Many manufacturers are focusing on making their production processes faster and more efficient. One example is the drying of gummy products.

“The shorter the drying process, the lower the energy consumption and the smaller the required drying area. This not only reduces operating costs but also frees up valuable production space.”

Cesare Catelli, General Manager of PINCO S.A.

At the same time, depositing and packaging lines are being designed for higher throughput. Increasing output without expanding the production footprint—while maintaining product quality and process stability—has become a major development objective for many equipment manufacturers.

"What you see here is not about spectacular innovations, but about numerous well-designed details that make a real difference in everyday operation—especially when it comes to machine operation and cleaning."

Technical Sales Representative, Machinery Exhibitor, interpack 2026

Smaller Batches, Greater Challenges

The market is increasingly demanding smaller production batches and more frequent product changeovers. This is particularly true for specialty products and customer-specific variants.

Machinery manufacturers are responding with:

• more efficient cleaning systems,
• parallel processing concepts that allow production and cleaning to take place simultaneously,
• modular production lines with multiple depositing or packaging units that can be cleaned alternately while the remaining units continue production.

These solutions significantly reduce downtime while maintaining maximum production flexibility.

Automation with a Focus on Operator Guidance

Today, automation means much more than simply adding technology. The focus is on supporting the operator.

Many manufacturers emphasize that automation is not intended to replace operators but to assist them—especially in light of the ongoing shortage of skilled labor, increasing process complexity, and the high risk of errors associated with manual machine settings.

Modern production systems therefore provide intuitive operator feedback through:

• illuminated adjustment indicators,
• clear machine status displays,
• step-by-step instructions via the Human-Machine Interface (HMI),
• and, in the future, AI-supported recommendations.

As a result, operators can immediately recognize whether a setting is appropriate, identify the source of a problem, and understand the recommended corrective action.

"The overall machine layout is very intuitive. Operators can quickly find their way around, and it's obvious that both efficiency and practical usability have been carefully considered throughout the process design."

Head of Technical Development, Machinery Exhibitor, interpack 2026

Predictive Maintenance and Connected Production Lines

Another key focus is predictive maintenance.

Machine performance and quality data are continuously collected and analyzed. The objective is to detect deviations at an early stage, schedule maintenance proactively, and prevent unplanned downtime.

Production lines are also becoming increasingly interconnected. For example, if higher product volumes enter the beginning of the line, downstream equipment automatically adjusts its operating speed. Machine status and faults are displayed centrally, enabling a single operator to monitor multiple production stations without being physically present at each one.

Energy Efficiency as a Standard Requirement

Energy efficiency has become a standard requirement—not only in Europe but worldwide.

Energy-saving modes, intelligent temperature control, and fast-response heating systems help reduce energy consumption and lower the overall carbon footprint.

Ultimately, the energy source—whether electricity, gas, or another supply—remains the responsibility of the plant operator. Machinery is therefore designed to operate efficiently with a wide range of energy concepts.

Conclusion

interpack 2026 clearly demonstrated that investing in modern, flexible, and operator-friendly technology prepares manufacturers for smaller batch sizes, innovative products, and increasingly demanding markets.

If you would like to learn more about specific solutions and successful projects, please do not hesitate to contact us. At PROFORM we support you on your journey toward the production of tomorrow.