Interpack 2026, scheduled to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany from May 7 to 13, 2026, is the world’s largest processing and packaging industry exhibition, and held every three years. It attracts significant attention from the industry by encompassing diverse sectors such as food, beverages, confectionery, bakery products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and industrial goods. This year, 2,800 companies from 60 countries are expected to participate to showcase their latest technologies and solutions.
Through close collaboration with relevant industry organizations such as the German Engineering Federation (VDMA), the exhibition reflects the actual needs of the field while simultaneously leading industry development by presenting innovative trends in the processing and packaging sector. It is expected to serve as a platform that goes beyond a mere exhibition to present the future direction of the industry.

One of the key features of Interpack is that it offers visitors the opportunity to directly experience the vivid reality of machinery and production lines operating in real time. Visitors can personally verify how equipment operates and test its performance, thereby obtaining practical information necessary for investment decisions. Furthermore, the event can assist in identifying new technological trends and also help in formulating future strategies.
The last exhibition attracted approximately 140,000 industry professionals from the packaging, processing, and application sectors, demonstrating keen interest in the products on display. This high level of interest can be seen as proof of the influence Interpack has on related industries.
With the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) set to take effect on August 12, domestic companies supplying products to the European market or collaborating with global brands face an urgent need to prepare countermeasures for the new regulations. New standards, including enhanced recyclability, reduced packaging, expanded reuse, and a transition to sustainable materials, are scheduled to be applied in stages. Accordingly, securing equipment and process capabilities that meet global standards is emerging as an important task.

Interpack 2026 is expected to provide an optimal opportunity for the Korean packaging and processing industry to seek strategic transformation amidst these circumstances. It is expected that the exhibition will serve as a stepping stone for not only complying with regulations, but also strengthening competitiveness through new technologies and solutions.
The latest technological trends in the global packaging and processing industry―including AI-based automation, process efficiency, resource conservation, and sustainable materials ― will be unveiled across the entire value chain. In particular, it has the advantage of allowing users to directly observe the actual processes, by watching the machinery and production lines operate in real time on-site from processing, to packaging, inspection, and materials.

KPMA to Operate a Joint Korean Pavilion
Fifty Korean companies will participate in this exhibition, and the Korea Packaging Machinery Association (KPMA) will operate a joint Korean pavilion to contribute to promoting the technological capabilities of domestic companies to the global audiences. Participating companies plan to present practical solutions to international buyers by showcasing automation equipment, pharmaceutical packaging lines, inspection and marking solutions, and eco-friendly and functional packaging materials.

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