Exhibition atmosphere

Trade fairs need their highlights. Attracting over 9,000 visitors, the guided tasting sessions involving beer and spirits, water, cider and soft drinks in the Craft Drinks Area were certainly one of the highlights of BrauBeviale. This Nuremberg-based exhibition is one of the leading European trade fairs for the production and marketing of beer and non-alcoholic beverages. Last year it became clear that craft drinks are very much on trend: they take something familiar and transform it into something completely different, they create surprises and bring a real sense of vibrancy to an entire industry.

Proven standards alongside special solutions

The packaging scene is also animated, and not just in terms of label design. Custom-made bottles, sometimes for one manufacturer, sometimes only for a very specific product and drink, were everywhere to be seen at the fair. However, when it comes to craft drinks in particular, two important topics are also emerging that are driving the entire industry: the local sourcing of many products that are new to the market and an awareness of individual and sustainable packaging. The topic of sustainability unites special solutions with the proven standards and reusable packaging that have been successful in other segments.

Vetropack’s booth at the trade fair demonstrated the Group’s achievements in product development and its efficient production facilities for glass bottle design. A wide range of colours, shapes and closure variants for the key product areas of beer, soft drinks, fruit juices and mineral water were presented to visitors, who were also able to see for themselves that creative glass packaging is not only image-enhancing, but can also be produced economically and sustainably.

Italy, wine and the world

Also in November 2019, but with the traditional focus on winery and bottling technology, SIMEI opened its doors in Rho, north of Milan. Although almost everything revolved around wine, Vetropack presented its entire product range: at a small separate exhibition integrated into the booth, Vetropack showcased not only wine bottles but also beer, spirits, juice, vinegar and oil bottles from the entire Group. The guests appreciate this comprehensive overview very much.

As in the beer industry, the bottle is now firmly established in the international wine business as an element that builds and supports a brand. The question of “customized solutions” was one of the most frequent at the booth, but there was also a great deal of interest in high-quality traditional bottles. Visitors were able to view a wide selection from Vetropack’s repertoire at the booth and also take a look into the future – in a virtual reality tour, Vetropack Italia showed how the new production plant planned in Boffalora sopra Ticino in northern Italy will look at the end of 2021 – with state-of-the-art technology and significantly expanded capacity compared to the old plant in nearby Trezzano.

Trade fairs are an ideal communication platform

A trade fair is the perfect platform, especially for products that make a strong impression with their look and feel. Several hundred visitors stopped by Vetropack Group’s booth at BrauBeviale, many of whom wanted to engage in discussion. “We had a setting here for informal conversations away from day-to-day business. This leads time and again to successful joint projects,” reports Herbert Kühberger, Head of Marketing and Sales at Vetropack Austria.

The trade fair offers a fast and efficient way for both visitors and exhibitors to find out about the latest developments in the industry in a very concentrated forum. Vetropack used the event as an opportunity to showcase technologies and design trends, hold technical discussions and forge contacts. A single visit to the trade fair means there is no need to make lots of individual trips, and it also makes the market appear more transparent and innovations more visible and available for visitors to experience first-hand. The most important thing for Vetropack at BrauBeviale, as at any trade fair, was to bring the right people together. This has been a resounding success once again in 2019.