Sustainability, efficiency and automation will be front and center when leading manufacturers from across Australia and New Zealand converge on Melbourne for the Australasian Processing and Packaging Expo (APPEX) 2024.

Presented by the Australian Packaging and Processing Machinery Association (APPMA), the event will be the largest business-to-business gathering for the processing and packaging sector ever to be held in Australia.

APPEX builds on the 35-year foundation of the former AUSPACK exhibitions, taking what was previously a packaging-focused event and combining it with the processing industry in what will be a 50 percent larger showcase at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from March 12 to 15.

APPMA Chair Mark Dingley said the new event, which will be held every three years, unites the best in processing and machinery as well as ancillary equipment, materials and packaging.

“This will be the largest B2B trade show for our industry ever to be held in Australia with the widest range of working machinery on the floor,” Dingley said.

“It is a showcase of the total processing and packaging sector with a focus on the latest technology and best practice. It is an unprecedented opportunity for knowledge exchange delivered by industry, for industry.”

Exhibitors will showcase the latest equipment, technology and innovation in machinery, ancillary equipment, automation, materials and packaging, logistics, robotics, food processing and industry services.

“For manufacturers looking to boost their production lines through new machinery, automation and technology, this is the place to be,” Dingley said.

APPEX 2024 is set to take over all 20 bays of the MCEC and will be divided into zones to help attendees find products and services of interest to them.

The event will offer new networking areas, including food and beverage hubs and APPEX restaurants, designed to allow visitors and exhibitors to connect, network and to enjoy their day at the event.

APPEX 2024 will feature a series of educational initiatives and opportunities including Meat Industry Day, led by a collaboration of partners comprising the Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC); Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA). There will also be food and beverage-focused sessions as part of the Food Industry Solution Series and presentations from Robotics Australia exploring the role and future of robotics in processing and packaging.

APPEX 2024 will culminate in the Awards of Excellence, a gala dinner, hosted by APPMA, on Wednesday, March 13.

“The APPMA Awards of Excellence is the national awards program for the Australian packaging and processing industry, recognizing excellence, innovation, leadership and best practice,” Dingley said. “The Gala dinner, expected to host more than 700 industry guests, is very much the ‘event of the year’ for our industry and everyone involved.”

Dingley notes that APPMA membership has increased by 40 percent over the past two years and continues to grow.

“APPEX 2024 will build on that momentum and will prove to be a platform for accelerated growth and innovation propelling our industry, and our country, further forward,” he said.

Registrations for APPEX 2024 are now open.

To register or for more information visit www.appex.com.au