Foodtech Packtech a huge success

Foodtech Packtech a huge success

Foodtech Packtech 2012 has been a huge success according to visitors and organisers. More than 3000 mostly food manufacturing professionals flocked to the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland over three days to network with each other and interact with 200-plus food machinery, technology, packaging and related sector exhibitors. The event even attracted the Mayor of Auckland City, Len Brown, who spent quite a bit of time checking it out.

One of food industry professionals who visited was Damian Honiss of RD2 International, a company involved in bulk ingredients, food services as well as retail.

“Foodtech Packtech is extremely relevant to the New Zealand market. Our people really enjoy visiting the show. It’s friendlier and more relaxed than the big shows like ANUGA in Germany. Foodtech Packtech is a good size – diverse enough that it has everything and not so big that it’s impossible to see it all, and there seems to be a good amount of space to it’s easy to have quality time with people. This year, as in the past, has proven that it’s good business sense to take the time to make the most of Foodtech Packtech.

“We went along with specific equipment in mind, but after talking to two or three people and having them follow-up on our questions, we found that some of the decisions we’d made needed to change, and we also found options we hadn’t known about. Having local exhibitors and from further afield was great. In the next few weeks we’ll be placing orders as a direct result of what we saw and who we met and talked to.”

Damian says that RD2 International considers Foodtech Packtech important enough that it actively encourages its staff to visit. “There’s a lot of learning value there, and it’s also great for networking with our customers as well as our suppliers. One of the great things this year was the NZ Food Innovation Showcase, and it was really worthwhile visiting. We’ll be using some of the innovation centre facilities to run trials and also real-world test equipment that we may end up buying. It’s a great facility. Doing trial runs in the factory slows production, whereas you can do three or four runs over a few days at the innovation centre with no impact on production. It’s also valuable to be able to do those runs on the actual machines that you’re interested in buying.

“It helps cut down the risk of investment, and that’s important in a small market like New Zealand where companies have to be flexible in plant and equipment, and that’s where the innovation centre is really helpful.”

Another highlight of Foodtech Packtech 2012 for Damian came a few days after the event closed when he got a call from organisers, XPO Exhibitions, to say that his name had been drawn as the winner of a $65,000 Ford Territory. “That blew me away and made my day. It’s great to win the Ford. It looks like a great vehicle and I did notice it on the Ford stand during the show but never thought I’d win it. We’re still deciding how best to use it in the business. As you can imagine, we suddenly have a quite a few people who have found a business need for a new Ford Territory.”

Exhibitors too were profuse in their comments, with many noting that they met with key buyers and developed many good business leads.

Phil Etheridge of Apex Printing & Packaging thanks everyone involved in running Foodtech Packtech. “It was an extremely slick operation. Obviously I can only speak from Apex’s point of view but for us it was by far the most successful show that we have ever exhibited in and the customer feedback on our stand was indeed extremely gratifying. The constantly asked question of the Apex crew manning our stand was, ‘where is this equipment made?’. When we informed them it was fully manufactured in New Zealand, some prospective customers were incredulous and took some convincing! There is absolutely no other way for us to get the presence and coverage than to exhibit at the show, and we hopefully look forward to many orders in the coming months.”

XPO managing director Brent Spillane says Foodtech Packtech 2012 has been a great success for them, but the team behind the show aren’t stopping for breath. “We’re already working on the 2014 event and are actively working with a number of stakeholders on ways to grow the event for the good of the wider industry. We quoted independent research from Coriolis in the opening letter for the show guide that the food manufacturing sector has been growing at a compound annual rate of 12% for the past 15 years, and that this sector will only grow as an economic pillar for this economy in the coming years.

“Some exhibitors were asking about making bookings for 2014 on the first day of the show, so we’re quietly confident that it will also sell out quickly. We’ve had incredible feedback and reports of good sales made over the three days and many more expected in the weeks to come, all as a direct result of suppliers being able to talk with sector professionals looking to solve problems, replace aging equipment, or develop new opportunities. There’s nowhere else where that level of business and that quality of expertise gathers together and is totally accessible for three days.

“It’s good to see that New Zealand’s dynamic food and packaging sectors remain strong and continue to drive large parts of our economy. We’re committed to ensuring that Foodtech Packtech continues to play its part in that success.”

Foodtech Packtech is a trade-only event and was held at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland from 25 to 27 September. Details on the 2014 event will be available soon at foodtechpacktech.co.nz

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