Interview interpack 2023

In addition to significant upheavals like pandemic and the war in Ukraine, we are still looking at very troubled supply chains. And this very real problem is far from over in my view. I think that in 2023, unfortunately, we will all still be struggling – with the lack of availability of specific electronic parts! As far as raw material availability, energy prices and rising gas prices, I have the impression that the situation is easing a bit. But interrupted or disrupted supply chains, for example for special chips, are still a huge problem. Of course, this also impacts our industry. If you take a look behind the scenes in our assembly halls – at Theegarten-Pactec as well as at other companies – you’ll see that they’re full of machines that are 98 per cent complete. All that’s missing is a cable, a few safety switches, a few controls, a touch screen or a servo motor – which are simply not available on the world market. The consequences are disastrous: the machines are virtually completed, but they can’t be delivered and converted into turnover.

As far as it is technically possible, of course we have. However, we are at a disadvantage in that our focus here at Theegarten-Pactec is on high-speed equipment. We have very high technical requirements and as a result the number of substitutes is limited. Last year, we started exploring a number of constructive solutions that we are in fact using today. Unfortunately, this isn’t a 100 per cent solution. And redesigning existing machines to compensate for the unavailability of parts can result in an enormous expense that is never reimbursed.

Resource conservation, energy-efficient and CO2-neutral production are topics that have been high on our agenda at Theegarten-Pactec for a long time. In the recent past, we took giant steps in terms of sustainability: Since 1.1.2023, Theegarten-Pactec has been CO2-neutral as a company. At first, this led to amazement on the part of our customers, and then to very receptive ears. There is now a great deal of enthusiasm that we are taking these steps. When the ESG reporting obligation comes into force from 2025 and in the future even medium-sized companies will have to report in their annual financial statements on the sustainability strategy they are pursuing and how they have progressed with it, the entire industry will be affected. We have a clear roadmap for our sustainability journey are already collecting data to be prepared and to comply with the reporting obligation. However, the legal regulations and requirements were not the key factor for us: Sustainable and resource-saving management is an intrinsic motivation at Theegarten-Pactec and part of our corporate philosophy. We are well aware of our unique responsibility as a company towards future generations and we are acting accordingly.

This is how I see it: Packaging protects products and therefore consumers. It protects products from damage, contamination and even ensures lower food loss and reduced waste of resources. Various studies estimate that 33 to 40 per cent of the food produced worldwide ends up directly in the rubbish. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. This waste is certainly partly due to the fact that the food doesn’t even reach the consumer because of inadequate cold chains, inadequate packaging and as a result, inadequate protection. To put it bluntly, we would have a much smaller hunger problem worldwide if we could reduce and avoid waste.
I believe that there will always be packaging and that there will be more packaging rather than less. The decisive factor – and this is where the responsibility of the consumer, especially in the western world, is called for – is that we ultimately handle it with more care and that the packaging used is recycled in line with a circular economy. Moreover, the question of what actually constitutes sustainable packaging has not yet been clarified. Assessing the sustainability of packaging is very complex and needs to be considered over the entire life cycle. There is no such thing as one sustainable type of packaging.

I believe – and we’ll be seeing this at interpack – that the approach will be more in the direction of new materials. For example, there is already packaging based on algae or organic cushions for transport made from fungal tissue as an alternative to petroleum-based products. I still see a lot of potential for development and investment here.

Digitalisation isn’t something we have only recently become involved with. It has been around for a number of years. For example, we founded a start-up two years ago: Sweet Connect GmbH. Together with our partners Sollich, Chocotech, Oka and Winkler + Dünnebier, we created a digitalisation platform specifically for the confectionery industry. The platform offers customers the opportunity to digitally map the entire production process. Our goal is to provide our customers with a practical digital platform together with pooled resources – in a way that is better than from each manufacturer on its own. This approach has been extremely well received by our customers worldwide. At the moment, we are in discussions with other potential partners.
Of course, at Theegarten-Pactec we also try to make each of our developments – not only new developments, but also existing machines – even more intelligent through digital options. It is becoming increasingly difficult for our customers to find qualified operators. So, the more the machine can help the operator do their job, the better. For example, we are working on concepts whereby the machine can indicate where errors are occurring, tell the operator exactly where it needs to be cleaned, where adjustments need to be made. You can find out more about this at our stand at the fair.