Packaging Innovations, Label&Print and Empack 2016 opens its doors this week, boasting the best and brightest minds from the packaging world, all under one roof. The shows, which take place on 24 & 25 February at Birmingham’s NEC, will showcase an array of international exhibitors, welcome key decision-makers from across the globe and host of series of new features, all in the name of packaging.

The ever popular Symposia are back; set to light up the show floor once again. The Drinks, Pharmaceutical and Retail Symposiums will provide attendees with first-hand accounts and personal experience from leading experts, sharing their ideas and knowledge on how original thinking and imaginative packaging design can create a strong brand identity and desirability.

The Drinks Symposium, in association with TheDrinksReport.com, returns by popular demand, with expert speakers from Arbikie Highland Estate, Tomatin Distillery; Ballantine's at Pernod Ricard; PRC and Air Innovations Design Agency exploring the power of packaging. Each brand’s story will demonstrate how unique thinking and creative packaging design can build a clear and distinctive brand identity, when either bringing to market a new product, a brand re-design, or maintaining an established brand’s market position.

Returning for its second year is The Retail Symposium, hosted by Paul Jenkins, Managing Director at The PackHub. It will offer attendees, from right across the packaging spectrum, a unique programme of valuable and insightful retail focused content. Among the speakers will be Jo Stevenson, Managing Director of Parkside Flexibles will be exploring 'Advanced packaging expertise for the retail sector'.

The show also welcomes back The Pharmaceutical Symposium, which will provide organisations with the opportunity to gain inspiration and a greater understanding of how to tackle the key issues within packaging, labelling, coding and marketing for pharmaceutical products. Speakers include Neil Gleghorn, Founder and CEO of Kallik, Chris Waterhouse, Director at DigiLeaflet Technologies, Gill Wright, Design & Development Director at MSP and Sarah Tyas, Senior Packaging Consultant at iDi Pac.

Gerry Sherwood comments:

“Once again, we have a strong and diverse line-up of speakers, who are going to share their innovative ideas about all things packaging, looking specifically at the drinks, retail and pharma markets. There will be something for everyone in our Symposia, and we are really excited to see what gems and invaluable content is provided this year. Make sure you have time to listen to these talks, they could completely change your perspective and 2016 outlook!”