Both Interpack and the COPACO Group are celebrating big anniversaries this year. For 40 years now, the Group has been successfully holding its own in the face of increasingly tough competition. At this year's trade fair, the Group's chosen slogan is "The Power of Synergy". The association of four SME packaging manufacturers has created a powerful international network for providing customers with development and process expertise. This network is augmented by far-reaching industry know-how, effective resource management and full-service offerings stretching along the entire supply chain. The key focus of Interpack 2008 is the "supply chain partnership", i.e. the range of services along the whole value-added chain. As co-founder of InnovationParc Packaging, product and brand protection is another of the Group's central themes.

When it was founded back in 1968, the COPACO Group began the process of exchanging information among SMEs and started to generate initial purchasing synergies. Since then, it has evolved into a strong economic partnership between industrial SMEs, whose strength and stability is founded on the preservation and further development of the core competencies of its individual members.

Today, the four companies cooperate in the fields of technology and research and development, harness purchasing synergies, conduct joint projects, and coordinate their marketing activities. Despite the rocketing prices for raw materials and energy, coupled with ever-shorter development cycles, this cooperation enables the packaging manufacturers to utilize synergy effects to open up new potential for extra added value and generate competitive advantages. As a result, the Group has become a professional packaging and process partner for a wide range of industries, and the driving force behind topics such as high-grade finishing, counterfeit protection, RFID, and printable electronic components.

Development potential4
The biggest advantages are generated through cooperation in research and development and joint benchmarking processes. For example, if one company takes on a pioneering technological role in a specialized area, the others automatically benefit from this know-how. As the innovation expertise of the individual companies multiplies in this way, COPACO solutions are always state-of-the-art. These valuable resources are invested into the development of future-focused technologies, such as for example - as a member of OE-A - the integration of printed electronic components such as RFID antennas or displays with programmable content into packaging.

Extended services tap into new potential for added value
Thanks to the wide-ranging core competencies of its individual members, the COPACO Group has access to extensive industry expertise and implementation know-how. As the packaging manufacturers take on more and more responsibility for the economic design of the entire process chain right through to logistics, the supply chain becomes more effective. COPACO's efficient network of specialists, service providers and suppliers enables the creation of customer-specific and cost-effective solutions to meet a broad range of requirements.

The COPACO Group at InnovationParc Packaging
As co-founder of InnovationParc Packaging at Interpack, COPACO will also be focusing on the key topic of product and brand protection under the slogan "Innovation vs. Imitation - Concepts & Solutions". In cooperation with its partners – the German Engineering Federation (VDMA) and Aktion Plagiarius e. V. – the Group is keen to implement joint initiatives for product and brand protection. The Group members will use the trade fair to showcase their latest solutions for counterfeit protection, such as "Karl Knauer Ident 3.0 NFC" with integrated web and cell phone technology, and complete turnkey security concepts in compliance with current standards. Experts will be on hand to provide visitors with information on customs duties, legal rights, and the latest technologies for printed and printable security features.