The Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA), has revealed that the AUSPACK 2021 tradeshow has been postponed from 25 to 28 May 2021 to 17 to 20 May 2022. The event has also been relocated from Sydney to Melbourne.

APPMA chairman Mark Dingley said, “With an event of this scale and significance, the most important factors in our decision were if we held the event in 2021, the uncertainty around protecting the health and safety of our industry community when it comes together, and preserving the experience and value that exhibitors and visitors alike receive from attending an event the calibre of AUSPACK.

“This exhibition is known for the depth of products and services on the show floor, and the unique networking opportunities available from the many events held around the show. With the continuing uncertainty around domestic state-border openings, and the very likely reality that international flights will not be allowed until the second half of 2021, we felt we could not deliver this experience to the same high standards as previously.

“Moving the event to 2022 was, therefore, the right thing to do from the perspective of human health and the financial and marketing value that exhibiting businesses would receive.”

Dingley said the APPMA board did not want to add to the congestion created by other commercially focused exhibitions moving dates from 2020 to mid-2021.

“It’s not really ideal for the industry to have a slew of shows held so closely together, and we believe the value to exhibitors and visitors will be vastly reduced. As an industry-based association, the APPMA believes moving AUSPACK to a later ‘quieter’ date provides the best outcome for industry, including the best financial ROI for exhibitors and visitors,” he said.

Event Director with organiser Exhibitions & Trade Fairs Jon Perry said exhibitor bookings for 2022 will be managed in a phased approach, focusing firstly on exhibitors who are currently booked into 2021 and those who regularly exhibit in Melbourne.

He said exhibitors will be contacted directly by November 17 about their options, while new bookings for the 2022 show will be open in late January 2021.

“The last edition of AUSPACK in 2019 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre was a record show. It surpassed all expectations. Melbourne 2022 is ideally placed to provide the scale and breadth of event that this industry needs as it gears up for the post-COVID recovery,” Perry said.

Dingley also added that with the success of the Business and Industry Conference as part of Packaging and Processing Week 2019, the APPMA board is currently exploring Packaging and Processing Week events with the intention to run them in 2021.

“The conference provided an excellent platform for the packaging industry to drive collaboration and conversation on key issues facing the sector,” he said.

“It is important to connect as a community and that visitors will be able to receive great value from these activities. We will be in a position to announce dates and further information later.”