With “Talk in a Can”, METPACK (May 5–8, 2026) will celebrate the premiere of a new forum format in Hall 2 (booth 2E57) at Messe Essen. The stage will bring together expert presentations, product showcases, panels, podcasts and networking. Current topics from the international metal packaging industry will be made tangible and immediately accessible. At the heart of the world's leading trade fair, a new meeting point for exhibitors, visitors, media representatives and partners will be created every day starting at 10 a.m. “Talk in a Can” stands for compact knowledge transfer, international perspectives and direct dialogue on market trends, technologies and best practices across the entire value chain.
The program is aimed at decision-makers, production and quality managers, as well as industry partners from the metal packaging sector. Topics range from market developments and recycling to coating, digitalization and AI, through to energy efficiency, machine performance and new packaging solutions.
Hands-on program highlights on Tuesday
The forum program will kick off on Tuesday, May 5, with the press event “Opening the Can.” Following welcoming remarks by Oliver P. Kuhrt, CEO of Messe Essen, the spotlight will turn to current market figures and industry outlooks. Afterwards Tim Clarke, CEO Europe of Enpack Group, will speak about the future challenges facing can makers. A subsequent deep dive will explore market developments and industry trends in greater detail.
Florian Weil, CEO of Weil Technology GmbH, will then provide a strong impetus. In his presentation, “Laser-welded stainless steel containers for demanding filling goods: PFAS-free, high-precision and sustainable packaging solutions,” he will show how demanding filling goods can be future-proofed with sustainable, PFAS-free, and highly precise packaging solutions. This will be followed by a Henkel program slot featuring Hajar Eddarir and Chris Cupisz. Brad Stanley, Internal Sales Manager at Unimaq Ltd, will then focus on AI-supported quality assurance in production with “UniCAM AI Smart Vision”. The first day will conclude with Gijs Bekkers of the VMI Group, who presents the next generation of can washers, the CanWasher 2.0.
Wednesday: podcast, expert insights and Innovation Awards
On Wednesday, May 6, “Talk in a Can” will begin with the official podcast partner The Metal Pack Pod, published by the trade medium The Metal Packager. NPB and Sun Chemical will then provide additional expert insights before Carsten O. Schultze, General Manager of opti-color Mess- und Regelanlagen GmbH, engages the audience with a topic that is both pointed and highly practical: in “Viscosity test cups – an ‘antique’ tool in modern production...are you serious?” he will examine the role of classic measurement methods in modern production environments.
A highlight of the second day of the trade fair will be the presentation of the METPACK Innovation Awards. The coveted bronze, silver and gold honors will be awarded on the forum stage. Trade fair visitors are warmly invited to experience the ceremony live and learn firsthand which innovations impressed the jury most this year.
To round off the day, the focus will once again shift to key future issues for the industry: Torben Knöß, Head of Technical Affairs at the German Metal Packaging Association (VMV), will address the opportunities and risks of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which comes into force this year. The program continues with the Women in Canmaking Association (WICA). Martha Rojas and Janis Osborn will highlight how targeted support for women can unlock an important talent pool and sustainably strengthen the industry’s competitiveness. Andy Hyde of STOLLE MACHINERY, LLC will conclude the day with his presentation “From Signals to Decisions: Making Can Line Data Actionable,” showing how production data can be turned into sound, targeted decisions.
Thursday features more international voices
Thursday, May 7, will be dedicated to international expertise and technological advancement. The day will open with Rolf Hilfiker, CEO of Pneumofore, and his presentation “The Hidden 50%,” focusing on energy efficiency and CO2 reduction in can lines. Jose Rivera of Mundolatas and Azucena Marin will then trace the development of the easy-open tab in “The Evolution of the Easy-Open Tab: From the Beginning to AnchorEOE.” Presentations by Thermo Fisher Scientific and thyssenkrupp Rasselstein will follow.
In the afternoon, the spotlight will shift to digitalization, automation and efficiency gains. Koenig & Bauer opens the second block of the day with “The Hybrid Blueprint: A Practical Guide to Selecting and Implementing Digital Printing in Metal Decorating”, before an NPB panel adds further perspectives from the industry. SACMI, in “AI Driven Machine Vision for Quality Control in Metal Packaging: From Concept to Real-world Vision Systems,” will show how AI-based machine vision can be used concretely in quality control. Dennis Stammen of STOLLE MACHINERY, LLC will then speak on “Stability at 3000+ EPM - The Real Work,” highlighting the requirements for stable high-performance lines. Koenig & Bauer will close the day by revisiting another key issue for the future with “Sustainable Drying: Achieving Maximum Efficiency in Metal Coating.”
Podcast on Friday
On the final day of the trade fair, a Talk in a Can session between The Metal Packager and PPG Packaging will take place. Trade visitors can experience a live discussion between the official podcast partner of the trade fair and PPG Packaging. The new forum format will conclude with a presentation by Davide Padovani, Brion S. Talley and Angelica Papageorgiou of Steelforce Packaging on “Scaling Circularity: From Innovation to Execution in Metal Packaging”.
The program is continuously updated on www.metpack.de. Subject to change.
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