It’s not long now until ADF&PCD returns to Paris, alongside the brand new, co-located PLD show. As we head into 2020, the packaging industry faces a range of issues - some long-standing, others emerging. This event explores trends and issues, and gives attendees a new view on the possibilities for their packaging - whether that be from our new Korean friends or familiar faces, there’s ample chance to network, source new technical solutions and come away with new ideas and inspiration that will help solve the packaging challenges in the year ahead.

Josh Brooks, event director for both shows, offers an insight...

How is the event shaping up so far?

2020 is another momentous year - we’re launching a sister show to run alongside ADF&PCD. It’s called PLD - or Packaging of Premium & Luxury Drinks, to give it its full name - and it adds another layer of richness to the long heritage of ADF&PCD, allowing visitors to take inspiration for their packaging projects not only from the leaders of their own sector but also from related markets.

ADF&PCD and PLD Paris 2020 will feature more than 700 suppliers spanning the perfume, cosmetics, premium drinks, aerosols and dispensing sectors. It’s around a fifth larger than 2019’s edition and we’re expecting 8,000 visitors to join us across both days, offering unparalleled opportunities for networking and sourcing.

What makes ADF&PCD and PLD special?

ADF&PCD and PLD Paris 2020 offer a joined-up view of packaging for perfume, cosmetics, drinks, aerosols and dispensing and speak to the appetite for sharing knowledge, technology and inspiration across these aligned market segments. The event has been designed to stimulate dialogue around both the long-standing and emerging issues faced by multi-functional brand teams.

And the shows do so in quite a unique way. ADF, PCD and PLD are all housed in specific ‘areas’ of the show floor, intersecting in the middle where relevant - so for example, an exhibitor which serves both PLD and PCD interests will be housed in a central avenue, connecting the areas. This clear delineation is something other shows just don’t have, and deliberately planned to deliver the most efficient and useful visitor experience.

Why did you feel 2020 was the right time to add PLD to the line-up?

PLD is born from attendee desire. For several years now, we’ve seen more and more packaging specifiers from the drinks market attending ADF&PCD to find new ideas for their packaging. At Easyfairs, we develop our events in response to community demand, and adding PLD opens a whole range of avenues for existing and new attendees to explore.

The premium drinks market is, like the perfume, cosmetics and aerosol sectors, at the cutting edge of the packaging industry, and there are fantastic two-way learning opportunities for each of the segments represented.

Are there any new features you’d like to highlight for 2020?

We have revamped the conference for 2020 to place greater emphasis on interactivity and cross-disciplinary sessions with a number of keynote talks from the world’s leading brand owners, designers, innovators and experts from associations and elsewhere. The programme has been curated by our new advisory boards, which are drawn from some of the most senior people from across the industry. We are extremely thankful for their input - their experience has made for an active, credible and useful conference programme, a programme designed to deliver real value to attendees helping them solve their day-to-day challenges.

Naturally, there will be a major focus on sustainability issues as this is the number one challenge for the whole sector; but there will also be talks on key challenges such as strategies for premiumisation, new design trends, technical innovations, future regulations, packaging for new retail channels and so on.

A key thread for this year’s conference programme is a focus on helping to break down departmental silos between multiple internal teams - design, marketing, packaging development or buying functions - to help them work together more effectively.

There are three themed theatres for each of ADF, PCD and PLD that will offer keynote talks, debates, workshops and Q&As that address the key topics for each particular segment. We’ll also see the return of the hugely popular Innovation & Technology Theatre, which focuses on new technologies from packaging suppliers.
Another first in the show’s history is a pavilion representing South Korea this year. This is a major coup - South Korea is at the forefront of beauty innovation, and we’re thrilled to bring twelve suppliers from that market to Paris.

In addition, the ADF&PCD Awards are always a major highlight of the event and will again showcase the very best innovations from the top brands and suppliers in the industry.

The event will feature a range of other activities that will ensure the community will make new connections, find new solutions and take new inspiration from the event. For instance, we will have an olfactory spirit/fragrance workshop; a signature cocktail served at the PLD cocktail bar; an exclusive Pentawards gallery; art displays; and a range of networking sessions across the event- this is more than just ‘a trade show’. It’s a two-day experience in which you can network with conviviality, learn, exchange and collaborate with new and old connections across the industry!

There is certainly a lot to look forward to.