The new head of interpack, Thomas Dohse, has confirmed that the event will definitely proceed from 25 February to 3 March 2021 after being postponed from May 2020.

In correspondence with Dohse in the last week of November, he confirmed to ProPack.pro that the event will take place “even if we have to expect low attendance from exhibitors and visitors”.

“Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and fears of lower number of visitors, all participating companies will receive discounted participation conditions. In addition, there is a temporary special right of termination for all exhibitors who cannot or do not want to participate,” Dohse said.

“We fully understand the reservations and concerns of our exhibitors in the current situation. On the other hand, we have also received feedback on how important personal exchange is for our customers and what significance interpack has for the processing and packaging industry. In this respect, we believe that with our offer we can best protect the interests of all parties involved and would like to thank our partners for their constructive cooperation,” Dohse said in statement.

Messe Düsseldorf has developed a strategy to hold interpack in conjunction with its industry and trade association partners, modelled on a successful field-tested hygiene and infection protection plan executed in 2020 during another trade fair for the Caravan industry called Caravan Salon – the first trade fair at the Düsseldorf trade fair centre after the coronavirus outbreak.

This ‘hygiene plan’ enabled exhibitors and trade visitors to meet safely in the exhibition halls and also included selling personalised tickets exclusively online before the trade fair, as well as extensive hygiene measures implementation on-site at the exhibition grounds.

According to Dohse, Messe Düsseldorf relies on a comprehensive hygiene concept in order to protect exhibitors and visitors.

“interpack is the most important event in the international packaging industry and, especially in times of crisis, provides crucial stimuli in order to build a successful future for the companies involved. Therefore, we give our all in order to do justice to this responsibility and simultaneously guarantee the best possible protection of the health of the people coming to our trade fair centre,” he said.

Thomas Dohse appointed head of interpack

Dohse was appointed in September as the new head of interpack following the appointment of his predecessor, Bernd Jablonowski, to the managing board of Messe Düsseldorf as an executive director.

Dohse has woven an excellent web of connections within the global packaging industry and the related process industry. He has been part of the interpack team at Messe Düsseldorf since 2005 and led interpack 2017 on an operative level as deputy director.

During this period, the father of three supported many formative themes for interpack, such as SAVE FOOD and the special shows under the innovationparc label. These are now also successful at the international events within the scope of the interpack alliance, which will also be led by Dohse in the future.

New general conditions for exhibitors

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and fears of lower number of visitors, Dohse said all participating companies will receive discounted participation conditions. In addition, there is a temporary special right of termination for all exhibitors who cannot or do not want to participate.

“We fully understand the reservations and concerns of our exhibitors in the current situation. On the other hand, we have also received feedback on how important personal exchange is for our customers and what significance interpack has for the processing & packaging industry. In this respect, we believe that with our offer we can best protect the interests of all parties involved and would like to thank our partners for their constructive cooperation,” Dohse said.

interpack 2021 is expected to take place with an already field-tested hygiene and infection protection concept, which will enable exhibitors and trade visitors to meet safely in the exhibition halls.