AI, Automation, and Sustainability Lead Packaging and Processing Trends | RoboticsTomorrow

(Herndon, Virginia – Feb. 13, 2026) – Packaging and processing manufacturers are investing in smarter tools, automation, and sustainable choices to take care of labor shortages, present chain challenges, and rising buyer expectations.

At PACK EXPO East 2026 (Feb. 17-19, Pennsylvania Convention Middle, Philadelphia), attendees will survey how synthetic intelligence (AI), automation, and flexible machinery are transferring from experimentation to day to day tools that improve efficiency, in the reduce price of downtime, and make stronger prolonged-timeframe growth.

“Manufacturers are centered on building operations that are extra atmosphere friendly, resilient, and adaptable,” says Jorge Izquierdo, vice president of market model at PMMI, The Affiliation for Packaging and Processing Technologies. “The trends rising all over packaging and processing deem a clear industry precedence: doing extra with much less whereas putting forward quality, security, and sustainability.”

High Packaging Developments

Synthetic Intelligence

AI is turning actual into a in actuality foremost tool in each packaging and processing. It helps manufacturers work extra effectively, in the reduce price of tools downtime, improve product quality, and care for labor challenges. In step with PMMI’s 2026 document, Constructing an AI Advantage in Packaging Instruments, one of the foremost supreme advantages of AI reach from the utilization of it to portion recordsdata, predict maintenance wants, meet regulations, and develop recordsdata more easy to have.

As an different of dazzling checking out AI, extra companies are in point of fact the utilization of it in day to day operations. AI is serving to optimize production lines, fetch issues early, and make stronger better resolution-making, giving manufacturers an succor as operations change into extra advanced.

Sustainability

Sustainable packaging stays a foremost focus, with elevated anticipate for recyclable, compostable, and light-weight choices. Manufacturers are prioritizing packaging designs that make stronger spherical economic system targets whereas putting forward shelf enchantment and product security.

Automation and Robotics

Robotics and automation are expanding rapid all over packaging lines, serving to in the reduce price of labor dependence and improve throughput. Case packing, palletizing, and opt-and-living applications are amongst doubtlessly the most broadly adopted.

Flexible Packaging Bellow

Flexible packaging codecs, such as pouches, drift wraps, and stick packs, continue to form market portion attributable to their efficiency, comfort, and diminished fabric utilization.

Modular and Mercurial-Substitute Packaging Instruments

Manufacturers are searching for packaging programs that enable sooner changeovers, shorter production runs, and better SKU variability. Instruments flexibility is turning into considerable for meeting market anticipate.

Dapper Packaging and Traceability Instruments

Related packaging choices, including QR codes and digital labeling, are serving to enhance traceability, compliance, and person engagement whereas supporting transparency initiatives.

High Processing Developments

Food Safety and Hygienic Instruments Form

Processing tools is increasingly extra being engineered with sanitation in recommendations, supporting stricter meals security requirements and minimizing contamination likelihood through hygienic develop recommendations.

Digitalization and Industry 4.0 Integration

Related processing tools, recordsdata analytics, and actual-time monitoring tools are being dilapidated to enhance visibility into performance, efficiency, and quality abet watch over.

Predictive Repairs and Instruments Reliability

Predictive maintenance applied sciences are serving to companies and products in the reduce price of unplanned downtime by figuring out set on, vibration, and performance issues earlier than mess ups occur.

Energy and Water Effectivity

Sustainability efforts are driving investments in processing programs that in the reduce price of water utilize, optimize energy consumption, and make stronger company environmental targets.

Gaining a Aggressive Advantage

“Companies that embrace these trends are better prepared to work extra effectively, meet regulations, improve product quality, and pause aggressive as market demands continue to develop,” Izquierdo says.

Produced by PMMI, PACK EXPO East continues to assist as a key fling back and forth impart for packaging and processing experts searching for doubtlessly the most trendy machinery, provides, and recordsdata shaping the model forward for manufacturing. This yr’s existing highlights foremost trends accelerating in all places in the industry, including AI, automation, sustainability, digitalization, and tools designed for better flexibility and efficiency.

With 500 exhibitors, maintaining 125,000 rep square feet of philosophize dwelling, PACK EXPO East brings choices for extra than 40 vertical markets, including meals and beverage, life sciences, cosmetics and private care, and industrial and household chemical substances.

PACK EXPO East parts machinery that helps packaging and processing companies work sooner, safer, and extra effectively. The existing highlights are residing demos of tools savor computerized machines, robotics, and flexible programs that are more easy to commerce over between merchandise.

Attendees can survey helpful choices designed to in the reduce price of downtime, improve quality, and make stronger fresh packaging styles and production wants.

Unique for 2026, PACK EXPO East introduces the Containers and Materials Pavilion, designed to lend a hand price householders, package designers, and manufacturers explore doubtlessly the most trendy advances in paperboard, glass, metal, flexible, and resealable packaging.

Moreover, the Reusable Packaging Pavilion, sponsored by the Reusable Packaging Affiliation, provides attendees expert steering on most provocative practices for adopting and optimizing reusable packaging programs.

“PACK EXPO East has change into an considerable match for packaging and processing experts on the East Flee,” says Laura Thompson, vice president, commerce shows, PMMI. “The 2026 existing brings collectively fresh parts, helpful education, and unmatched salvage admission to to suppliers and choices, giving attendees a clear succor as they conception for the yr forward.”

Education

PACK EXPO East 2026 provides a sturdy lineup of free academic programming, including Industry Speaks and Innovation Stage sessions led by industry experts and exhibitors. These sessions take care of timely issues such as AI, automation, operational efficiency, 2D barcodes, meals security, and sustainability, and present actionable insights attendees can apply without prolong.

Session highlights consist of:

AI and Automation in Labeling and Art work Administration: Are You Ready?

Presented by Bart Meersschaert, presales resolution architect at Esko

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2:00 p.m.

Sustainable Packaging in Be conscious: The Trusty, the Exhausting, and the An extraordinarily mighty

Presented by Jessica Adkins, vice president, company responsibility, security & quality at Bonduelle Americas

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1:30 p.m.

Constructing an AI Advantage in Processing and Packaging Operations

Presented by Jorge Izquierdo, vice president, market model at PMMI

Thursday, Feb. 19,11:00 a.m.

The existing will characteristic two sessions on Spoil of day 2027.

Unlocking Spoil of day 2027: How Tech Suppliers Can Lead the 2D Revolution

Presented by Steven Keddie, senior director, Automatic Identification and Recordsdata Take hold of (AIDC) and SME lead at GS1 World Office and Andrew Morehead, director of world requirements at GS1 US

Tuesday, Feb. 17, 11:30 a.m.

Preparing for GS1 Spoil of day 2027: A Level of view on the Retail Industry’s Next Evolution

Presented by Clay Ryan, head of world commercial model for Amazon Transparency

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2:30 p.m.

A Must-Again Match for Industry Mavens

From executives and engineers to price managers and package designers, PACK EXPO East is the attach resolution-makers reach to evaluate choices, alternate recommendations, and pass projects forward. With planning tools savor My Speak Planner, the PACK EXPO East Cell App, and visual class search, attendees can maximize their time on the original floor and join with the staunch partners sooner.

For extra recordsdata and to register, consult with www.packexpoeast.com.

About PMMI

PMMI, The Affiliation for Packaging and Processing Technologies, represents extra than 1,100 manufacturers and suppliers of tools, substances, and provides as nicely as suppliers of connected tools and companies and products to the packaging and processing industry. We work to near a unfold of industries by connecting person goods companies with manufacturing choices during the sector-class PACK EXPO portfolio of commerce shows, leading commerce media, and a huge differ of resources to empower our participants. The PACK EXPO commerce shows unite the sector of packaging and processing to near the industries they reduction: PACK EXPO World, PACK EXPO Las Vegas, PACK EXPO East, PACK EXPO Southeast, EXPO PACK México, and EXPO PACK Guadalajara. PMMI Media Neighborhood connects manufacturers to doubtlessly the most trendy choices, trends and enhancements in packaging and processing yr-spherical through brands including Packaging World, ProFood World, Healthcare Packaging, OEM, Contract Manufacturing and Packaging, and Mundo EXPO PACK. PMMI Enterprise Drivers assist participants in pursuing operational excellence through personnel model initiatives, elevate actionable commercial intelligence on economic, market, and industry trends to make stronger participants’ growth recommendations, and actively join the present chain all the diagram in which during the yr.

Be taught extra at pmmi.org and packexpo.com and pmmimediagroup.com.