• The ninth edition of the Strategic Dive 2021 reCONNECT demonstrated the resilience of the packaging industry in a face-to-face meeting after months of virtual activities, bringing together more than 150 leaders of change at the Llotja de Mar in Barcelona
• The day offered a special program with various inspiring topics such as innovation, legislation, sustainability and talent management, with professional experts such as Esteve Almirall from Esade, Juan José Blanco from KPMG, Markus Schimd from SPI, Mònica Utrera from Euncet Business School, Ana Palencia from Unilever, Borja Lafuente from Danone and Joan Sabertes from Bonpreu Esclat.

• The participants enjoyed an exhibition area in which to know and discover the most innovative products and services in the world of packaging, with 15 brands such as ABB, AIS Vision Systems, Cart Service, Caixa d'Enginyers, Enplater, Estoko, Hispack, I3D eco packaging ideas, Lecta, Lubrizol, Mesbook, Mitsubishi Electric, Tai Smart Factory, The Pack Finder and Pick&Pack

On December 2, the Strategic Dive 2021 was held reCONNECT of the Packaging Cluster, in the prominent industrial enclave of Llotja de Mar, which hosted more than 150 referents from the world of packaging. The ninth edition of the Strategic Dive has marked a before and after in the return to face-to-face events, demonstrating the strength of a resilient sector with the desire to continue growing and generating business opportunities in spaces like reCONNECT.

The President of the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona Mònica Roca i Aparici attended the event in which she highlighted, during the institutional welcome, the effort of the business fabric to lead the economic revolution in a difficult context, where talent, innovation and knowledge have been the mainstay of progress. Martina Font, President of the Packaging Cluster, organizing entity, accompanied the speech of Mònica Roca i Apirici stressing the presence of the two women presidents, a fact that does not occur in all current scenarios and that gradually becomes habitual.

The reCONNECT program allowed to enjoy four Keynote Speakers during the morning and a round table with retailers in the afternoon. The conference began with Jaime Asián, Director of the Services Department at Caixa Enginyers, who presented Esade’s teaching expert in Innovation, Artificial Intelligence and Smart Cities, Esteve Almirall. The expert explained how we can achieve high levels of productivity and competitiveness, in a complex and highly competitive market, where "If you are not one of the best, you are nobody".

The day continued by Pere Coll, director of R + D + i at Enplanter, who introduced the second presentation by Juan José Blanco, partner of the Customs and Special Taxes area of KPMG, with whom we discovered the bill to create a tax on non-reusable plastic packaging. Juan José Blanco explained the characteristics of this law and the impact on all companies that manufacture, import or make intra-community acquisitions of disposable plastic containers, a law that affects the bulk of the sector and that, therefore, raised blisters among those present.

After a networking break in the exhibition area, Ana Osuna, Packaging Materials Specialists from Lecta introduced Markus Schmid, Institute director of the Sustainable Packaging Institute at Albstadt-Sigmaringen University. From Germany and via videoconference, Markus commented, from a research point of view, the application projects oriented to food packaging that seek to provide sustainable solutions that reduce food waste thanks to the latest technologies. Additionally, Markus outlined the development of several EU-funded projects that could contribute to healthy nutrition, less food waste and a circular bioeconomy.

For his part, Xavier Pifarré, Channel Manager of Robotics & Discrete Automation in Spain at ABB announced the presentation by Mònica Utrera, professor at Euncet Business School, on the importance of talent in the new era. Mònica Utrera motivated and raised the public with a performance making the audience dance, with the music at full volume. The talent professional affirmed during her speech that one of the main keys for directive leadership is related to the leader and his / her position in the day-to-day management, to get the “technicians to do and the bosses to do that others do ”. The positive or negative positioning of a team objectively affects the performance of workers in a hyper-connected world with great competition in the market. Mònica Utrera highlighted that 90% of the work of company leaders is to motivate teams to be positive.

To end the Strategic Dive 2021 #reCONNECT, Xavier Pascual, director of Hispack, presented the round table with retailers composed by Ana Palencia, communication director of Unilever, Borja Lafuente, responsible for Sustainability of Southern Europe at Danone and Joan Sabartes, director Bonpreu - Escalt Operations, led by Sergio Escuriet, Lubrizol Global Applications Manager Printing & Packaging. Ana Palència highlighted that Unilever, aware that the culture of use and throw, and that the product model continues to dominate our lives and damage our planet, publicly committed in 2019 to halve the use of virgin plastic in their packaging, use at least 25% postconsumer recycled plastic PCR), as well as collect and process more plastic containers of which you sell, for the year 2025. The person in charge of Sustainability of the South of Europe from Danone, Borja Lafuente, highlighted the regularities of the waste law, consumer behaviour, social pressure to achieve sustainability strategies, quality and food safety in the Danone company. Finally, Joan Sabartes, explained the sustainability challenge that the world of packaging has and in the case of Bonpreu - Esclat with the strategies of the 3R used in the company. Joan Sabartes faces this situation adapting to the regulations of the moment to meet the needs of the consumer.

Members, sponsors and attendees of the event reCONNECT 2021 enjoyed a closing cocktail to end the day along with jazz music and a space of connection and relationship with the guests to the day.

The partners who supported the event were: ACCIÓ, ASPACK, Clúster de Innovación de Envase y Embalaje, The Pack Finder, Cart Service, i3D eco packaging ideas, Lubrizol, Hispack, Mitsubishi Electric - Factory Automation ES, ABB, AIS Vision Systems, Caixa d'Enginyers , Enplater, Estoko, Lecta, Tai Smart Factory , MESbook y PICK&PACK

The most crucial event of the Packaging Cluster was accompanied by Estoory, a mobile app designed by i3D partner Eco Packaging Ideas for participants to interact with each exhibitor and learn about the special reCONNECT program.

We are waiting for you in the tenth edition of the Strategic Immersion, which coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Packaging Cluster, on October 28, 2022, where you can share challenges, networking, opportunities and experiences with the cluster.