Packaging Impressions

As America nears its milestone 250th anniversary, consumer brands have been working with their packaging partners to imbue their products with the patriotic spirit of the occasion. Here are just a few examples of how brands are capturing the moment.

The excitement following the interpack 2026 trade fair in May is still evident and for 2029, interpack is setting the course for the future with a new date and a new runtime. The next interpack will take place from  June 10 – 15,  2029 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. This means that the trade fair for processing and packaging will now be held in early summer and will adopt a new schedule: six days - from Sunday to Friday.

Candidates are not coming in cold. Research from Indeed Hiring Lab (2024) shows that job seekers routinely research companies before applying, including visiting company websites and reviewing content about workplace experience. According to Glassdoor (2024), 86% of job seekers read company reviews and ratings before making a decision. And what they see, or do not see on your website, shapes that decision. That decision is not based on services. It’s based on whether they can see themselves there.

From a broad view of the printing industry to dialed-in details, the Alliance Insights State of the Industry (SOI) Report 2026 — powered by PRINTING United Alliance and sponsored by Canon U.S.A. — gives print and packaging professionals the full scope of what’s happening now. The report analyzes sales, business conditions, client purchasing behaviors, and more.

Barry-Wehmiller, a privately held, 141-year-old, $4 billion global platform of industrial and packaging automation, professional services and life sciences technology, announced that Kyle Chapman has been elected Chairman of the Board. In this role, Kyle succeeds his late father, Bob Chapman, who led the company for five decades. Kyle has served as President of Barry-Wehmiller since 2020 and as CEO since 2025.

The BOBST MASTERFOLD folder‑gluer range for corrugated board converting has undergone a complete modernization, aligning with the company’s strategy to deploy its vision across all product lines and equipment. The result is a machine which delivers greater production efficiency, simplified operations, and exceptional safety, setting new standards in the corrugated board industry.

The way print buyers research vendors is evolving quickly. While traditional search engines still play an important role, many buyers are now turning to AI-powered search engines and conversational tools like ChatGPT to gather information, compare providers, and evaluate potential partners. This shift is changing how businesses appear during the buying journey and creating new opportunities for companies that understand how AI search works.

Nazdar, a manufacturer and distributor of screen printing, wide format digital & flexographic inks world-wide—announced that the company has acquired FUJIFILM’s U.S., Canada, and Latin America screen and flexographic ink business—through a sale and licensing arrangement. Transition activities began on June 24th, with transition targeted for completion by July 13th.

The following article was originally published by Wide-format Impressions. To read more of their content, subscribe to their newsletter, Wide-Format Impressions. With so much happening at PRINTING United Expo, it’s hard to know where to focus. Here’s a list of not-to-be-missed elements and attractions at the massive event. 1. The Expo Floor The Expo fills the north and central halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center with over a million net square feet and 700+ exhibitors.

EskoWorld 2026 attendees hold pouches they helped create in just two days. This was my second EskoWorld, and without question, the best one yet. Not because of the parties. Not because of New Orleans (although that did help a bit). What made this year's event special was seeing something happen that most people in the packaging industry would have dismissed as impossible. But we'll get back to that in a moment. First, one of the major highlights of the week was the launch of the CDI Spark.