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At the start of the world's leading trade fair drinktec, the industry is in robust shape. Exports continue to grow - by 6 in the first half of 2025 alone. Particularly strong: the EU-27 with 10.2%, the USA remains the most important single market.

Exports of food processing and packaging machinery will continue to grow in the first half of 2025, bucking the trend in the mechanical engineering sector as a whole.

On September 16, the topic at drinktec will be PFAS: The EU is planning to regulate the broad group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as part of the REACH regulation. Possible bans have far-reaching consequences for mechanical engineering.

Juri Winkler is Managing Director of Diosna and Deputy Chairman of the VDMA's Bakery Machinery Division. He talks to us about what it takes to remain competitive as a company and where he finds inspiration.

At drinktec 2025 from September 15 to 19 in Munich, the VDMA and its cooperation partners will be presenting a selection of innovative processes and systems for the beverage and liquid food industry.

In July, incoming orders in the food processing and packaging machinery sector fell by 15% in real terms compared to the same month last year. Domestic demand fell by 30%, while foreign orders dropped by 11%.

Bio-based, recyclable, reusable: Krones is researching how alternative packaging for beverages can be compatible with existing and new machines. One example of alternative container materials is the pulp bottle.

Millions of tons of plastic end up unstructured in recycling or in the environment every day. But with Future Technologies and education, waste can be turned into something new: knowledge, enthusiasm and the chance for a sustainable future.

Beumer Maschinenfabrik is a provider of intralogistics, offering solutions for filling, palletizing, packaging, conveying and exhibiting at Powtech Technopharm. Sales Director André Tissen sees the future in the modernized production chain.

Incoming orders in the food processing and packaging machinery sector were down 5% in real terms in June compared to the same month last year.

As a member of the Executive Board, Markus Tischer is responsible for "International Operations and Services" at Krones AG in Neutraubling. He talks to us about current challenges and what would help his company.

The future prospects for manufacturers of beverage machine and dairy technology are positive, as the global beverage industry is growing dynamically. The global sales volume of soft drinks will increase by 16% to 972 billion euros by 2028.

The new industry expert of the Africa Business Network in Angola identifies concrete business opportunities for German suppliers of food processing machinery, packaging machinery and agricultural technology.

Incoming orders in the food processing and packaging machinery sector increased by 2% in May compared to the same month last year.

Consumption habits are increasingly changing in the direction of health optimization. The market for products with health benefits and little or no sugar is growing.

The ongoing digital transformation is helping companies to improve existing value propositions and develop new ones.

The focus of the beverage and liquid food industry is on intelligent circular systems and sustainable resource management in the production and packaging process as well as on the responsible use of raw materials.

With the "AJCsens", the Fraunhofer IVV presents a smart spray cleaning system for demand-oriented tank cleaning, which offers a forward-looking answer to the constantly increasing pressure on time and resources thanks to its high savings potential.

The oscillating quartz-based sensor technology CoControl-QCM enables reliable inline detection of a wide variety of contaminants, such as product deposits, biofilms and crystalline fouling.

The AI-supported monitoring system makes it possible to predictively detect fouling during the production process. This makes it particularly suitable for the production process of high-protein products such as yoghurt drinks or milk-based mixed drinks.

With Material Hub, developers and designers can search for materials across suppliers and according to customizable technical criteria.

Michaela Marquardt is Managing Partner of ASTOR Schneidwerkzeuge GmbH in Storkow. She talks to us about what motivates her most and where she finds inspiration.

Here you can download our digital press kit and the press kits of our cooperation partners.

The decline in production in 2024 in the food processing and packaging machinery sector fell by just under 2% to 16.1 billion euros, while exports rose sharply - from 6% to 10.6 billion euros.

The new EU packaging regulation (PPWR) brings with it far-reaching requirements for mechanical and plant engineering.

We produce monthly data sheets on various sectors, categories and countries based on data from Euromonitor International. We publish these via the NuV-Telegram newsletter and make them available for download here.

Nadina Korthäuer is a member of the Management Board and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at ESPERA-WERKE in Duisburg. She talks to us about the challenges and trends in the industry and what she likes to do in her free time.

The VDMA trade association publication no. 01 has been updated and is available for free download. It explains test procedures for methods for the determination of residual peroxide in packaging.

The VDMA reports a decline in production in the food processing and packaging machinery sector of just under 2% to EUR 16.1 billion, while exports grew by 6% to EUR 10.6 billion.

The global food and beverage industry is one of the most dynamic growth sectors. Plastic dominates sales of retail packaging for food and beverages.

Global demand for packaged food, beverages, liquid food, pharmaceutical products and other non-food products will continue to rise in the coming years. The packaging machinery industry is benefiting from these developments.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has published an amendment to the Quality Control Order for Machinery in the Gazette of India, according to which products listed therein will require a market access mark from September 1, 2026.

Here you can download our digital press kit and the press kit of our cooperation partner, the Fraunhofer IVV.

Maximilian Laska is CEO and owner of Maschinenfabrik Laska in Traun, Austria. He talks to us about the challenges of the industry, what is important to him for his employees and what he likes to do in his free time.

Carelessly discarded packaging pollutes oceans and landscapes worldwide. The images of environmental pollution are well known and the need for action is great. Every individual bears responsibility.

Holistically sustainable: from production to packaging - innovative solutions for environmentally friendly meat and protein processing.

Digitalization and AI are revolutionizing production processes. Real-time data analysis, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance ensure greater efficiency and customer benefits. Discover the future of meat and protein processing!

Consumers consider paper/cardboard packaging to be sustainable and the trend is moving towards fiber-based packaging. Flexible paper packaging is experiencing a renaissance.

Paper is a classic packaging material made from fibers. A distinction is made between primary and secondary fibers made from wood or waste paper. This article provides information on the various stages of paper production.

Cardboard packaging is stable and protects against mechanical stress. It is used as product packaging, outer packaging and transport packaging. Here you can find out everything about the production and use of cardboard and corrugated cardboard.

Maximum performance in meat and protein processing: Optimized production processes, automation and flexible system concepts reduce costs and increase efficiency. Find out how OEE and TCO ensure your competitiveness.

Which packaging is more sustainable, paper or plastic packaging? We have compiled some of the most frequently asked questions in FAQs, which we offer VDMA members exclusively for download.

Plastic packaging usually consists of composite films that are difficult to recycle. Legislation therefore requires materials and combinations that enable a high recycling rate.

Plastics are very versatile due to their properties. Read on to find out how plastics are made, what types there are, what the most common packaging plastics are and the selection criteria.

After a ten-year growth period, German manufacturers of machinery for processing meat and alternative proteins were unable to record renewed growth in 2024.

Focus on the circular economy: countries around the world are enacting regulations on packaging and waste in order to reduce environmental pollution. The overview "Regulations on packaging and packaging waste" shows current and planned measures. Download now!

It is with great respect and deep appreciation for her life's work that we bid farewell to Adelheid Windmöller, who has now passed away at the age of 88 after a fulfilled life as an entrepreneur.

Jochen Eißler is Head of the Process & Automation Solutions division at Hermann Waldner GmbH & Co. KG. He talks to us about where he sees the biggest challenges and trends in the industry.

Which packaging is more sustainable, paper or plastic packaging? There is no general answer to this question, as it depends on the product to be packaged and the resulting requirements.

Food processing and packaging machinery contributes significantly to the industrialization of Africa. Especially in food processing, machines from Germany promote economic development and security of supply.

Optimized packaging design and innovative processing techniques have led to packaging becoming lighter and lighter over the years, with the same or better packaging performance and stability.

Determination of the dynamic coefficient of friction on flexible material webs

In this compilation of GTAI articles from 2024 on the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life science and pharmaceutical sectors, you will find the markets and articles in chronological order.

For several years now, we have been producing monthly data sheets on various sectors, categories and countries based on data from Euromonitor International. We publish the latest editions via the monthly newsletter NuV-Telegram.

EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius announces action on reusable transport packaging quota.

From 01.05.2025, packaging licensing in Spain will be extended to industrial packaging. This also applies to transport packaging for machine deliveries.

In this member information of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association you will find an overview of the services offered by the VDMA in the area of markets and economy.

On December 18, 2023, the EU Council reached an agreement ("general approach") on the proposal for the EU Packaging Regulation, after the EU Parliament had already approved its position on the document on November 22, 2023.

In this compilation of GTAI articles from 2023 on the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life science and pharmaceutical sectors, you will find the markets and articles in chronological order.

The economic reports for 2025 on important foreign markets in the food and packaging industry, compiled exclusively for the VDMA by gtai, are now available in German and English language.

EU Regulation 2022/1616 on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food came into force on October 10, 2022, replacing the previously applicable EU Regulation 2008/282. The new regulation applies to all plastic types and recycling technologies.

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFAS) are currently polarizing opinion. The EU has come out in favor of a blanket ban on around 10,000 chemicals in this group of substances. At first glance, a well-intentioned approach to protecting the environment, but the announcement puts important industries at risk.

Today, more and more products are packed in plastic packaging of all kinds. But what happens after using the packaging. What quantities are generated in the EU28 and Germany and how are they recycled.

VDMA Packaging Machinery takes a look at alternatives to plastic and Styrofoam and where they are already being used.

The number of one- and two-person households is increasing worldwide. Market and consumer-oriented packaging formats make a significant contribution to reducing the amount of food that spoils and is thrown away.

In the Association's publication No. 10, minimum requirements for the sterilisation performance of VDMA Hygiene Class IV filling machines are specified and the general conditions for proper operation are described. In the revision now presented, new test microorganisms have been specified for UVC-based sterilisation processes and the Pulse Light process. Furthermore, the minimum disinfection performance for e-beam processes used in Class IV machines was specified.

The checklist, first published in 1997, has undergone a regular revision.

What is the CO2 footprint? The carbon footprint indicates the amount of greenhouse gases released by an activity, process or action. But products also have a CO2 footprint.

Worldwide, about one third of all food is lost every year along its value chain, i.e. from the harvest to the consumer. This corresponds to approximately 1.3 billion tons. Not only food is lost, but also the resources used for cultivation, harvesting, processing, transport and storage. Packaging has a key role to play in the fight against food losses and the conservation of resources.

The life cycle assessment takes into account all environmental impacts of products, services or processes during their entire life cycle. There are some principles and rules to be observed and there are also challenges.

Plastic packaging has come under criticism, but it is no longer possible to imagine everyday life without it - at least not everywhere. Here you can read where, why and when the use of plastic makes sense.

Sustainable solutions and materials are in demand for packaging. However, there is no such thing as sustainable packaging, because the products to be packaged are far too different and so are the packaging requirements.

Packaging under a protective atmosphere keeps food hygienically perfect and durable for longer without preservatives or thermal preservation. This protects against premature spoilage and thus the loss of food.

The production and use of packaging, whether made of plastic or another material, causes CO2 emissions. Which packaging material is more environmentally friendly? To determine this, it is necessary to compare the functional units of the packaging of certain products.

Better material properties, reduced wall thicknesses, lower film thicknesses, optimized shaping and processing techniques have resulted in plastic packaging becoming lighter and lighter over the years, while maintaining or improving packaging performance and stability. This is referred to as downgauging or lightweighting.

Italy is one of the few countries in Europe to make environmental labeling of packaging mandatory for distributors not only in the B2C sector but also in the B2B sector, regardless of whether the distributor is an Italian or foreign company.

Finding your way through the legal jungle for packaging: Here you will find all relevant information on laws and regulations at European and national level.

The joint industrial research project aims to identify suitable surrogates for Aspergillus species for the microbiological validation of UV-based disinfection processes.

The Weihenstephan Standards (WS) define a communication interface for the standardized transmission of machine and process data to higher-level IT systems. The WS can be implemented quickly and easily in all machines in the food and beverage industry.

The newly launched research project investigates the resource-saving cleaning of pipelines made of food base materials in the food industry.

VDMA standard 8751 deals with the specification and verification of energy and media consumption on packaging machines and related processing machines, while VDMA 8752 deals with the recording of setup and cleaning times for these machines. Both VDMA standard sheets were editorially revised in the course of the transfer of DIN 8743 to the successor standard DIN EN 415-11: 2021-12.

Throughout the year, our trade association organizes various events on technical topics, mostly relating to the special features of the food machinery sector.

China's National Health Commission (NHC) has approved six new food contact additives and two new food contact resins, and expanded the scope of nine substances.

On the initiative of the Executive Board of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association, several research projects have been initiated and actively supported by the Association.

The German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) publishes various publications within its regulations.

Small and medium-sized companies benefit from research results that they would have no or only limited access to with their own resources. The following article provides an overview of interesting projects.

FideLio aims at data-driven prediction of the build-up of deposits in critical components of the food industry.

Here you will find an overview of the leading trade fairs of the German Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association.

The DIN 8743 system of indicators has been transferred to the European standard EN 415-11:2021. A piece of cake? Not at all!

The joint industrial research project aims to develop numerical prediction models for cleaning duration with computing times that are practicable for SMEs.

VDMA Future Business has published a new picture of the future, "Biologicalization of Industry 2035". Is the trend relevant for manufacturers of food processing and packaging machinery?

China's National Health Commission has published a revised food contact standard that specifies the methods required to test the overall migration of food contact materials (FCMs).

The VDMA specification document 8747:2021-09 serves as a guideline for the preparation of packaging foil specifications for the production of blister packs for pharmaceutical products on thermoforming, filling and sealing machines (so-called blister machines) under the criterion of machine runability.

Machine manufacturers are often confronted with fuzzy or not explicitly expressed sterilization requirements when supplying to industries with increased hygienic requirements.

Digitization & Industry 4.0: Explore the services offered by VDMA and its Food Processing Machinery and Packaging Machinery Association as well as other important initiatives and research projects.

Here you will find an overview of our committees and working groups for the areas of markets and economic activity as well as technology.

Here you can download the latest publications and information on hygienic and aseptic packaging machines.

A new implementing decision *) on the harmonized standards for machinery in support of Directive 2006/42/EC has been published in the Official Journal of the EU.

VDMA 8748:2021-06 serves as a guideline for the preparation of film specifications for processing on form fill and seal machines under the criterion of machine runability.

The world is becoming increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambivalent (VUCA). What mindset and methods you can use to cope with this and position your company accordingly.

The VDMA Publication No. 14 "Code of practice - external sterilisation of packaging materials" has undergone a regular revision and is available for free download.

Hygiene requirements for the production and aseptic filling of beverage products - Analytic process control

The draft standard E DIN EN 415-11 on the safety of packaging machines defines key figures for describing machine behavior and specifies boundary conditions for their determination in acceptance runs.

The research project "Standardized production of biological indicators for the assessment of surface disinfection with hydrogen peroxide and minimization of their variance" has been completed.

This article reveals which safety standards are currently being worked on.

Making optimum use of transport capacities: The weight alone makes it clear that plastic offers advantages over other packaging materials. This is very clear when it comes to beverages.

After more than 20 years the FV Nahrungsmittel- und Verpackungsmaschinen has developed scenarios for the German packaging machinery industry. As then, the industry is facing a technological upheaval.

Answers to questions about consumption values for packaging equipment can be found in VDMA 8751:2019-03 "Filling and packaging machines - Specification and measurement of energy and media consumption"

The guide sets out the requirements for communication between component and machine arising from FDA Guideline 21 CFR 11 for electronic documentation in the GxP environment.

The European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) is a peer community of machine and component manufacturers, professionals from the food industry and research institutes and health authorities.

The objective of the cooperation concluded in 2012 with the Industrievereinigung für Lebensmitteltechnologie und Verpackung e.V. (IVLV) is to promote industry-related collaborative research. (IVLV) is to promote industry-related collaborative research.

The VDMA working group "Interface problems with aseptic systems" has compiled an overview of the areas of application for disinfection processes used in hygienic filling machines.

With the Packaging Forum, three VDMA trade associations created a joint platform for member companies.