AUTOMATE UK, the organiser of this year’s PPMA Total Show, is looking to boost the number of Scottish visitors as part of its commitment to build on the success of the ‘revolutionary’ 2024 event.
The comments, from chief operating officer (COO) Scott McKenna in an interview with Packaging Scotland, follow last year’s exhibition being shortlisted for a number of awards and where more than 80% of visitors reported discovering new solutions to enhance and support their business. Aiming to build on that success, Scott believes that innovations on display at the show, which returns to the NEC, Birmingham in September, could help support Scotland’s packaging sector as well as its ‘fantastic’ food and drink producers in their worldwide operations.
Taking over the reins as COO prior to PPMA 2023, by 2024 Scott was able to implement a raft of new additions to the event – over 10 in total – which he had envisioned and curated during his 12 years as head of sales at the organisation. This included a dedicated show app and a wider range of complimentary design options for those occupying smaller stands.
Other notable additions include Innovations Eleven, which celebrates the culture of companies launching new solutions to the UK market at the event by creating a dedicated live demonstration theatre for 11 new products.
Also new last year were daily guided Innovations Tours, which took visitors to the stands of demonstrators as well as others featuring new offerings. Feedback from participants revealed a raft of machine sales to those who attended the tours and later returned to the stands.
“You visit the show with an idea of what you want to see, but often the biggest benefit you take away is discovering things you didn’t realise you needed,” Scott said. “I want to encourage people to walk down every aisle because you will be sure to find many innovations that could add value to your business.”
Admitting that it would’ve probably made sense, from a logistical and practical point of view, to stagger the new additions over a number of years, Scott praised his team for the ‘tremendous’ level of work in 2024 which can now be built upon in 2025 with promise of a ‘bigger and better’ event – with eyes also shifting north of the border.
Revealing that data shows that the event – which attracted over 7,500 people last year – gets more visitors from Ireland than it does Scotland, Scott is keen to change that and boost the number of Scottish attendees.
“It’s surprising,” he continued. “There’s big business in Scotland; the food and beverage markets are huge.
“You can see so much in a few hours at our show, all under one roof. To be able to view live demonstrations of working machinery, talk to the experts who are behind the design and mechanics of the technology, and ask the right questions is so valuable to those who are trying to improve production lines and make their businesses more efficient.”
Over 350 exhibitors and 1,500+ brands are poised to exhibit at the event, with Scott revealing a raft of new innovations will be on display.
“Almost a third of our exhibitors did not exhibit at last year’s show,” Scott continued. “That’s the message we want to get across to our visitors – to come and see what is effectively a very different show to 2024.
“This is what excites me most. New exhibitors and new technologies – that’s what the show is all about; it’s a fast-moving industry and people want to see new technology.”
AI is naturally expected to be a hot topic, with Scott revealing that the bulk of the keynote speakers – which were still being finalised at the time of going to press – have a ‘very strong’ AI angle to the content they are delivering, with sustainability also set to feature prominently.
Exhibitors are also anticipated to go all out again this year, with Scott revealing the quality of stands on display has become ‘higher and higher’ each year.
“It makes the show look so impressive,” he added, before admitting that the standard on show prompted Automate UK to overhaul and upgrade its stand last year. I think visually our show is extremely impressive and all credit has to go to the exhibitors for that.”
As with 2024, the exhibitor party of previous years has been switched to a networking reception, which is open to all attendees.
Scott and the team will look to ramp up networking opportunities and also allow for time to socialise and celebrate the packaging sector, with comedian Katherine Ryan headlining the event, alongside Boyzlife, a group formed by Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden, formerly of Boyzone and Westlife, respectively, at the Automate UK Awards Dinner on night two.
“Fundamentally this is a commercial event. We’re connecting buyers with suppliers to stimulate business relationships and capital investment,” Scott concluded. “That said, if we can provide other benefits and learning opportunities, that adds even more value to the show.”
• PPMA Total Show 2025 runs from September 23-25 at the NEC, Birmingham.
