On a Discovery Tour at FACHPACK 2025

Recyclable packaging design, alternative materials, and intelligent automation – FACHPACK 2025 showed how companies are actively shaping change in the industry. Here is a look at some of the most exciting highlights from the trade fair.

Visiters at Fachpack 2025 — At FACHPACK 2025, companies showcased how recyclability, alternative materials, and automation are reshaping the industry.

“Design for recycling” was one of the buzzwords heard everywhere at FACHPACK 2025 – there was hardly a trade fair stand where the term was not mentioned. Driven by the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which stipulates that all packaging must be fully recyclable from 2030 onwards, the topic is becoming more important than ever for the industry.

Plastic cup with Comfortlid — The ComforLid replaces conventional plastic lids and straws with a patented lid featuring a peelable aluminium surface and a co-extruded plastic layer.

Reduced carbon footprint

Constantia Flexibles, among others, demonstrated how this change is already being reflected in market-ready solutions with a whole range of innovations. In Nuremberg, the company presented several new concepts for flexible packaging solutions that are designed to make the circular economy a reality. The focus was on the Ecolutions portfolio – a comprehensive selection of packaging solutions made from monomaterials that are designed for recycling.

One highlight was the new ComforLid, an advanced version of the patented aluminium lid that replaces plastic slip lids and straws, significantly reducing plastic consumption and CO₂ emissions. Constantia Flexibles received the Green Packaging Star Award at FACHPACK for this solution – confirmation of the company's development work, which was also reflected in the interest shown by trade visitors.

Packaging Made from Leaves

The fact that ‘design for recycling’ is not just a question of materials but also of mindset was demonstrated by a completely different approach in the Alternative Packaging Solutions special pavilion: Releaf Paper uses leaves instead of wood, transforming fallen leaves into a sustainable raw material for paper and packaging.

The Ukrainian start-up, now based in France, has developed a patented process for converting leaves into high-quality fibres for sustainable paper and packaging applications. By combining mechanical, thermal and mild chemical treatments, Releaf not only helps cities dispose of green waste, but also offers an alternative raw material to reduce deforestation.

Founder Valentin Frechka was inspired by his childhood experiences in the Carpathian Mountains and by his chemistry teacher to use leaves as a renewable raw material. “Leaves are a source of pulp, which is used to make paper. For us, they are a valuable and affordable raw material – and cities already have the infrastructure in place to collect them,” he explains. “Leaves regenerate quickly, are available all year round and their fibres have excellent paper-forming properties.” The concept has already won over major global brands such as L'Oréal and Chanel.

Bag made of fallen leaves with the inscription “Not a single tree has been cut down to produce this bag“ — Turning leaves into paper: The start-up Releaf Paper transforms fallen foliage into a sustainable raw material for packaging.

A look at the ligenium stand at FACHPACK — The Chemnitz-based start-up Ligenium develops modular transport packaging made of wood – robust, repairable and designed to be recyclable.

Transport Packaging in a Wooden Plug-in System

In view of increasing demands for climate protection and resource conservation, sustainable materials are also becoming increasingly important in the logistics industry. One example of this change is the Chemnitz-based start-up ligenium. Instead of steel, aluminium or plastic, the company relies on intelligent wooden constructions. What may sound unusual at first glance is proving to be highly innovative. This is because ligenium has succeeded in modifying wood-based materials in such a way that they are robust, durable and can be used with precision in everyday industrial applications. “The cycle of our material is a material one, not a theoretical one. We not only use wood sustainably, but also keep it actively in circulation. Some of our load carriers are already being rebuilt for the third time and thus adapted to new requirements,” says Christoph Alt, managing director of ligenium. “Even supposed waste materials are given a second life with us. New components are made from offcuts, and we have even produced our first workpiece carrier from wood chips, which we presented at FACHPACK." The modular plug-in system allows individual components to be replaced quickly and specifically as required. Instead of having to replace entire assemblies, repairs can be carried out efficiently and in a material-saving manner. At the same time, the system can be easily adapted or expanded to meet changing requirements.

Chocolate Packaging with PCR

According to the European Commission, all plastic packaging on the EU market must be recyclable from 2030 onwards. Film manufacturer Kaupert has been able to claim this for its extruded films since 1989, as they are made exclusively from mono-materials. “We have been using recycled materials in our production from the very beginning, and recycling rates of up to 100% are possible. Our production is waste-free, and unavoidable production waste is immediately returned to production in closed cycles,” says Wolfgang Ermert, Managing Director at Kaupert. A high proportion of recycled material is also used if customers so desire. “The PCR material we purchase is certified for direct contact with food,” he adds. To this end, PCR material is processed using a method certified for food contact. Suppliers carry out migration tests to prove that there is no contamination. “As a manufacturer of trays, we are also obliged to carry out our own migration tests. This ensures that the material is not contaminated, thus ruling out any unpleasant odours,” says Ermert. Kaupert currently produces films with a PCR content of 25% – “because that is what is required”. According to Ermert, a PCR content of up to 100% would be possible in principle.

PCR packaging in a showcase at Kaupert's stand on FACHPACK — Kaupert also uses certified post-consumer recycled material (PCR) for its packaging – recyclable, food-safe and produced using closed material cycles.

Pouch with sauerkraut — The mono-material PP stand-up pouch developed jointly by Wipf and Hengstenberg combines product protection, recyclability and convenience – and was awarded the German Packaging Prize 2025 for this achievement.

Design for Recycling in Line with the PPWR

Recyclable packaging design, in line with the upcoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), was also the dominant theme at the Wipf stand.

With specially developed composite films made of polypropylene (PP) and recyclable Wicovalve aroma protection valves, the company demonstrated how sustainable packaging concepts can be implemented in a technically sophisticated manner. The aim is to design packaging from the outset in such a way that it can be optimally recycled – a central approach of Design for Recycling.

A particularly impressive example of this is the mono-material PP stand-up pouch for pasteurised cabbage products, developed in collaboration with Hengstenberg. The innovative composite film withstands the high temperatures of pasteurisation as well as the acidic environment of the filling. It guarantees a product shelf life of up to two years, remains fully recyclable and is also microwave-safe – a clear advantage for consumers.

For this joint development, Wipf and Hengstenberg were awarded the German Packaging Prize 2025 in the sustainability category at FACHPACK. The jury praised the combination of recyclability, product protection and consumer-friendliness at a high technical level – a strong signal for the future of flexible plastic packaging in Europe.

Custom-Fit Packaging to Eliminate Empty Space

Too big, too much, too costly – everyone is familiar with the problem of oversized shipping boxes. With its new X-Series, Packsize is demonstrating at FACHPACK 2025 that there is another way: precise, sustainable and fully automated. The systems produce customised corrugated cardboard boxes ‘on demand’ – exactly the size that the product really needs. This eliminates the need for standard boxes, filling materials and unnecessary use of materials. The result is more efficient shipping processes, lower transport costs and a significantly smaller carbon footprint.

The focus was on the X6, currently the most powerful carton erector on the market. It produces up to 1,500 conveyable cartons per hour and can manufacture both flap cartons and trays in a base-lid design. “The X6 underscores our commitment to further optimising packaging and picking processes and increasing productivity throughout the supply chain,” says Andrea Dreier, Business Development Representative at Packsize. Optional modules for carton sealing and lids allow the machine to be expanded into a fully automated end-to-end solution.

In addition to high performance, the X6 offers a wide range of packaging sizes – including boxes small enough to fit through letterboxes. This not only helps companies comply with the European Packaging Regulation (PPWR), but also improves the unboxing experience for customers, reduces empty space and lowers emissions along the entire supply chain.

Robco's stand with the cobot at FACHPACK — At FACHPACK 2025, start-up RobCo demonstrated how modular robotics and no-code software can automate production processes in medium-sized businesses quickly, flexibly and sustainably.

Modular Robotics Made Easy

Automation does not have to be complicated or expensive – as Munich-based RobCo proves. Founded in 2020 by Roman Hölzl and his team at the Chair of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence at the Technical University of Munich, the start-up specialises in easy-to-use, affordable and networked robot solutions for medium-sized industrial companies. With a modular hardware kit and the intuitive no-code software RobCo Studio, manual processes such as machine loading, palletising, welding or dispensing can be automated in no time at all – without any programming knowledge or expensive integration projects.

“We want medium-sized companies to be able to take automation into their own hands,” emphasises the RobCo team. “Our robots are ready for use within a day.”

A highlight at FACHPACK 2025 was the filling system with automatic robot loading and palletising function developed in collaboration with MCW Systemtechnik. The live demonstration impressively shows how modular robotics and sustainable plant construction made of wood go hand in hand – efficiently, space-savingly and environmentally friendly.

Author: Alexander Stark