the circular economy and robotization are this week’s focal points at the packaging, backpack, and printing fair in barcelona, held at the gran via venue until friday. an anticipated 35,000 professionals are expected to attend, underscoring the sector’s gradual recovery while signaling prudent caution. the industry has endured a period of transformation driven by legislative changes intended to boost investment. rising prices, evolving return and refund regulations, and policies aimed at curbing plastic use in favor of reusable, bulk, or recycled materials all shape the market. within a climate of inflation and higher material costs for cardboard, plastics, metals, glass, and timber, the fair presents a clear moment for deployment of new technologies as a pathway to growth for consumer brands.
in total, the event features 725 direct participants and representation from 1,500 brands across twenty countries, presenting a wide array of opportunities to win consumer trust. the display at the fair emphasizes the impact of multi-colored prints, particularly on fabrics, illustrating the graphic industry’s ongoing shift toward complete digitization of machines, workflows, and materials. digital printing offers flexibility, and selecting the right equipment can make the difference between a profitable quarter and a loss.
the fair highlights the rise of compact, small-format robotics and the unstoppable move toward circularity. projections indicate that by 2035, approximately 65% of municipal waste will require recycling, with only up to 10% directed to landfills. this future demands investments in packaging design, reusable containers, ecological labeling, new materials, waste collection systems, and reverse logistics to meet sustainability goals.
the leadership within the packaging sector of the international association of industrial companies notes that sustainability, automation, digitization, and traceability are key drivers in the industry’s evolution toward industry 4.0. the fair showcases technologies that offer flexible operation and rapid adaptation to changing market needs, including machines capable of performance monitoring and reduced energy consumption to boost productivity.
the president of the fair notes that the container and packaging sector stands ready to respond to demand for sustainable solutions. packaging, in turn, is seen as a powerful catalyst for innovation across product development and process optimization, reinforcing the notion that design and systems must align with environmental goals.
throughout the halls, more than 180 conferences are planned, featuring nearly 300 speakers, along with exhibitions, business meetings, international delegations, and founding assemblies. the event positions itself as a hub for industrial change aimed at environmental stewardship and practical, scalable solutions.
PcComponentes: a practical case study
one notable industry development discussed during the fair concerns the e-commerce leader in electronic products, which announced new packaging technologies designed to improve efficiency. the change centers on a system that optimizes box sizes to match product dimensions, dramatically cutting cardboard use by up to 50% and reducing plastic filling materials by as much as 90%, all without compromising product safety. by refining packaging dimensions, transportation efficiency improves, allowing more orders to fit on the same truck and delivering tangible fuel savings and a lower carbon footprint. the company can process around 900 ready-to-deliver boxes per hour, enabling half of its orders to be handled through this system and better responding to peak demand during large campaigns such as Black Friday or PC Days.
last year, the packaging sector in spain accounted for €29.75 billion in turnover, representing 4.37% of the country’s industrial turnover and 2.65% of GDP. the sector comprises roughly 3,180 companies, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, employing about 113,000 people. around 72% of firms issue invoices under five million euros. the pandemic caused a dip in 2020 turnover of about 3.37% compared with 2019, underscoring the sector’s resilience and ongoing need for optimization and modernization.