Packaging Dialogue Days Europe, held on June 24, 2026 in Salzburg and on June 25, 2026 at Kiefel's site in Freilassing, focused on the question of how packaging can be produced in a more sustainable way, in compliance with regulations, while remaining profitable for industry. The event brought together decision-makers from the packaging industry, brand owners, retail representatives, as well as technology and material partners representing successive links in the value chain. An important part of the program was also the presentation of the newly opened Customer Innovation Center in Freilassing, which is intended to support the practical evaluation of sustainable, cost-efficient and future-proof packaging solutions. Kiefel presented the event as a platform for knowledge exchange on the industry's current challenges, from PPWR, EFSA requirements and recyclability to food contact applications, automation, material efficiency, and new fiber and polymer solutions.
As Matt Sieverding, CEO of Kiefel, emphasized, "The challenges facing the packaging industry can only be solved together. That is why at Kiefel we are more than just a technology partner. We offer a platform for open exchange across the entire value chain in order to develop solutions together with customers and partners that are truly sustainable, economical and capable of being successfully implemented in practice." This event format was intended to combine regulatory and market debate with the presentation of specific technologies and implementation experience.
Topics ranging from PP to PET recycling and fiber
The first day of the conference, held at Salzburg Congress, showed the broad range of issues related to transformation in the packaging industry. Giuseppe Liuzzo Scorpo of Borouge International discussed the outlook for PP packaging. In turn, Paul Earnshaw of Tesco presented the retailer's packaging strategy in the context of sustainability and regulation.
As the Tesco representative noted, "At Tesco, we are proud of our Planet Plan, which focuses on making packaging recyclable, sourcing materials responsibly, and reducing unnecessary packaging and plastics. Packaging data is essential for making informed decisions on cost, carbon footprint, and recyclability. While retail has been driving this change for years, legislation such as EPR and PPWR is further accelerating the transition. The next challenge is helping consumers better understand what truly sustainable packaging means."
Franz Rittmannsberger of PreZero, part of Schwarz Group, which includes Kaufland and Lidl among others, spoke about the status and challenges of mechanically recycling household waste into materials intended for food contact in the European Union. In his view, "Mechanical recycling of food contact materials is feasible, now it is important that the European Commission makes a final determination on it."
The journey of the Polish packaging manufacturer Poli sp. z o.o. was also presented in a particularly vivid way. Jaroslaw Holz described the transition from polymers to fiber thermoforming on Kiefel machines, from the first prototypes to the production of hundreds of millions of fiber parts. Irena Vitkauskienė of Retal Baltic Films, in turn, discussed PET tray-to-tray recycling in the context of PPWR, design for recycling principles, and industrial implementation. As she emphasized, "PET tray-to-tray recycling is no longer just a technical goal. It is becoming an industrial necessity. Building trust in PET trays as a circular packaging solution requires open dialogue, practical guidance, and a shared understanding across the value chain. No single company can close this loop alone. The Kiefel Packaging Dialogue Days help make this possible."
Fiber packaging was also an important part of the program. Kiefel's technology and material partners, including Kadant, Solenis and Mondi, showed how biofibers, barrier concepts and specialty pulps can support the further development of fiber-based packaging. The presentations addressed both material-related issues and industrial feasibility, regarded as a prerequisite for moving sustainable packaging concepts from idea to industrial-scale production.
Andreas Stoiber, global key account manager at Starlinger-Viscotec, drew attention to the raw material aspect of recycling for food applications. As he stated, "The technology to achieve PPWR recycling targets through food-grade PCR solutions is already available. The key question is whether enough suitable input material can be secured. High-quality recycling starts with efficient collection and sorting, ensuring the purity required for successful decontamination and reuse."
New center in Freilassing
The second day of the event moved to Freilassing, where Kiefel opened its new Customer Innovation Center. Participants were able to see live machine demonstrations, service information points, and specific applications. According to the organizer, the CIC is intended to provide the operational basis for directly translating conclusions from industry dialogue into technological trials, application development, and further technical improvements.
From this perspective, Packaging Dialogue Days served not only to present machines and systems, but also to build cooperation between processors, brands, retail, and suppliers of technology and materials. The combination of regulatory topics, recycling issues, food contact applications, fiber and polymer solutions, and practical demonstrations at the new center showed that the development of packaging technologies is increasingly based on cooperation across the entire value chain.
