GREIF-VELOX CONNECT 2026: Networking as a Response to Economic Uncertainty

115 trade visitors, 22 partner companies, ten expert presentations—and an overall atmosphere that really impressed me: Now more than ever.

That was our GREIF-VELOX CONNECT on June 9, 2026—held for the third time at our main location on our factory grounds on Kronsforder Landstraße. And it was the most content-rich edition of the series to date. What makes me particularly happy: This year, we brought everything together in one place. This noticeably intensified the exchange between visitors, partners, and our team.

For me personally, the live demonstration on the production floor is the heart of CONNECT—and this year, too, it was what really captured visitors’ interest.

The focus was on ongoing customer projects: a fully automated liquid filling system of the A-DOS-P1 for drums and IBCs, as well as a BVP gross-pneumatic packer that is being expanded with automation and safety modules as part of a retrofit project—including an automatic bag feeder, ValvoCare and ValvoSeal. Perhaps of particular interest to visitors: These retrofit solutions are not limited to our own machines. They can also be integrated into third-party packers—a concrete way to gradually increase automation and process reliability without having to purchase a completely new system.

In addition, we showcased machines from the Essential Line: standardized, preconfigured machines with significantly reduced engineering effort—and, in many cases, delivery times of just a few weeks instead of the several months typical in the industry.

We had something special on display for our vacuum technology: the VeloVac XL for vacuum BigBag bagging, as well as a VeloVac test packer that was already on the road for customer trials throughout Europe. A map showed the countries where it had been operating under real production conditions—as a concrete offer to test one of our applications before making an investment decision.

The plant tour was complemented by an R-DOS Custom Line: a customer-specific liquid filling solution that demonstrates how we can translate individual requirements into tailor-made concepts.

The topic of Packaging as a Service (PaaS) attracted more attention this year than ever before. Together with CHG MERIDIAN, we demonstrated how financing models can be tailored precisely to the specific needs and balance sheet requirements of individual companies.

This was evident from the conversations on site: PaaS was the theme that ran like a common thread throughout the day—and, like a key fitting into a lock, it was exactly what many companies need right now.

Several talks and partner presentations addressed the topics of data consistency and digital security—with the usual practical focus.

The biggest crowd, aside from the PaaS presentation, was drawn to our partner Bizerba, which was participating in the trade show for the first time this year: The focus was on data management software that maps all production processes within a single system, with the goal of reducing errors in complex systems and ensuring traceability without data discontinuities.

We ourselves demonstrated our new electronic spare parts catalog in a live presentation right at the machines. Looking ahead, we presented the planned use of AR glasses—to provide real-time support to technicians during on-site maintenance visits.

Managing Director Sebastian Pohl used the closing presentation to outline the five areas in which we are already using or further developing artificial intelligence: Condition monitoring, usage-based preventive maintenance, data-driven predictive maintenance, OEE monitoring, and cross-functional process optimization. AI and its concrete impact on production and operations—that was the central topic of discussion throughout the entire event.

Our partner Siemens also put the NIS 2 Directive and the EU Cyber Resilience Act on the agenda and, using the example of a NIS 2-compliant remote maintenance tool, demonstrated how remote access can be implemented in compliance with regulations.

What sets us apart from traditional trade shows—and what I see confirmed anew every year—is the in-depth technical discussions taking place right at the machines, at partner booths, and in the lecture halls, rather than the anonymous hustle and bustle of a typical trade show. The fact that we had everything under one roof this year further amplified this effect.

Attendance remained consistently high despite a challenging economic environment—I see this as a clear endorsement of the format.

The post-event survey confirms this: over 90 percent of participants reported having made new business contacts during CONNECT. Particular praise was given to the technical depth of the discussions, the diversity of partners, and the time allotted for individual questions.

Some of the feedback made me particularly happy:

The evening event at the Lübeck craft beer brewery Sudden Death Brewing has become something of a tradition to wrap up the conference. The industrial atmosphere—authentic and with a distinct style—suited the character of CONNECT like no other venue. About 20 varieties of beer and a selection of extraordinary pizzas, including a creation with blueberries, provided plenty of conversation topics far beyond the technical subjects—as one visitor summed it up: “We’ll be back next year.”

For me, it was yet another fantastic in-house exhibition. Based on this feedback, the expectations of participants, partners, and colleagues were met and, in some cases, even exceeded. That’s why there will be another GREIF-VELOX CONNECT in 2027—the date will be announced soon.