous exhibiting companies. I came to discover innovative technologies and trends in the packaging industry and I gained a wealth of knowledge. I’ll definitely attend the next swop and look forward to seeing even more groundbreaking innovations.”

Virginia Marte, COO of CAFÉCUATROPH COFFEE STORE, a food manufacturer from the Philippines and a member of Alipop, shared: “I attended swop to find packaging machines and materials. It was my first time at such a large-scale exhibition and I was pleased to find a wide range of suppliers offering excellent value for money. I’ll be back next year.”

About swop

Shanghai World of Packaging (swop) is jointly organized by Messe Düsseldorf (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. and Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd. The trade fair is a member of the interpack alliance, the world’s leading packaging machinery and processing trade fair, held every three years in Düsseldorf, Germany exhibition. Swop uses the interpack alliance’s global network and professional resources to provide a top display platform for domestic and foreign processing and packaging machinery manufacturers and packaging material production suppliers. swop offers one-stop processing and packaging solutions for end buyers of food, beverage, sweets, bakery, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, non-food and industrial goods packaging.