OKSince 12 August the new EU Packaging Regulation has applied, and with it the data for each format (materials, weights, labels) becomes a requirement for the line, not just for the technical office. This month we look at that change, three technical developments and the autumn trade fair calendar.
Technology and developments
Inspection: metal detection and X-ray with machine learning
Mettler-Toledo has announced its M50 R series of metal detectors. They combine a 900 kHz operating frequency with a machine-learning algorithm to pick up fine wire and irregularly shaped pieces with fewer false rejects. There are versions for dry, bulk and wet products or products wrapped in metallised film, with OPC UA and EtherNet/IP connectivity (Processing Magazine, 15-09-2026).
What it brings: every false reject is good product lost; reducing them improves OEE without touching line speed. Before investing: ask for trials with your real product (moisture, salt, film) and check that rejects and verifications are logged in your traceability system.
AI in maintenance: plenty of interest, little use
A Fracttal report covering more than 2,000 maintenance professionals finds that 67% have AI integrated, in a pilot or planned within 12 months, yet only 13% actually use it in maintenance. The most valued uses are predictive analysis with IoT sensors (33%) and automatic root-cause diagnosis (28%). 75% only accept recommendations with human validation, and the main obstacles are lack of skills (27%) and lack of data or infrastructure (25%) (Interempresas, 17-09-2026).
What to check: before the algorithm, the data: which variables each machine records, how often, and what breakdown history they can be matched against.
Robots at the end of the line
PMMI estimates that the US robotics market for packaging and processing will grow from just over 440 million dollars in 2025 to around 800 million in 2031 (10.3% a year). Users choose on reliability, service and proven payback, and name upfront cost, integration and maintenance as barriers (PMMI, 31-08-2026). According to the A3 association, 2,774 cobots were ordered in North America in the first half of 2026, 15.4% of units, and orders from food and consumer goods rose by 17% (Canadian Packaging, 12-08-2026).
What to check: changeover time, the pallet patterns the cell can handle and who will maintain it.
Industry 4.0 and 5.0
The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) puts the number of industrial robots operating in the EU at 712,000, although installations fell by 11% in 2025 to 60,500. Food and beverage was one of the few sectors to grow (5,300 units, +4%); Spain installed 4,300 robots, 15% fewer. The IFR links European competitiveness to automation in the face of rising costs and labour shortages (IFR, 24-09-2026). On the shop floor, this means automating repetitive and heavy tasks first, such as palletising and case packing, and moving people to supervision, changeovers and troubleshooting, with the training that requires.
Regulation: the PPWR now applies
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste has applied since 12 August 2026, replacing the 1994 Directive. From that date PFAS are restricted in food packaging; harmonised labelling will follow in 2028 and all packaging must be recyclable by 2030 (European Commission, 12-08-2026). The Commission did not adopt the labelling implementing acts on time, so 2028 is now the earliest possible date (Packaging Europe, 20-08-2026).
What to do now: list, for each SKU, the materials, weights and suppliers of every pack and ask suppliers for their compliance documentation.
Trade fairs
- CPHI Europe, 6-8 October, Milan: packaging and drug delivery zone, plus new labelling, cold chain and contamination control zones (official site).
- Pack Expo International, 18-21 October, Chicago: more than 2,600 exhibitors, a food and beverage processing zone and sessions on AI and extended producer responsibility (PMMI).
- Empack Madrid, 11-12 November, IFEMA: packaging machinery and reusable and circular models; held alongside Logistics & Automation Madrid (official site).
- SPS, 24-26 November, Nuremberg: industrial AI, IT/OT convergence, predictive maintenance and cybersecurity (official site).
For the diary: Anuga FoodTec (Cologne, 23-26 February 2027) and Hispack (Barcelona, 4-7 May 2027). FachPack is not held this year and returns on 21-23 September 2027, and All4Pack Emballage Paris moves from November 2026 to 29 June-1 July 2027.
From the blog
Carmencita's new plant: keeping variety in check. Carmencita invests €25m in its new Novelda plant, with over 700 product references: what it means for traceability and control in packaging.
If you would like to discuss any of these topics for your line, simply reply to this email.
Santiago Barrado