Page 63 - Food&Drink magazine April 2022

WHAT’S COMING UP
APPMA NEWS
Sydney member dinner draws crowd despite downpour
Some 100 APPMA members braved torrential rain and flooded roads for a convivial evening of networking, fine food, and an in-depth assessment of the economic outlook by Nicki Hutley at a dinner in Sydney’s Darling Harbour in March.
AUSPACK 2022
17-20 MAY
MELBOURNE CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION CENTRE (MCEC)
The industry’s leading packaging and processing trade show. Find out more at www.auspack.com.au
AUSPACK LEADERS FORUM
18-19 MAY
MCEC
A two-day conference running alongside AUSPACK covering trends driving the industry, and delivering insights and learning strategies to strengthen businesses.
APPMA AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE GALA DINNER
18 MAY
MCEC
Recognising industry innovation, and celebrating success across the wide spectrum of the processing and packaging industry.
APPMA president Mark Dingley opened the evening, which took place on International Women’s Day, calling on members to encourage female participation in what is one of the more male-dominated industries. He pointed to APPMA itself, which now has two female board members and a female company secretary, as an example of progress.
With the rain pounding down outside, Dingley said APPMA stood ready to help all packaging and processing companies impacted by the floods, with technical support and even loan equipment. APPMA will also be working with local charities to help with recovery projects.
Dingley revealed that APPMA itself had grown significantly over the Covid period, with membership up to 135 compared with 95 in 2019. He cited the success of the association’s marketing through initiatives such as the Machinery Matters online and print publication that goes out in PKN Packaging News and Food & Drink Business as one of the reasons for growth and increased member participation.
AUSPACK is the major topic for APPMA at present, and Dingley said the show, due to take place in May, is over 85 per cent sold, with 200-plus
exhibitors signed up, and visitor registration numbers tracking above the 2019 event.
He spoke also of a future for AUSPACK beyond the 2022 show, which would see it transition into a broader all-of-industry event by 2024.
Nicki Hutley’s presentation (see page 6 of Machinery Matters) delivered a sense of optimism in a world of uncertainty, which was well received by members in attendance.
Dingley wrapped up the formal part of the evening, thanking Hutley, inviting the crowd to enjoy the food and beverage on offer, and to take the opportunity to network, which they duly did. ■
LEFT: (l to r) Kaitlyn Waldie, Metromotion; Rym Kachouri, Foodmach; Jon Perry, ETF, Mark Hollingsworth, Rhima Australia; Michael Jagger, FlexCam.
ABOVE: Robert Becher (left) from Inox and Alana Smith from ETF. BELOW: Tony Elliott (left) and Nadia Taylor from tna Solutions.
MACHINERY MATTERS MARCH-APRIL 2022 3