In this interview, we review the current state and short-term challenges of the packaging industry with Àlex Brossa, Cluster Manager at Packaging Cluster.
The packaging sector in Spain is going through a period of growth and transformation. With sustainability and digitalization as drivers of change, industrial companies are facing new legislative and technological challenges that will mark their evolution in the coming years. We spoke with Àlex Brossa, Cluster Manager of one of our partners, the Packaging Cluster, to know in detail the state of the sector, its challenges and opportunities.
Q&A with Àlex Brossa, Cluster Manager at Packaging Cluster
How would you define the current state of the packaging sector in Spain?
Packaging is a sector in constant growth within the Spanish economy, with good prospects for the future.
This is due, on the one hand, to the increase in demand for this type of product and, on the other hand, to an increase in turnover, driven in part by the rising cost of energy and raw materials, but also due to good management and adaptation to change by the companies.
What are the main challenges facing the packaging industry?
The two major challenges facing the sector are sustainability and digitalization.
In terms of sustainability, regulation is advancing faster in Europe than in other regions of the world such as Asia or America, with regulations such as the regulation on packaging and packaging waste (EU) and the royal decree on packaging in Spain. In addition, in Catalonia we are awaiting the approval of a waste law that will have an impact on the industry.
Adapting to these regulations involves not only complying with legislation, but also improving the recyclability of packaging, optimizing waste management and adopting renewable energies.
On the other hand, digitization is key to improving the efficiency and competitiveness of companies. In the Packaging Cluster we promote projects in this area, facilitating the incorporation of technologies such as the Mapex MES platform to digitize production processes, automate repetitive tasks and improve traceability through intelligent labeling, with the aim of optimizing product quality and safety.
If we talk about digitalization, what would you say is the level of digital maturity of companies in the sector in Spain?
There is still some way to go, but the packaging industry is open to investment in new technologies, and we are seeing it now with the great interest in artificial intelligence.
I think this trend will continue. A major driver of change will be the increase in the minimum wage in Spain, which will force companies to automate lower value-added tasks to maintain competitiveness. This situation is already accelerating the digital transformation and allowing workers to take on more strategic and specialized roles.
What could potentially slow down this acceleration in digital transformation?
The main obstacle for many companies is the lack of time and resources. Most of them are caught up in day-to-day management and find it difficult to devote efforts to digitization projects designed for the medium and long term.
In addition, in many organizations there is no specific profile of a Digital Transformation Director, so the responsibility for these changes usually falls on the manager, which hinders their implementation.
Despite these barriers, I am optimistic. Most industrial companies are aware that without digitization they will lose competitiveness, which is why they are betting more and more on technology.
How do you envision the packaging industry of the future?
The future of packaging will be marked by the acceleration of current trends: greater sustainability and increased digitalization.
If we analyze the evolution of the sector in recent years, we see a clear progression in the optimization of processes, the improvement of materials and the integration of technology in all phases of the value chain. Undoubtedly, these advances will continue to define the industry in the next decade.
The Packaging Cluster is a non-profit organization that brings together 150 active members including companies, knowledge centers and entities that represent the entire value chain of the packaging sector. The main objective of the entity is to generate new business opportunities and promote competitiveness and innovation.
